Up.
A small crack formed and Giovanni stepped back lacing his fingers together so I could step on to his hands.
“You’re lighter, move quickly,” he bellowed.
I didn’t argue. I was lighter than him and more agile. I moved, hoisting myself up to the ceiling by stepping on to his hands. I tore away at the plaster in the ceiling , coming in contact with all the wooden beams. Latching on to one I grabbed on to it and pulled myself up, then rebounded to lower down and reach for him.
The mist was just nearing him now. a few seconds and it would surround him.
He looked to it as if contemplating to stay. Then I realized he actually was.
“Go, get her and get out of here,” he cried looking back to me.
“Giovanni, don’t you fucking tell me shit like that. Get here now,” I balked talking to him like we were out on the battlefield and he was in my command.
When the mist started surrounding his legs that was when the bastard decided to reach up.
I was still weak from his torture but I homed in on all my strength and pulled him up. Once he got to a height he grabbed on to the wooden beam too and lifted himself the rest of the way.
We both moved away from the mist as it started rising and ran to a safer distance away from it. The floor we were on was similar to the one we’d just come from but had wider corridors.
I glanced across at Giovanni and noted the stern expression on his face.
He was serious back there. He got me first and would have stayed there and died. He may have been one evil bastard but when it came to Jia no one had to guess that the man would do anything for his daughter.
Anything, anything at all.
“Xander,” Giovanni called out when we turned the next corner. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop.
“What? We have to keep moving,” I urged.
The wildness in his eyes got to me. “If I don’t make it out of here, and you get to her, you take care of her. Just make sure she’s safe. That’s all I’m asking. You don’t owe me anything, but you love her so I’m asking to just make sure she’s safe.” His eyes pleaded with mine. It felt like and extension of his previous talk. But with more heart since he nearly did just die.
I leaned in close and wrenched my arm free of his grasp.
“You know I will,” I told him.
“Thank you.”
I nearly told him he didn’t have to thank me but I let it go. I humored him because I knew what it meant to him to have my word. It was just like when I started working for him. He’d told me Jia was the most important thing to him and if anything happened I was to protect her.
We continued out to the atrium an there we were greeted by the company we were expecting.
At a glance I counted about fifty men all armed and ready to end us.
Yes, it had been quiet.
Now it was time to make noise.
