I walk out and find Lailani digging through a man’s jacket. Blood is pooling all over the white marble floors around him.
“Evie?” she calls out.
“Yeah,” I whisper. I’m right behind her..
She spins around, pinning me with a disapproving look. “I told you to stay there.”
The sound of footsteps coming from the hallway captures her attention. She stands in front of me, relaxing when she sees Antonia.
“Where’s Jazzy?” Lailani asks.
Shit, Jazzy! She’s just a kid. She should not be seeing or hearing any of this.
“Why?” Antonia stands straighter, a defiant look on her face.
“Because we need to get out of here, Antonia. We don’t know how many more of them are out there,” Lailani replies.
“Who are you?” Antonia asks.
“I work for Emmanuel,” Lailani says, and I spin around to look at her.She what now?
“What?” Antonia looks just as confused as I feel. She quickly turns to me. “Are you okay?”
I nod my head. Physically I’m fine. But I’m far from okay.
“Did you know she works for Emmanuel?”Antonia asks me.
I shake my head, as I look from Lailani to the bodies on the ground. Before I can say anything, a phone starts ringing. Lailani’s. She answers it on speaker.
“Where’s Evie?” Emmanuel’s voice booms out, sounding panicked.
“Here, safe,” Lailani answers while looking at me.
I feel cold. My hands are shaky, and a light sweat is forming on my forehead. I don’t know what to do. What am I supposed to do right now?
“Jazzy?” is Emmanuel’s next question.
“She’s okay. We all are,” Antonia answers.
“Lai, get them to the compound. Now!” There’s a sense of urgency to his voice. And then, ever so quietly, he adds, “Thank you,” before cutting the call.
I’m stuck on the part where he called her Lai. Just how well do these two know each other?
Now is not the time to be jealous, Evie. Damn it, the girl probably just saved your life.But why the secrecy? Why would they pretend not to know each other?
“Go get Jazzy. And where is Charlotte?” Lailani looks to Antonia.
“She’s in the panic room with Jazzy. I pushed her in there and shut the door,” Antonia replies.
“Good. Let’s get them.” Lailani nods approvingly.
Once Antonia returns with Jazzy in her arms and Charlotte behind her, I breathe a sigh of relief. This is what I need, my best friend. I go to step towards Charlotte, but Lailani takes hold of my hand.
“Stay behind me,” she tells everyone before turning her glare my way. “I need you to be right by me.”
“Why?” I ask her.
“Because I like my head attached to my shoulders, and your boyfriend won’t think twice aboutunattaching it if I don’t get you out of here in one piece,” she says.
