Page 56 of Chaos & Carnage

I understand that I may potentially be putting them through that same hell, and I feel like a shitty person for doing that, but it’s more likely that one person will make it in and out alive than that all five of us would. It’s better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission, right? I’ll willingly spend the rest of my life begging on my knees for their forgiveness, because in that scenario,allof us are alive.

With determination coursing through my veins, I carefully untangle myself from the mass of limbs wrapped around me and slip out from between Oliver and Dante. They both immediately roll closer to one another, searching me out in their sleep and sinking into the heat I’ve left behind. Taking a second, I drink in the sight of all of them—for what may very well be the last time—with a fond, barely-there smile. My heart fills to bursting with so much love for these four unlikely men. These four men who I’d do anything to save, including sacrificing myself. I know without a shadow of a doubt that, should anything happen to me, Luc will be taken care of. He’ll be welcomed by both the Rejects and Antonellis, provided with somewhere safe to live, protected, and cared for. He’ll be given everything I’ve ever wanted for him, which, in all honesty, is all that I can ask for. All that truly matters.

With tears welling in my eyes, I turn away, quietly grabbing my clothes from earlier before sneaking out. In the hall, I pull on my black jeans and top, and strap on my thigh holster before stuffing my feet into my trusty black boots and ensuring my twin blades are still sheathed inside them. Straightening, I pull back my shoulders and push every emotional thought out of my head. Only when the cold, detached feeling of the Reaper washes over me, do I step out of the house. The street is dark, the sun having set already, and the wind whips at my face, lifting my hair with promises of death. No matter what, this ends tonight. Either I kill Giovanni, or he kills me, and my guys murder him in revenge… Or we all fail, and Giovanni continues to rule over Black Creek like none of us ever existed.

Yeah, I’ll try not to think about that potential outcome.

***

I knock on the door, praying to absolutely nothing that he’s here and that he won’t ignore me. While I wait, I scan the door and wall in front of me for the camera. I know there’s at least one here somewhere, but I can’t for the life of me see it.

“Thought I told you to fuck off.” His gruff, agitated voice bounces off the walls, seemingly coming from all around me and making it impossible to pinpoint the source.

“I need your help—again,” I say to the door, getting straight to the point. “It’s important. I swear, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.”

A long silence follows, so long that I begin to think he’s going to ignore me until I leave. “Please,” I plead in a last-ditch effort. “It could change everything for Black Creek.”

Another long pause makes my palms sweat because, if I can’t get Blue on board, my plan falls apart before it can even be put into action.

“What makes you think I care about Black Creek?” His voice is carefully neutral.

“Because I saw what was on your computer.”

Honestly, I’m not even entirely surewhatI saw on his computer screen that day. Most of it was code that I didn’t understand, but two sets of numbers stuck out to me. That, and a name. It didn’t mean anything to me at the time, but later, I realized they were bank account numbers, and the name was for some charity. Now, IknowBlue wasn’t stealing from the charity. While he’s great at the whole mysterious act, I just don’t get aI’m a complete asshole who steals from charitiesvibe from him. Which just leaves the possibility that he’s some sort of modern-day Robin Hood.

Of course, I could be completely off base. It could have been something entirely different that was on his screen. I don’t deny that I’m undoubtedly taking leaps of judgment here. Anything to get him to let me into his apartment, to convince him to help me.

Yet another tense silence follows my declaration, and just when I’m at my wits’ end and about to bark at him to open the damn door, a click reverberates through the air. Staring at the door, I hesitantly reach out my hand and press against it. It readily swings open, and not giving him a second to change his mind, I step through the doorway.

“What do you want?”

The man himself is standing in front of me, his arms folded across his chest as he stares down at me with an angry, hostile expression.Okay, probably not the best start, but I can totally work with this… maybe. Hopefully.

“I need your help sneaking into Bella Antonella.”

That statement earns me a quirked brow. “And why, may I ask, are you sneaking into the Antonellis’ casino?”

“To kill the Don.”

I think I’ve actually managed to take Blue by surprise, as he just gapes at me for a full minute before gathering himself.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with his son and the others who were searching for you the other day, would it?”

“Sort of, but trust me, I’m doing this for the betterment of Black Creek. Dante isn’t like his father.”

His lips purse, clearly not believing me. Nevertheless, after a casual shrug, he says, “Whatever. As long as this doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass, then yeah, I can help you…” I tense, waiting for the other half of that sentence. “But, in return, I want a favor. At some point in the future, when I come knocking on your dooruninvitedasking for help, you’ll give it. No questions asked.”

It’s my turn to scowl as I mull over his offer. I don’t like the thought of owing anyone a favor, but I do get genuine vibes from Blue. I don’t think his favor will be anything I’m not comfortable with. “Fine,” I spit out, holding out my hand for him to secure the deal.

Reaching forward, he shakes my hand, holding it in his larger one as he asks, “What do you need me to do?”

I tell him my plan and what I need from him. He tweaks it and suggests ideas where necessary, having a crap ton more knowledge than I do regarding computers and technology.

“You think you’ll be able to hack into his network?” I ask as he strides over to his desk and sits down in front of the numerous monitors. Shaking his mouse, they all come to life, showing various screens, all of which he minimizes before I can see anything I shouldn’t.

He scoffs, offended by my question.

“He’s probably got really high-tech stuff,” I explain, trying not to make it seem like I’m doubting him. I’m not, I just fully expect Giovanni to have a whole team dedicated to ensuring his network is secure from men like Blue.

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