Page 67 of Torched

“¡Joder! ¡Tranquillo!” She puts up her hand as she appears on top of the steps. “Give me a minute. It’s fucking six am!”

“It’s noon in Europe,” Jeremy deadpans, calling her out on her bullshit.

“She’s up to something,” I whisper as Liam and I watch her descend the stairs with a whole lot of dramatics, like she’s waiting for her audience to snap pictures. Her black hair glistens under the first rays of sunshine, her brown eyes vibrant as if she’s enjoying herself.

“I know,” Liam concedes.

She finally gets in the car, and I glare at her.

“What, little Genny? I needed to grab my bag.” She lifts the Chanel in her hands.

“Sure, you did. Can we go now?” I ask Liam.

He nods to Jeremy, and everyone gets in the car. Jeremy takes the passenger seat of our vehicle, then our little convoy heads off down the airstrip.

The grass around the concrete is a bright green, the palm trees softly waving through the air from a soft breeze, conjuring a smile on my face at the thought of seeing Callie. It’s only been a few days, but I can’t wait to see her smile and wrap her in my arms.

We used to dream about going on tropical vacations together. Always gushing about how we wanted a beach, some cocktails, and hot men to drool over. We got what we wanted and then some, but I still want a trip with just us girls. One where we can gossip about how overbearing Liam and Kane are and how she feels about becoming a mom. Our lives have changed so much in the last year. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but I feel like I need a minute to reflect. To soak it all in.

My thoughts are abruptly interrupted when I hear Jeremy curse.

“What is it?” Liam barks.

“We’ve got company.” I notice Jeremy glance in the side-view mirror, and I spin in my seat.

Four Jeep Wranglers are following close behind us, gaining speed with every yard to catch up. But it isn’t until I notice the men hanging out of the window that my blood pulsates through my veins at an abnormal speed. They are holding AK-47s, all wearing balaclavas, and are clearly not here for a friendly chat.

“Who the fuck are they?” Liam booms. A mix of anger and worry cuts his face as he grabs his phone.

“I have no idea,” Jeremy shouts when the first gunshot sounds against the bulletproof glass, and I scream in reflex. “But they aren’t messing around!”

“Kane! We’re under attack! Pick us up!” he orders, then puts his phone in his pocket again, twisting his head to look over his shoulder.

“Get down!” Liam pushes my head down, and I do as I’m told while I hear Cristina shout for a gun. Her voice snaps me out of the first instinct of panic.

“What have you done, you bitch?” I launch at her, not giving a shit about what’s happening, almost pushing her next to the wheel. My fingers wrap around her neck, and I squeeze while her brown eyes widen to mostly whites. I feel her gasping for air as the adrenaline swirls around my organs. The rush that’s audible in my ears almost makes it sounds, like I’m inside of a tornado, completely sealed off from the world around me, my only focus on the eye of the storm. Meaning, this bitch in front of me.

She tries to muffle something out of her closed throat, along the line of “I didn’t do anything,” while she tries to drag my fingers off of her, but I’m so done listening to every lie she spews. I’m so sick of risking my life because she’s a manipulative, selfish bitch. And I’m fucking over her putting the people I love in danger.

“Gen, stop!” I hear Jeremy scream in my ear, but I ignore him, transfixed on theputain my hands.

“Gen, don’t!” Liam pulls me off of her, and she comes up for air like she was drowning. Coughs echo through the car while she rubs her neck, the car still going at full speed.

Jeremy hands me a gun, and at the same time, he handcuffs Cristina’s wrist together in one swift move.

“What the fuck?” she grates out. “You can’t do this, Jeremy! I’ll be a sitting duck!”

“Better than a fried duck, right?” I smirk, then check if the gun is loaded before I press the button to lower the window.

“That was fucking hot, baby,” Liam yells while he does the same with the other window.

“Thanks!” I beam.

He forcefully grabs my neck, pressing a bruising kiss on my lips before he releases me. “Shoot the motherfuckers.”

Gunshots fly along the car, putting pit holes in the doors and windows as I take several shots at one of the vehicles trying to drive beside us.

“Ustedes estan locos!Close the window!” Cristina cries. It’s the first time I’m seeing a hint of panic on her normally perfectly controlled features, and I’m enjoying it more than I should while I try to keep my attention on the driver next to our car. His window is open as he drives and shoots at us, and I focus on everything Liam taught me. I take a deep breath, squint my eyes, aim at his neck, and pull the trigger for the fifth time. His neck jerks and blood spatter splashes over the door while the car swerves to the right and off the airstrip.

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