Page 112 of Gamble with Me
It was all there: Zara’s school, my previous apartment, the Vortex, and an unknown address that showed a place in an abandoned area in Brooklyn.
“This is it,” I whispered, my fingers trembling as I brought up the route on the GPS. It was only a half an hour's ride.
Without hesitation, I got out and opened the entrance. When I drove past the bodyguards, they stared at me like I had fallen from the moon. I hoped they wouldn’t give me any hassle, yet I couldn’t be more wrong. They refused to open the front gate for me.
“You can’t leave,” a tall man in his early thirties said when I rolled down the window. “We have to follow protocol, which forbids you from leaving the perimeter.”
“Did Zyon tell you who I am?” I snarled, thinking about how to get on the other side.
“Yes, Mrs. Kellerman,” the bodyguard confirmed, but his expression didn’t change.
“Forget that name,” I spat, my temper rising with every passing second I lost talking to him. I should’ve already been on my way. “I’m Zyon’s girlfriend. My command is the same as his.”
“I know, ma’am, but if he returns and finds out I let you leave the house unsupervised during the security crisis, I’m dead,” he said, resolutely shaking his head. “Sorry, but you must leave the vehicle and return inside.”
It warmed my heart that he believed Zyon would return, but his words weren’t something I wanted to hear. I had to leave, and he wouldn’t stop me. However, the metal gate could. I would only crash the car if I tried to break it like I was in some cheap action movie.
“Valeria, please.” The guard pulled me out of my thoughts. “Do us both a favor and return inside.”
I stared into his hazel eyes, but I wasn’t really looking at him. My mind was elsewhere. I woke up from my trance only when the sound of the gate opening resonated through the front yard.
The black SUV, full of guys in black suits, entered the land, giving me the opportunity I needed, and I didn’t hesitate. I pushed the gas pedal hard, tiny stones and chunks of grass firing behind me when I speeded toward the gate. I saw the guard running and yelling at me in the rearview mirror, yet he couldn’t stop me. In ten seconds, I was on the driveway before the fence and almost knocked down two reporters who camped there.
A victorious grin settled on my lips when I flew through the highway. I considered escaping Zyon’s men an outstanding achievement. I just hoped it was worth it.
My heart clenched, the thought of Zyon’s death wiping the smile from my face. The fear returned with crushing force. If I was wrong and he wasn’t in the warehouse, I wouldn’t know where else to look. I had no idea about his other properties or emergency plans and procedures. He could be anywhere.
Or, he was dead,the tiny voice said in my mind.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head to eliminate the frightening scenario and focus on the road. I felt like I was split apart, and those two parts fought with themselves while I tried to function properly. It was exhausting, but I couldn’t let the fear consume me.
Driving the car through the dirt path, I noticed a high fence and an abandoned factory and warehouse. According to the GPS, this was the place I visited before.
I stopped before the large, old double doors and got out. It was eerily quiet, and nothing suggested someone was around.
Inhaling deeply, I placed my sweaty palm on the knob and pushed the door open. Surprisingly, no sound was heard. I entered the empty, dusty space, instantly noticing the metal chair Zyon had chained me to when he first kidnapped me and the bed behind it.
I came to the right place. I found our warehouse, but he wasn’t there.
I stepped further inside, looking around and realizing the bulb was on. A frown settled on my face when I noticed many footprints and a thick trail of blood on the ground. My heart missed a beat in excitement and fear, but I had no idea where Zyon could be. This was the only room I knew.
Hurrying to the other side, I checked the door where Zyon had locked Bluff when we were here the last time. The storage was dark, but I clearly heard muffled voices and sounds coming from the other side. There had to be a passage.
I found it after checking every corner. The door was hidden behind the tall, thick curtain. I hastily pushed it to the side and walked into the room, utterly unprepared for the sight arising before me.
The first thing I registered was the muffled screams. Then, my eyes detected something much more disturbing. Everywhere I looked were thrown pieces of clothing and bandages soaked with blood. They covered the floor from the door to the table in the middle where Zyon lay. Malin kept his hand over his mouth and pressed him down while Dorian fought with the bleeding.
It was a terrible sight. The blood dripped from the table into the dust. The air was soaked with a distinctive metallic scent. My stomach twisted with nausea, but I overcame it and came closer.
Dorian’s hands worked diligently, but Zyon screamed and kicked, clearly in excruciating pain. Dorian tried to fix him or repair the damage. I didn’t know for sure, but his efforts looked futile. He couldn’t work while Zyon moved.
“Can I help?” I asked in a raised voice, instantly getting their attention.
Dorian looked at me like I was an alien. Malin smirked, exchanging a brief look with his brother, and Zyon froze.
“Angel,” Zyon whispered as Malin slowly took his hand away and motioned for me to come closer.
“I’ll stay with you, okay?” I said, cupping Zyon’s pale face. He couldn’t tear his eyes from me. I knew he probably didn’t see the reality. He was in delirium from pain, but even if he thought I was a vision, it was enough to calm him a little.
