Page 28 of The Players

Elena was right. She had to get a hold of herself. Avoiding the dead chef that was plastered against the freezer door, they went for the exit.

Only when they burst through the door, out into the night, did she feel like she could breathe again. On their left, was a multi-layered parking lot. It was eerily silent outside, as if the turmoil in the club was happening on another planet. The street they were on was empty, aside from a line of cars that no doubt belonged to the employees of Flux. Who knew how many of them were even still alive?

She pulled out her phone, only to remember she had left it at home. It hadn’t fit in the tiny purse Vince made her carry.

“Do you have your phone with you?”

“Sorry, it didn’t fit in my purse.”

Elena was shivering, her satin dress all crumpled up. It wasn’t a cold night, so it had to be the adrenaline leaving her body.

“Let’s go. There has to be help somewhere.” Finding any help, deep in the night, with Flux being the only nightclub in the area, was a challenge though.

That’s when she spotted three men walking toward them. She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized Sy. Splatters of blood covered his shirt, but other than that, he seemed fine. When he neared her, he pulled her against his side as if he had every right. She was too tired to protest and, truth be told, it was nice to be able to lean on someone.

Then his gaze settled on Elena. “Look at that,” he drawled. “We’ve got Morelli's woman. It’s gonna be a good night after all.”

Carmen pushed his side until he let her go. “No, it’s not.”

“She’s on Bratva territory. Her asshole of a husband just started a war with that bastard Keegan inside. You think we’re just gonna let that slide?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” she said, as she pointedly positioned herself in front of Elena.

They were being surrounded by hulking warriors now. One of them being Sy, who scowled at her. The two men with him covered his flank. Then, as if the Red Sea parted, another man stepped through the circle.

Viking.

If rage could turn corporeal, it would look like him. He looked like the embodiment of an ancient Norse god, hellbent on exacting retribution. Gone was the drunk, miserable heap of a man she’d first encountered. This pile of muscle on top of muscle looked ready to kill anything that was stupid enough to cross his path. And right this second, his rage was aimed at Elena.

“I’m not going to let them hurt you,” Carmen said, trying to calm Elena down. She wasn’t sure how she was going to protect the woman, but she’d try. No one had tried to help her and she refused to be one of those people, just standing by to watch.

Elena didn't utter a word. She just stared at Viking with eyes filled with pain. Like a woman starved for his attention. The sad thing was that none of the men surrounding them got that.

“You can’t let him hurt her,” Carmen said, turning to Sy and sending him a pleading look. “She saved me when her bodyguard tried to take me with him. I owe her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Judging by his condescending cocked brow, he didn’t give a crap.

“Didn’t you promise to protect me? The way I see it, you’ve failed.” When his lips thinned, she knew she got his attention. “Elenadidhelp me, though. IfIowe her, it meansyouowe her. I’m not going to let your brother kill her.” In all honesty, she had no idea how to stop him. All he had to do was shove her aside.

Sy sent her an annoyed look. “He’s not going to kill her.”

She sent him a dubious look. Didn’t he see the way his brother looked at Elena? He seemed on the brink of wanting to strangle and hit her at the same time.

Elena wasn’t any help either. She was just standing there instead of running away. Obviously, the poor woman was petrified. But then, she raised her chin and looked Viking straight in the eye.

“Viking won’t hurt me.”

Carmen yelped when Sy pulled her against his chest, right before Viking grabbed Elena by the throat and pushed her against the wall.

“Don’t say my name,” he hissed. “Don’t you ever fucking put it on your poisonous lips again.”

Then, all hell broke loose.

CHAPTER 10

CARMEN

Keegan’s men had found them and opened fire. Everything happened at lightning speed. One second, they were standing outside, the next, Sy was dragging her along, dodging bullets, into the underground parking lot. By then, she’d lost sight of the rest.

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