Page 94 of Twisted Embrace

“This isn’t good,” Lucia said quietly.

“No. At some point, we’ll need to find somewhere to go.” The thought of stopping at a commercial facility had entered my mind but my instinct told me that in doing so, we’d place the lives of anyone inside in peril. The Russians didn’t care about how many died in their effort to get what they wanted.

Me.

Or Lucia or both.

Why was I so important to them that they’d risk bringing down the wrath of God?

I continuously looked into the rearview mirror as Lucia offered directions to get us out of town. The shock had yet to wear off and I was surprised that anything she said made sense. Somehow, we managed to get out of the same small town where Enzo had asked me to marry him. The memory remained in the forefront of my mind as I drove, hoping to get us to safety.

When Anthony groaned, Lucia shifted in her seat, taking several shallow breaths. “He’s lost a lot of blood. We should go to the hospital.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Why don’t you see if he has his phone. You also need to decide where the hell we’re going.”

“Let’s try and get home. We need to get back to the estate. Mattia is there,” she said as she tried to crawl through the seats. “Shit. I can’t reach Anthony. I’m too fat at this point.”

Home. If I had to guess, I’d say Mattia’s estate would soon be under attack. “Anthony. Wake up!” I yelled. When he grunted, his eyes fluttering open, I yelled again. “Anthony. I need your phone.” I continuously glanced in the rearview mirror, praying to God he could respond. I was terrified to pull off, but at this point I’d be forced to. I hadn’t wanted to tell Lucia that I’d barely lost the two SUVs that had been following us. It was only a matter of time before they located us again.

How had this happened? Had the bastards followed us from the estate?

He stirred, finally issuing a sharp bellow. “Are you two… safe?”

“We’re fine. Do you have your phone?” I asked, every muscle tensing.

I could tell he was struggling to reach into his pocket. “Where’s the weapon?”

“I have it,” I told him, trying my best to keep my shit together. When I lifted it into the air, he snorted.

“Guess I was… wrong about… you,” he managed then tossed the phone in Lucia’s direction.

“I’m contacting Mattia. He can send other soldiers.”

“Good. Yes, that’s perfect.” My stomach remained in knots, my mind still trying to process everything that had occurred. Were Enzo and D’Artagnan still alive?

“Take the next right,” Lucia told me, her hands shaking as she tried to dial a number.

I held my breath, praying to God anyone answered. What if they were all dead? What then?

“Mattia. Thank God. What?” Lucia snapped her head in my direction. “No. No. We were hit and—”

I could tell she’d been cut off. A quick look told me everything I didn’t want to know. I’d been right. The estate was under attack.

“Yes. Okay. I can do that.” When she ended the call, she held the phone in both hands, quietly sobbing. “A planned attack. Mattia and the remaining soldiers are trying to hold them off. They’re fine but we can’t return. Jesus Christ. This is crazy.”

“Then where the fuck do we go?”

She took gulping breaths, struggling to control her emotions. “I know exactly where to go. D’Artagnan will find us there. Just trust me. It’s the only place that might be safe.”

Dear God, I hoped so. “Call D’Artagnan. Call Enzo. I need to know they’re alive.”

My teeth were chattering, the adrenaline starting to wear off. I twisted my hand around the steering wheel, glancing every second in her direction.

“It’s ringing.”

She sounded so hopeful. When she jerked the phone away, she moaned. “No. No. There’s no connection.”

“Fuck.”

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