Page 35 of Twisted Embrace

He made several other maneuvers, finally slowing down. When he made another turn, he stopped altogether, slamming the gear into park, flicking the lights off immediately.

“Stay right here. Do not move. I need you to stay out of sight. Do you hear me?” He grabbed his weapon, yanking another magazine from his pocket, replacing the one he had. I thought about the weapon in the glove compartment. I’d use it if necessary.

“Yes,” I said, fear so encompassing that my throat was almost closed. Wherever we were was noncommercial, only the glow of what had to be a streetlight coming from several yards outside the passenger window. The terror was unimaginable, my heart racing. This couldn’t be happening. Why did someone want us killed?

The ridiculous thing was that I knew. Of course I knew why. While all I’d wanted was to deny that my parents had adopted me from some horrible monster, in my heart and soul I knew it to be true. I’d ignored all the signs, the whispered discussions my parents had when they didn’t think I overheard them. The expensive things brought into the house when I’d learned early on they were living from paycheck to paycheck.

And the fact I looked nothing like my siblings.

I heard Enzo’s footsteps then nothing. The darkness hovered over me like a veil of death waiting to drag me to hell. With my heart thumping against my chest, the ugly realizations had fertile ground to attach sharp claws.

Please, God. Please.

I wasn’t entirely certain what I was praying for.

Several seconds passed although they seemed like minutes. The silence elicited deep emotions, provoking the anger building inside. I couldn’t do this. What if something had happened to him?

My captor.

A strangled laugh pushed past my lips as fear gripped every muscle, twisting my mind into vicious thoughts of blood and gore.

Then I heard the faint sound of another engine, but whoever was driving was moving slowly. I pressed my fingers across my mouth just to keep from screaming. Where did Enzo go? What was he waiting for?

When there was another batch of silence, I couldn’t stand it any longer, sliding up from the seat, still hunkering down yet trying to see through the back windshield. Wherever we were was completely remote, and not a good part of town.

From what I could tell, Enzo had disappeared or was hiding, waiting for the person who was following us. What if it was a mistake? No, I’d heard the gunshots. What if something had occurred and I was left here?

I watched as a dark car slowly drifted down the street coming in the opposite direction. Then it stopped altogether. No. No! They’d noticed our car. They were coming. I felt it in my bones. Two men climbed out, both with weapons in their hands, the light barely accentuating their movements. As soon as they scanned the area, finally fixating on the vehicle where I remained cramped and alone, a sense of fight or flight slammed into my system.

There was no doubt in my mind they were coming for me. They’d stop at nothing until they achieved their goal.

Dear God. I couldn’t let them kill me. I had to get out. I shifted my body as silently as possible, fumbling with the door. The overhead light came on and my mind processed I had a few seconds to escape or be killed instantly. There was no time to grab the second weapon. I shoved open the door, holding my breath before dropping to the pavement on my hands and knees. In my haste and increasing terror, I was suddenly disoriented, groaning in pain then hoisting myself into a standing position. I threw a look over my shoulder.

No. No! They’d noticed me. Oh, God.

Run. Run. Run!

Pop! Pop!

I ducked, gasping for air, their footsteps getting closer. Additional gunshots rang out, deep voices spewing off words I couldn’t understand. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the SUV with Enzo’s other men careening around the corner. There were two more assholes in the assailants’ car, both scrambling out. I had a slim chance of getting away, but it was one I was willing to take. Lunging forward, I stumbled a second time then found my footing, bolting into the dense patch of trees aligning the parking lot.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

The terror crippling, I dropped to the ground with a high-pitched scream, scrambling to get to cover and glancing back where I’d started.

Enzo came from the shadows, issuing a hard backhand across the face of one assailant, the unmistakable sound of bones breaking erupting in my ears. Then as the other man was prepared to pull the trigger, he snapped the man’s arm as if it were made of a thin piece of wood. The weapon slipped from his fingers, and I watched it fall to the ground, the scene in front of me horrifying.

But vindicating.

The asshole howled but he wasn’t allowed to experience his pain long, Enzo placing the barrel of the weapon against his forehead and blowing off a portion of his head. I crawled further away, gasping for air. The sight of another mystery man aiming his weapon at Enzo caused an immediate reaction.

“Look out!” I screamed, Enzo immediately reacting and leveling his weapon toward the other man, pulling the trigger twice with no hesitation.

Almost as if in slow motion, both men who’d been chasing me dropped to their knees only a few feet away. The ugly streetlight created a glow around their faces, allowing me to see the hatred in their eyes. Enzo had killed them. He stood in his dark suit and obsidian hair, his arm remaining outstretched, his face speckled with blood and as strange as it was, at that moment I found him to be the most attractive man I’d ever seen.

A haze slipped over my periphery of vision, another wave of fear driving my stomach into a ball of knots. Everything had happened so fast that I wasn’t certain I’d even taken a breath. There were additional sounds, another vehicle approaching, more footsteps and gunfire.

“Joy!” His deep snarl penetrated the night air, a thin slice of hope surging through me.

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