by Jade, Ella
“Shut up!” The voices seemed to get closer, and then there was some sort of scuffle. Heavy feet moving above me. “Grab him.”
A door from the landing swung open as I backed away. When I tried to leave, a blaring noise, almost like a firecracker, went off, lighting up the space on the stairs. I took cover in the corner, crouching down by the door as the second shot rang out. There was a horrible thud, followed by several more shots. Whoever started at the top of the stairs was now lying at the bottom, twisted, contorted, and bleeding from his head and mouth. Only a few feet from me, he lay still, motionless... dead.
“Oh, God!” I whispered as two men hurried down the stairs. Acting on instinct, I backed out of the corner and flung open the door, running out as fast as I could.
“Who the hell was that?” one of them shouted.
“Get her!” the other screamed as they came barreling after me.
I took the first turn out of the warehouse and darted down the pier but I had no idea which way to go. Sprinting hard, I took a left, moving away from the water. My heart pounded and a jarring pain overtook my side but the adrenaline kept me going. Keep running! Keep running, Nadia! Why hadn’t I listened to my mother?
“There she is!” They were close behind me. “You go that way.”
Shit! They would know these docks. They would corner me. I kept going. Did I have a choice? If they caught me, my life would be over. What was I thinking coming here? I knew who Antonio Collandra was. What he was capable of. I’d seen his name in the papers and on TV. He was one of New York’s biggest crime bosses and I could be his illegitimate daughter.
The throbbing in my feet slowed me down but I spied a busy street a block ahead. All I had to do was get out in the open. If I could get into public, I’d have a better chance of slipping away. One street and I’d make it. I wouldn’t give up. I narrowly made it across the busy traffic, causing a car to swerve and slam on the brakes. The man chasing me jumped out of the way of the vehicle, momentarily distracted. Everything moved at a fast clip.
“What the fuck!” He pounded his fists on the hood while I disappeared into the hectic street. “Watch where you’re going!”
I continued to escape but I was certain he was still behind me. I couldn’t stop to find out but I didn’t have anything left. I couldn’t keep running. As I swiveled around the corner, I slammed into the hard chest of a man coming out of a cafe. He caught me in his strong arms as the two men crossed the street and came toward us.
“Are you okay?” His dark brown eyes held concern. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you coming.”
“Please help me.” I panted. “I need your help.”
He glanced over my shoulder, his jaw tensed when he saw the two men heading in our direction.
“Please.” I trembled as I tried to catch my breath. I didn’t want to put this innocent man in harm’s way but what choice did I have? I saw no other way out of this.
“What’s your name?” He wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me to his side.
“Nadia,” I whispered.
“I’ll handle this.” He was so confident but he had no idea what I’d witnessed. If he had, there was no way he would help me. “Franco,” the stranger, who I leaned against, said to one of the murderers.
Franco? He knows him?
“Vincenzo.” Franco stared at me as he spoke to the only person who could protect me now. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Crap! Did they work together? Was he going to hand me over to them? A wave of nausea rushed my system as my head began to spin. I latched onto the attractive stranger in the well-fitted dress shirt and matching blue tie. He held me tighter, offering me silent comfort.
“What can I do for you, Franco?” he asked.
“I need a word with her.” The killer pointed at me.
“Why?” Vincenzo asked. “Do you know one another?”
“Not exactly but I’m certain my father will be interested in her whereabouts this evening.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I tried to settle down, lying wasn’t one of my strongest qualities. “I’ve been with Vincenzo all night.” No one would believe that.
“Is that right?” Franco laughed. “Because you look like you just ran a marathon.”
“You heard the lady,” Vincenzo said. “She’s been with me all night.”
“What are you doing?” Franco snapped at him. “You know we don’t interfere in each other’s business.”
“Escorting my date home, so if you’ll excuse me, we’re leaving.” Vincenzo took my hand and guided me to the curb. His shiny, silver watch glistened under the street lights. “My driver is just up here.”
“Vincenzo,” Franco called after us. “You’re making a mistake.”
“Don’t threaten me because then my father won’t be pleased and we don’t want that.”
His father?
“We’ll see about that.” Franco mumbled something to the man who was with him, and then he nodded as they walked away.
A man got out of the driver’s seat and opened the back passenger door.
“Get in,” Vincenzo said.
Is he serious? “I’m not going anywhere with you.” I wiggled out of his hold and backed away.
I’d had enough for one night.
Continue on with this series:
http://authorellajade.com/mafia-heat/
About Ella Jade
Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her, and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the eBook industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.
Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband, two teenage boys, and a spunky Chihuahua. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy creating sexy, domineering men and the strong women who know how to challenge them in and out of the bedroom. She hopes you'll get lost in her words.
She loves connecting with readers.
FB
Twitter
Newsletter