Page 133 of Crazed

The driver keeps praying.

Tristano flings the back of his hand on his shoulder. The driver yelps then covers his face with his hands. "Please don't kill me!"

"I'm not! Now tell me where to go!" Tristano barks.

He points to the exit ramp sign stating we're several kilometers away.

Tristano speeds up and maneuvers us off the ramp. There's an airport sign and arrow. He follows it, turning right.

It takes several more minutes to get to the private landing strip. Tristano pulls up to the jet and tells the driver, "As soon as we're on that plane, you drive away. And fast!"

I open the door and help Katiya and Pina out. Tristano follows, and we race up the steps. When I step inside the jet, the driver accelerates the vehicle away from us. I push the staircase away and close the door.

"Leave as soon as you can," Tristano orders the pilots.

"We have ninety seconds," Sy relays.

"Put your seat belts on," I instruct the women, including Chanel, then take the seat next to Katiya. I grab her shaking hand and kiss it. "Everything will be fine," I insist, trying not to jump out of my skin during the longest ninety seconds of my life.

When the wheels begin moving, and we lift off the ground and into the air, relief fills me. I lock eyes with Tristano and ask the question I already partly know the answer to. "How did they find us?"

He shakes his head. Red rage fills his cheeks. He seethes, "I don't know. We have to have a rat in our house."

I grind my molars, exchanging unspoken words with my brother. Whoever it is, they're going to pay. I slide my arm around Katiya and kiss her head. "You sure you're okay? You didn't get hurt?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Shit! You're bruising!" Tristano exclaims, then orders, "Chanel, bring Pina some ice for her shoulder as soon as you can."

"It's fine," Pina claims, but she winces when he touches it.

"No, it's not. Bring some pain meds, too," he adds.

"Got it," Chanel replies.

The jet continues to move higher in the sky. When it finally levels off, the seat belt sign dings.

I remove mine and pick up my cell. I dial Dante.

"Massimo, what the hell are you doing? Pulling a Gianni on us isn't cool," he reprimands.

"We have a traitor," I snarl.

The line turns silent. Dante clears his throat and demands, "What happened?"

"The Abruzzos were here in the Maldives. We're on our way home," I inform him.

He questions, "Anyone hurt?"

I glance at Tristano and answer, "Pina's shoulder got bruised when it slammed against the car door."

"Shit! I'm going to kill Tristano for convincing me to let her go!" he claims.

"Why did you?" I ask, curious how he could let her go and not suspect anything.

"Blame our little brother. He came into the office during my weekly meeting with her. He said he would track you down, and his new assistant just quit. Then he made a stupid bet with me to take her, and I lost. It was a stupid bet on my part I won't fall for again. And all of you need to stop trying to steal her from me. It's getting old. But didn't he tell you?"

Pina's worried eyes meet mine. She mouths, "Don't tell him! Please!" She puts her hands in a prayer pose.

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