Page 30 of Jared's Redemption

For the first time in days, I feel my lips curl into a tight smile. I wrench the door up, taking the steps two at a time into the darkness without waiting for everyone else.

My steps are silent as we creep through the dark passage, my shoulder scuffing the uneven wall occasionally as I duck under the low ceiling. Flares were discarded intermittently on the path and I followed them like crumbs on a trail. Letting Steffen guide the reaper to collect his head.

“Am I still right if it’s more of a safe tunnel, rather than room?” Markus mutters, and I roll my eyes even though he can’t see my face.

After a few tense minutes, low voices from ahead make me freeze, holding my hand up to stop Markus. I don’t recognize their voices, but I know we’ve found them. Which means I’ve found Amelia and my little Lunatic. I was getting them out of here, no matter what.

Markus tapped on his phone for a few tense minutes, holding the dim screen up to show me.

We dunno the layout. What do we do? It’s a good question, one I don’t have an answer for. I risk shuffling closer, holding my breath as we come to a sharp left turn.

“Steffen sent the rest of the guys ahead to set up. What if they find us? We are sitting ducks and the Barone’s don’t show fucking mercy.” A mans voice whines, making my shoulders tremble from a soundless laugh.

“They won’t risk hurting the brat and the whore doesn’t belong to a Barone. Jared is nothing more than their daddy’s bitch.” Another man snickers as if he’s told a hilarious joke. Markus brushes past me, twisting a silencer onto the end of his gun as I grab his shoulder.

“Nobody talks about my brothers.” He says, the look in his eye deadly as he rounds the corner and fires two shots. The thud of both bodies hitting the floor makes me step out to see his handy work. The men are crumpled on-top of each other, in a sickly last embrace.

“Come on, let’s save my baby and your girl. I can’t stand crabby Jared, the one that never gets pussy.” He taunts, strolling into the den of our enemies as if it’s a walk in the park. Fucking nutcase.

“Tell my squad to guard the exit. I’m coming down. Jared’s squad needs to get the clean-up crew down here. It’s going to be a bloodbath. Markus, did you even bother bringing your men?” Alec asks in our ear pieces as he pushes through the small crowd of men behind us.

“Nope.” Markus responds, gleefully popping the p.

Chapter 21- Luna

Shouts and the sound of scuffling feet pull me from my daze as my mother shakes my aching body.

“Luna, get up. Something is happening.” She hisses, my head still in her lap from where I must have dozed off. My shoulders scream in pain, Amelia is snoring in my arms and the burns marring my thighs and abdomen are tight and painful. But I move soft and slow, careful not to wake her.

Smoke flitters into the room, curling along the floor and a tickle pricks the back of my throat. My mother jerks my arms, hastily pulling us onto our feet as we listen to the slow build of noise.

“What is happening out there?” I ask, backing with her towards the far wall.

“I overheard one of those idiots caught himself on fire with a flare. Just stay low on the ground. Let the smoke rise. There’s not much here to burn, it should go out quickly.” She says, pulling me to crouch next to her.

Amelia begins to stir and my mother rubs her back, humming to keep her asleep. Soft muffled pops barely prick my ears as I strain to listen, the shouts and fights getting closer. A form barges through the doorway, and my hopefulness fades when Steffens enraged face looms above us.

“Get up! You stupid bitch!” He roars, grabbing my mother.

“Stay away from her!” I screech, throwing my entire weight against him to knock his hold on her loose. Amelia cries out in my arms, her tiny hands clawing into my neck. His face is beat red as he grips my arms to haul my face near to his.

“How dare you, useless fucking whore.” He screams in my face, making me turn away. He drops me, gripping my hair as my mother lunges for me and Steffen drags me out behind him while I scream and kick.

“Let go of her!” My mother’s voice drowns out the fight down the hallway, the dimly lit area now bright as fire crawls the floors.

“I’ll kill them both!” Steffen shouts over the noise. Bodies collide, gunshots muffled beyond the fire as the Barone’s men fight, putting their lives on the line. I clench my eyes and pray that Jared isn’t down here, my body slick with sweat from the fire. A man reaches for Amelia, but I scream and jerk away as my mother throws herself between us.

“Don’t touch that baby!” my mother screams.

“I’ll put a bullet between her eyes if you don’t shut the Hell up.” Steffen warns her. My mother stands close to me and Steffen grabs my hair, jerking me forward. My feet are stinging as the skin is scraped over the dirty, chipped and broken floors, but still I fight to keep up with his long paces. Amelia is crying in my arms, her little body becoming slippery with sweat, but I hold her tight.

“Lulu I hot.” She cries, and I unzip my coat, locking my arms around her as the smoke slowly thickens. Knowing we are running out of options, I press a kiss to Amelia’s head, whispering, “Be strong.” As I twist and shove her into my mother’s arms. She takes Amelia and cradles her with a sharp nod of understanding.

“Run!” I scream, slamming my weight into Steffen. I knock us into the men who were following too close, causing them to trip and tumble. Steffen rips pieces of my hair out, but I block the pain as I stand and run, forcing my broken body forward.

Faster than I can react, Steffen’s arm wraps around my throat and slams me to his chest as air is cut off. Smoke is making my eyes water and breathing burns my lungs. I feel the cold metal pressed to my ribs as Steffen curses in my ear. I don’t give up, kicking my feet up to slam into the first guy that tries to rush past. His body lurches, slamming off the wall as he cries out.

“You’ve ruined everything.” Steffen roars.

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