Page 38 of Traitor
“We go any closer and we signal him,” he said.
I turned around and looked at the guys in the back of the van. “You know what to do. I’ll sit here and wait for your signal. But hurry. We have to operate under the guise that they already know we’re here.”
My men nodded at me before they silently got out of the van and took their positions. I watched them disappear into the forest and the lovely foliage our little island had to offer, their shadows sneaking closer to the men guarding the security entrance gate. They were taken down with ease before my men changed into Lorenzo’s men’s outfits. Then, my guy waved us on and effortlessly allowed us to ride right through the gate.
Before the alarm was triggered.
“That’s our cue, Mr. Emiliano. You go. I’ve got the assault coming this way.”
I slipped out of my door while my head of security’s gunfire pulled the guys out the side entrance. I used all of the fruit trees and garden trellises to hide me as I made my way toward the main entrance of the house. I knew how security worked, and I knew Lorenzo would divert all of his men toward the gunfire.
So, I waltzed in through the front door and set my sights on the first hallway.
I’m coming for you, Char.
One room at a time.
* * *
“Did you really think you could kill me!?” Lorenzo bellowed.
His fist crashed down against my back as my nose bled onto the carpet beneath my cheek.
He stood over me. “I have to admit, luring me in with that ‘good girl’ act was nice. But, it won’t work on me again. Want to know why?”
I whimpered. “No.”
He stomped his foot into my lower back. “Well, you’re gonna hear it anyway!”
I cried out in agony as he ground his heel down into my skin. “What do you want!? Just kill me already!”
He lifted his foot. “Now, where would be the fun in that? Did you ever think for one second that I enjoy hearing people cry out for their lives.”
I looked up at him through a swollen eye. “You’re sick, you know that? And I’d rather die than live another moment knowing I’m with you.”
“Why you measly, idiotic, pathetic little--.”
I heard gunshots off in the distance and Lorenzo whipped his head up. He quickly moved to the door and stuck his head out into the hallway before a commotion of footsteps sounded above me. Wait, there was another floor above my head?
“Shit,” Lorenzo hissed.
I heard him slam my bedroom door as I laid there, my eyes trying to flutter closed. Gunfire rained down like stormy afternoon and I wondered if this was it. I wondered if whoever was about to storm this place would also kill me simply because I was inside of it.
I crawled my body toward the door, hoping and praying it wasn’t locked.
“Yes,” I whispered.
I reached up for the knob and felt it turn before the door swung open. I lifted myself to my feet even though one of my ankles was broken and I hobbled out into the hallway. I heard men yelling and rushing around, but I didn’t see any of their shadows.
And Lorenzo was nowhere in sight.
Steadying myself against the wall, I tried to walk. But, it was no use. Every hobbled step I took shot tears of pain up to my eyes and I couldn’t even get to the end of the hallway. My body hurt more than I could stand. How the hell I missed Lorenzo’s face with my shiv was beyond me, but I knew if he found me out of my room he’d shoot me on sight.
Then again, death would be a relief compared to this place.
I bear-clawed my way to the end of the hallway, but when I looked to my left and my right, all I saw was more hallway. Tears rushed my cheeks as I laid my head against the cold, nasty, fake marble floors Lorenzo had in his house and I let my eyes fall closed.
I felt darkness pull me under before the entire world fell silent.
