1
Vera
“The vans have reached the front of the building. Get ready to fight.”
Caleb’s words over the earpiece make my heart race and I break out in a cold sweat.
Fuck.
The kids aren’t far enough away from here yet, we can’t pull out right now. We’ll have to stand and fight, give them more time.
I turn to Luca, who’s holding onto my hand tightly, his face pale, his eyes wide in panic. “Go join the others. I’ll help out here, until everyone is safe.”
He shakes his head fiercely. “I’m not leaving you alone. I want to stay with you.” He’s shivering, though probably from fear and exhaustion more than anything else.
The sounds of gunshots bounce off the brick walls down the alley, ringing loudly between the old buildings, before they reach us, making me freeze for a moment. It’s started.
Then years of being on the run with Caleb, and months of training from Derrick, kick in. I have to get Luca to safety and then I can get back to the rest of my orders.
“I’m not alone.” I try to pull my hand from Luca’s grip, but he’s not letting go. “There are two of Mathew’s teams inside. I’ll be fine.” And I would like the honours of burning this hell-hole down, I’m not giving that satisfaction to anyone else.
They hurt my mates, so I’ll be the one to make this place disappear for good.
I pull on my arm again, but the stubborn look in Luca’s eyes won’t budge. The sounds of the gunshots intensify and seem to be coming closer and closer.
Luca needs to get out of here!
He can’t stay here!
“You don’t have any weapons. You have no way to defend yourself. You’re better off with Jorge and the others.” I don’t want Luca to go through any more pain than he’s already been through, and he really doesn’t need to see me take out even more people.
He’s seen me harm enough people in the short time we’ve known each other. I don’t want him to have any more memories of that side of me than he already has.
“I’m not leaving you alone.” He weaves our fingers together, his grip stronger than before. He’s still shaking slightly, but there’s a new determination in his every movement.
Then he reaches up to his earpiece, his eyes stuck on mine as he speaks. “Where are the teams inside the brothel? Locations?”
It seems a few people start to answer him, but stop when they realise who asked the question. While Luca is part of the pack, he’s not someone they expect to be in charge.
“Answer him.” The frustrated growl Mathew’s voice is loud and clear.
“Five people in the front room downstairs. We’ve got a clear line of sight to the vans,” a woman answers.
“Four upstairs in the front room. Two in side rooms either side. We’ve got a clear line of sight down the streets.” This time the answer is from a man.
“Make sure to cover as much of the area as possible and take out anyone you can.” Mathew sounds frustrated, which isn’t unexpected since he had to pull out because he got shot in his leg. Then his voice softens. “Luca? Are you with Jorge and the others yet?”
“No.” Luca’s voice is clipped as he looks around, like he’s trying to find something. Then he pulls me along to one of the guards we took out early on, his grip on my hand still tight, he’s really not letting me go.
“Luca?” Riley doesn’t seem happy or satisfied with Luca’s answer. “Where are you? Have you reached any of the vans yet?”
But Luca ignores the questions as he reaches out, his face full of determination, no traces of fear or disgust, as he goes through the pockets of the dead guard, pulling out a knife and then a lighter.
“Bingo.” His triumphant voice is quiet, almost disappearing in the noise going on around us. If I’d been any further away, I wouldn’t have heard it. “This should be good enough.”
Good enough? For…
Uh-oh.
