Page 23 of Cruel Knots

I don’t believe anything will come out of my pathetic breakdown. No one’s ever come to rescue me, so imagine my surprise when a loud blast sounds from somewhere in the building.

The ground below me shakes. Even the walls rattle as two more blasts blow up somewhere in the hotel.

What is happening?

Pushing myself off the floor, I head toward the door.

Just as I’m about to reach for the doorknob, loud gunfire sounds just outside the corridor.

Can I let myself hope? Is someone crashing this wedding?

Despite the risk of being blown apart by bombs and shot down, I wrench open the door.

There’s no one in the corridor. The men guarding me are all gone! Screams of men and women, punctuated by the thunder of gunfire, come from somewhere far away.

I weigh my options. Callum can’t blame me for running away from the attackers. My life is worth something to him, after all. A dead sister will break his deal with Freddy Stone and cost him a fortune.

A smile rises on my lips despite the shrill, terror-stricken screams rising all around me. At this point, I don’t even care that people are dying. I’m simply relieved to have an excuse to run.

Picking up my heavy skirt, I dash down the corridor. If I keep going, I’ll soon reach the lobby and be able to make my way out through the front entrance of the hotel.

Reaching the reception area, I take cover behind a tall brass vase. Peering from the side, I find two men in black ski masks raining gunfire on the people who are desperately trying to hide behind the pillars or under the tables.

My gaze falls on a familiar figure in a bright fuchsia jumpsuit and a ridiculous hat with flowers. That’s Freddy’s mom, I realize, recognizing her. She’s hiding under a table and keeping her eyes tightly squeezed.

I should feel sorry for her but I don’t.

Mrs. Stone is in the same league as Callum and Freddy. Despite knowing her son is gay, she’s happily participating in this sham wedding that’ll ruin my life. I don’t even care if one of the bullets hits her.

Surprised at the savage thoughts running through my mind, I slowly creep toward the gates in the distance. My white wedding gown has probably camouflaged me against the white and pastel-shaded flowers covering every inch of the reception area because the shooter doesn’t spare me any attention.

I’m halfway down the hallway when someone grabs me from the back. A strong hand slaps over my mouth, cutting off the scream stuck in my throat.

“Where are you running off to, Princess?” A deep, luscious male voice hisses in my ear.

Something inside me reverberates at the stranger’s voice. I should be scared, even fighting him to get out of his clutches but I stand still, desperate to hear him speak again.

Gunfire rains down all around us but the two of us stand perfectly still.

“You’re still such a good girl, Lucia,” the man speaks again. This time I hear a hint of remorse in his voice. “It’s too bad you’re just as greedy as your brother.”

I’m not! I want to shout but his hand on my mouth keeps me from uttering a sound.

Warmth from the man’s body seeps into my chilled skin. Why am I having such a reaction to this stranger? Do I know him?

A stabbing pain suddenly flares at the side of my neck. It’s a second before I realize the stranger has plunged a needle into my flesh.

My body squirms and twists in a bid to get out of his crushing hold but his powerful arms cage me against his stone-hard chest. Within seconds, I feel my arms and legs going numb, followed by a heavy blackness that settles over my eyes. Within moments, I lose all consciousness.

Just get me out of here, I think, closing my eyes and welcoming the darkness.

9

Lucia

My heavy eyelids blink several times to clear the haze from my groggy mind. Everything around me is dark, making me wonder whether I’m still under the influence of the drug that was injected into me.

I try to move and feel the scrape of cold stone underneath my feet. My wrists feel the frigid touch of metal. It takes several more seconds for my eyes to adjust to the dimness around me.

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