by Hamel, B. B.
I stood, my head spinning. “Very well,” I said.
“Go.” He turned back to his bottle, forgetting about me.
I finished my drink and then left his office quickly, walking fast. I had to think at top speed, had to decide how things were going to happen.
Because they were going to happen, and very, very fast.
Fortunately, Arturo seemed too drunk to do anything anytime soon. If I knew him, he’d likely finish that bottle off before he decided to send some men after the women, which meant I likely had a half hour head start before his goons came.
Finally, I reached her door and knocked loudly. “Open up,” I called out.
I waited a pulse-pounding thirty seconds, my mind spinning over the possibilities. Finally, the door pulled open.
“Good evening, brother,” Louisa said. “What’s happening?”
“Arturo found out about Natalie’s mom,” I said, “and is going to snatch them. We need to get them both out.”
I had no clue how she would respond. Lou hadn’t been a part of family politics in a long time. Though we were still close, she refused to entertain any conversations about the business until she was allowed to be officially a part of it.
“Come in,” she said.
I walked in and she shut the door. “You’ll help?”
“Of course, dear brother,” she said, grinning. “I was bored tonight. I could use a little action.”
I let out a relieved breath. “Thanks, Lou,” I said.
She sat down at her computer and began typing. “You get them out. I’ll handle the rest.”
“I’ll owe you one.”
She looked back at me. “I’m not doing this for you, Lucas.”
“Why, then?”
“I like having a sister.”
I smiled as she turned back to the computer. Once I was sure she wasn’t saying anything else, I quickly left her rooms and headed toward Natalie, my pulse pounding, my excitement rising.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Natalie
I lounged on the couch in only a pair of panties and a black bra. It was the lingerie set that Lucas had bought for me as a joke, but now it didn’t seem so funny.
It seemed exciting.
I felt drunk on the thought of him, beyond excited for him to come back to me. I hoped whatever business he was dealing with would be over soon, because I was so impatient for him.
Dinner had been amazing. Sure, he was too proud to actually say the words, but I could tell that he was sorry. Lucas wasn’t the kind of man to grovel, let alone to make some sort of big romantic gesture. And yet there he was, making the gesture for me anyway, and I could barely explain how exciting and important that was.
He made me feel something I could barely describe. Not just the sex, though that was incredible. No, it was in the moments afterward, when we spoke about our lives, flirted, laughed, and teased each other. It was in those moments that I knew I had something, something important.
It was something that I hoped would last. For the first time, I really felt good about being in the compound. Not just about being a part of Lucas’s life, but actually being a part of the family.
Sure, the mob thing still made me feel a little uncomfortable, but at least it was exciting and powerful and made my life feel like something more than it was. If someone like Louisa could be strong, then so could I.
My heart practically skipped a beat when I heard the knock at my door. “Just a second!” I called out. I wrapped a light silk robe around my body and padded over to the door.
“It’s me,” I heard Lucas call out. “Hurry up, Nat.”
“Don’t be so impatient,” I said, smiling as I opened the door.
The look on his face completely wiped the smile off mine.
“Lucas?” I asked as he moved into the room, shutting the door. “What’s wrong?”
“Has anyone been here?” he asked.
“No, nobody.”
“Do you know where your mother is?”
“No. What’s wrong?”
He took me by the shoulders. “Listen to me carefully, Nat. Things are going to happen very fast from here, and you need to trust me. Can you trust me?”
I felt dizzy. “Of course I can. Just tell me what’s happening.”
“Arturo knows about your mom, about her cheating with the Franklin kid.”
I felt like I was falling through the floor. A spike of fear ran down my spine. “What are we going to do?” I asked.
“I’m taking care of it,” he said. “First, we need to get your mom here. Can you call her?”
“Okay.” I walked over to the phone numbly and dialed her room number. It rang and rang, but nobody answered. “She’s not in her room,” I said.
“Fuck. Try her cell.”
I nodded, dialing. It rang twice, and then she answered. “Hi, sweetie,” she said.
“Mom? Where are you?”
“Oh just taking a little late-night dip. Did you know there’s an indoor pool here?”
“Mom, can you come to my room right now?”
She sighed. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“Listen. It’s really, really important that you get here right now.”
“Can it wait? I was just about to finish my laps.”
“Please,” I said. “Please. You need to get here right away.”
I didn’t know if it was because I pushed or if it was because of the fear that she heard, but for whatever reason she listened.
“Okay,” she said. “Be there in a minute.”
I hung up the phone and looked at Lucas. “She’s coming.”
“Good,” he said. “Pack a bag. And one for your mother too, if you can.”
I nodded, moving quickly. I grabbed a suitcase from the closet and began to throw things into it. Meanwhile, Lucas paced nervously, constantly glancing at his watch.
I filled the suitcase with enough clothes for me and my mom. We weren’t exactly the same size, but I figured it wouldn’t matter. We could get more clothes down the line.
Five minutes passed, though every second felt like an eternity. Lucas was on edge, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. His intensity made me feel both comforted and terrified. I believed that if anyone could get us to safety, it was him, but he was still so strong and terrifying.
“What’s the plan, Lucas?” I asked him.
“I know a place you and your mom can stay until this all blows over.”
I wanted to press him, but suddenly there was a knock at my door.
Lucas looked at me, holding a hand up for me to be quiet. I watched as he pulled a gun from his pants. He slowly opened the door.
“What’s wrong, Nat? I was just—” Mom started to say, but Lucas quickly pulled her inside. “Lucas! Oh, what are you doing?”
“Mom,” I said to her, “Arturo knows about you and Franklin.”
She gaped at me for a second. “You silly, dumb bitch,” she said icily. “You shouldn’t have told.”
I was so completely taken aback that I barely even noticed when Lucas stepped between the two of us. “Natalie,” he said. “Natalie, calm down.”
I realized that I was trembling and barely in control of myself. I took a deep breath.
“It wasn’t her, Camille,” Lucas said. “Arturo saw you on security footage.”
Her face dropped. “Oh. Oh dear. I’m so sorry, Natalie,” she said.
“Listen to me, Mother,” I replied. “We’re going to do exactly what Lucas says tonight. Once this is all over, and we’re both safe, I want you out of my life.”
“But, sweetie,” she said, “it was just a mistake. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m tired of your mistakes.” I turned away. “We’re done after tonight. If you care about me at all, you’ll at least listen to Lucas.”
“Okay,” she said softly. “Okay, sweetie. I’m so sorry.”
But I wasn’t listening. I quickly threw on a sweatshirt and some sweatpants and tossed another pair to Camille. Sh
e pulled the clothes on over her still-damp bathing suit.
“Okay, listen up,” Lucas said. “The plan is simple. We’re heading down to the garage where we’ll grab a car. From there, we’ll go to safe house where you two will stay until this all blows over.”
“Sounds easy,” Camille said.
“What about the cameras? And the gates? And the guards?”
“I’ll worry about all that,” he said. He walked over and put his hands on my shoulders. “You can do this.”
I nodded. “I know.”
He kissed me softly. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around him.
Camille cleared her throat. We broke apart.
“What about Franklin?” Camille asked.
“Don’t worry about him. Just follow me,” Lucas said.
“But he’s in danger, isn’t he?”
I glared at Camille. “Stop. Just listen to Lucas.”
She nodded, frowning.
“Okay. We’re heading out now. Stay close to me. Don’t run. Got it?”
“Got it,” I said.
“Come on.”
I grabbed the suitcase and followed him, Camille right on my heels.
We moved out into the hall and started heading in what I assumed was the direction of the garage. I was instantly lost after only a few turns.
We didn’t see anyone, or at least we didn’t see an unusual number of people. The whole place was quiet, which wasn’t a surprise since it was so late at night. But it felt eerie, strange, and unnerving. We were running for our lives through an enormous mansion, but that mansion was empty. The only sounds were our footsteps and the wheels of the suitcase rolling behind me.
We went down a series of short halls that finally opened up into the kitchen. Lucas stopped and turned toward us.
“Garage is coming up,” he said. “Things might get hairy up there. Just stay behind me, okay?”
“Got it,” I said.
We began walking again, but I could tell that Camille wasn’t following. I stopped and turned toward her.
“Come on,” I said. “We have to move.”
She frowned at me. “Sorry, kiddo,” she said, “but I have to help Franklin.”
“Camille,” Lucas growled, “it’s too late for him. We have to go.”
“Wait for me,” she said before turning and running back down the hall.
“Wait!” I said, but before I could go after her, Lucas grabbed me.
“Stop,” he growled. “Stop struggling.”
“Let me go. I have to get her!”
“Natalie, listen to me,” he said fiercely. “She made her choice, over and over again. She doesn’t care about you. Why do you care about her?”
“She’s my mom. She’s all I have left.”
“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. But she chose this. You have to let her go.”
I knew he was right. I knew I couldn’t keep paying for her mistakes, couldn’t keep letting her bad choices affect me.
So I relaxed. Lucas let me go. “Ready?” he asked.
“Ready.”
We began walking again through the kitchen. The staff ignored us entirely and obviously didn’t care. Lucas even nodded to a few people, and they smiled back.
Soon we turned a corner and moved out into the garage. It was packed with cars, rows and rows of cars. Lucas led me toward the back, closest to the doors.
Standing there were two armed guards. Lucas held his hand up and stopped me. They were looking in our direction, probably because they had heard my suitcase, but hadn’t seen us yet.
“I’ll take care of them,” he said.
I nodded, terrified, as he stepped out into the light.
“Evening, guys,” he said.
“Boss,” the one guy answered.
“I need a car tonight.”
He nodded. “Where you going? Arturo said we’re to monitor all cars that leave here.”
“I got a package to deliver.”
“Where to?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Not your business. Now get me the keys.”
“Sorry, Lucas,” the other guy said. “Did your father approve this?”
“I approved this,” Lucas growled.
“Sorry,” the guy said again. “Orders are orders.”
Lucas moved so fast I barely followed. His fist shot out, catching the first guy in his throat. He doubled over. The second man stepped back, reaching for his gun. Lucas quickly grabbed the gun, forcing the guy back. He kicked the guy in the groin and smashed him in the face with his forehead. He toppled down.
The first guy came at Lucas. They tumbled down, but Lucas quickly twisted his body, landing on top. He smashed his fists into the guard’s face until the man stopped moving.
Lucas quickly got up and checked the other man, disarming him.
“Natalie,” he called out, “come on.”
I moved out toward him, fear lancing through me.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Come on.”
Lucas grabbed a pair of keys from the second guard’s pockets and hit the unlock button. The big SUV two cars over blinked; it was the same SUV Franklin usually drove.
“Probably here to make sure he didn’t run,” Lucas said.
“Are they okay?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “They’ll live. Get in.”
He threw my bag in the back as I climbed into the passenger seat. He got into the driver’s side and the engine roared to life.
“Come on,” he mumbled. A second later, the garage door started to open. He grinned hugely. “Hold on.”
We flew out the open door, out onto the road heading toward the front gate.
As we drove, something caught my eye. “Lucas, stop!” I yelled.
He slammed on the brakes. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s my mom!”
We looked across the lawn and saw Camille sprinting toward us, followed by four men. I climbed into the backseat and threw open the door. “Camille!” I yelled.
She veered toward us, sprinting fast, her hair flopping in the wind. The men were yelling at her to stop, and I could tell Lucas was pissed, but I didn’t care. It was my mother, after all. I couldn’t just leave her.
Camille slammed into the car, practically diving inside. Lucas hit the gas and we lurched forward just before the men got to us. They were yelling, but we couldn’t hear them as I yanked the door shut and we flew forward.
“I told you to wait,” Camille said.
I glared at her. She didn’t say anything else.
Up ahead, the gate was still shut. “Lucas,” I said.
“It’ll open.”
“How?”
“Louisa. She’s in control of the compound right now.” I saw him grin in the rearview mirror. “The computers aren’t just for games. She shut down the security cameras too, let us move around.”
I nodded, and suddenly something welled up inside me. It was hope, and gratitude.
Louisa didn’t have to help. Lucas didn’t, either, but they both wanted to get me to safety. My mother too, I guessed. But I was willing to bet that they were both going to get into deep shit for this.
For all the insanity, for all the awful shit, I was happy that I was in their lives. I was happy they were in mine.
Ahead, the gate swung open. The guards in the booth were yelling, standing in the road.
Lucas pressed the gas down, the engine roaring.
The guys dove out of the way as the car shot out onto the main road. Lucas swung the car around, pointing it toward Chicago. The gate closed silently behind us, blocking the cars that were already starting to chase us.
We sped out into the night, heading toward safety.
Chapter Thirty: Lucas
I watched as the city flashed by, the lights blending into nothing. I was headed toward my own personal safe house, one of several that I kept scattered across the city. It wasn’t exactly luxurious, but the girls would be safe there at least.
And I k
new Louisa would be safe, too. No matter what she did, my father would never bring himself to punish her. She could play him like a fiddle, although she couldn’t get him to allow her to join the business.
No, I was more worried about my ability to solve this problem. My father was not going to allow Camille and Natalie to simple go free; he’d scour the city if he had to. And if I knew my father, he wouldn’t stop until someone gave them up.
Which meant that I had to lie low. I didn’t know how I was going to convince him to pardon the girls, especially after I had taken out two of his guards pretty violently.
Worries within worries swirled in my mind as we drove silently toward the safe house. Even though I knew I was in a shitty situation, I felt incredibly alive. I glanced at Natalie and caught her looking at me. She smiled, and I smiled back.
I thrived under pressure, and this was the most pressure I had ever been under.
It took twenty minutes to get to the house. I drove carefully, doubling back twice just to make sure that nobody was following. I pulled up outside the place and cut the engine.
The house was a row home in a sketchy neighborhood. Camille made a face. “We’re staying here?” she asked.
Natalie glared at her and then looked at me. “Are you staying with us?”
“We’ll talk inside,” I said softly.
She nodded and went to climb out. She fumbled with something, and I watched her phone clatter down between her seat and the console.
“Shit,” she said and began to dig it out.
I got out of the car and helped Camille climb out. I grabbed their bag from the trunk and put it on the sidewalk. Nat shoved something into her sweatshirt and climbed out of the car.
“Ready to see your home?” I asked.
Natalie nodded.
I walked up to the front door and unlocked it. We all walked inside together.
I watched their reactions carefully.
Natalie just smiled at me. Camille, though, looked like I was asking her to sleep inside of a dead, rotten corpse.
“It’s not much,” I said, “but it’s safe. Nobody knows where this is.”
“It’s gross,” Camille said.
We walked into the living room and I put their bag in the corner.
The place was pretty dingy, I had to admit. I hadn’t exactly put a lot of effort into cleaning and furnishing over the years. We pulled the covers off the couch and the other furniture, revealing the mostly second-hand stuff. Nothing hung on the walls, and the kitchen was mostly bare, but there was enough in there for them to live. I knew the linen upstairs needed to be changed, but the clean stuff was in the closet, ready to be deployed.