Sunset Flare

by Shannyn Leah

  Carl debated while the others stared. She knew they were judging her for calling him Dad, but right now, she needed her dad.

  “Phone him,” Carl said. “Tell him to meet us at the cottage.”

  Izzy didn’t ask how he knew about the cottage and didn’t care. She dialed Gunner’s cell.

  “Start filing out,” Carl ordered everyone else. “Stay on the path to the right. Right. Keep going right. It’s a maze down there and if you get off track you will end up on a path the wrong way.”

  Her siblings and their spouses started disappearing through the door while Gunner’s cell went to voicemail.

  Her dad touched her arm. “Don’t leave a message. You can call again when we’re out. I promise.”

  The beep came and Izzy reluctantly hit end, then dialed her suite phone.

  “What are you doing?” Carl asked.

  “Calling my suite.”

  “We have to go,” Eliza said. “I don’t want to be separated from the kids.” Only her and Corbin and Melissa were left in the room with Carl and Izzy.

  “Go.” Carl said. “Take your mom and go,” he ordered Corbin.

  Corbin listened, pushing a grouchy Melissa through and then following behind their mother.

  “Don’t stick around too long,” Corbin said. “Anton won’t think twice about killing you.”

  “Go!” her father barked.

  The phone went straight to her answering machine. Izzy groaned, dialing his cell again and again.

  Her father gripped her shoulders and made her face him. The deep circles around his drawn-in eyes looked tired, worried and most of all, caring.

  “Gunner has been protecting himself his entire life. He will be fine. But if we stay here looking for him and Anton catches wind, you could die. Gunner doesn’t want you risking your life for him. Trust me. I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices for you, but they’re worth it. He will understand.”

  She knew he would after trying to keep them apart for her protection. It didn’t make her decision any easier but with a nod, she felt the betrayal she promised she wouldn’t conflict on him sink in. She would call him once they were out of the bush. He would be okay.

  “Let’s catch up to the family.” Carl took her hand and started away, but Izzy pulled and when he stopped, she swung her arms around his neck.

  “Thank you,” she whispered through the emotion of finally hugging the man she’d wanted to hug for years. Her pride and her pain, all of it together, hadn’t allowed it, but, right now, she felt foolish waiting all these years. “You’ve been my dad my whole life and we didn’t need a title to prove how much you care for me.”

  He stroked the back of her hair. “I love you, Isabelle.”

  “I love you, too, Dad.”

  “Let’s go.”

  THE TUNNEL DIDN’T WEAVE as straight forward as Gunner had assumed going in. It broke into forks continuously with no real indication of a solid path. The light beam of the flashlight on his cell phone gave him a path, but he had no signal to call Izzy and warn her.

  Now he wished he’d jumped into the limo and driven back to the resort instead. He’d been wandering around for over twenty minutes and knew he was lost. He tried to backtrack but nothing looked familiar and every fork wound him deeper inside into more tunnels. It was an impossible maze.

  Good lord, he was going to die in here while Izzy’s life hung on the line. And he’d left Anton alive. Gunner wasn’t a killer, but he’d left a killer alive.

  Shit.

  He stilled at a new noise. Echoing voices traveling down a tunnel. Which tunnel? He had no idea. Was it Anton or the brother-in-laws approaching? Possibly security?

  Damn it.

  The voices were still far off, but if it were Anton or his men, Gunner needed to stop them.

  Straining his ears, he followed the sounds, listening as they increased. This time Anton wouldn’t walk away alive. If it was a choice between him or Izzy, there was no question.

  He dimmed the light and narrowed it to his feet not wanting to give anyone a hint to his whereabouts. As another tunnel broke off, he ducked inside, waiting in the dark to attack.

  The voices surprised him, but the scared whispered tones sounded familiar. One in particular: Marc.

  Watching from the shadows, he saw each of Izzy’s siblings and their other halves pass him by.

  What the hell were they doing down here? When Marc finally came into view, he grabbed his arm, yanking him into the tunnel and trapping him against the wall for answers.

  The women screamed. Light flickered. Shocked voices filled the air.

  “What are you doing here?” Gunner demanded.

  Marc grabbed his throat with more strength than he’d given him credit for. “What are you doing?”

  “Saving your asses,” Gunner said.

  Two men grabbed each of his arms aggressively pulling him off Marc. He let them because they were Izzy’s family, but one false move and they’d all be down. The rest of the family circled around them.

  He recognized Eliza Caliendo step between him and her son. “Who are you?” she asked, her flashlight dragging up and down his body.

  “Gunner Mann. The man who loves your daughter.”

  She eyed him skeptically and made a motion for him to be released. “What are you doing running around my tunnels?”

  “Anton plans to kill you all tonight. I don’t know how he knows you’re all together or in this bloody tunnel of death, but once his men gain consciousness, he will send them in, plus call in backup. He thinks he has men at every tunnel entrance, so unless you know differently, heading out isn’t a wise plan. He doesn’t plan to leave without a massacre he can easily blame on Robert.”

  He heard sounds of worry, then realized Izzy wasn’t with them. Marc had taken her, so why wasn’t she with her family? “Where’s Izzy?”

  “She stayed back to warn you.”

  Shit.

  “What is your plan here?”

  “We have protection for us waiting at the end of this specific tunnel,” Eliza said.

  “Anton’s at the end.”

  “He’s at the end of your tunnel,” Marc said. “Not ours. The police are at the end of ours and expecting us.”

  “I hope you get to them before Anton’s men do.”

  “Let’s go,” Marc waved at his family and when only him and Gunner remained, he said, “Go this direction and stay left. It will lead you straight to Izzy. When you get to her and my dad, come back right and we will meet you at the end.”

  Gunner nodded. “Be careful when you get to the end of the tunnel. Cut your lights early and be cautious before you step out. Make sure your guys are waiting and not Anton’s men.”

  Marc passed by him, but stopped to dig his strong fingers in Gunner’s shoulder. “And if you hurt her, we will kill you.”

  Strong words he understood.

  Gunner couldn’t run fast enough to find Izzy before Anton did. His pounding feet took off keeping left and soon he heard voices. He wanted to yell her name out but was afraid it wouldn’t be her. He didn’t slow and first Carl came into his lighted path and then Izzy.

  “Izzy!”

  “Gunner? Oh my god, Gunner. Gunner!” She ran straight into his arms. “I wasn’t leaving you, I swear. No betrayal. I didn’t have a choice.”

  “I know, Popsicle. I know.” He kissed her to shut her up, then hugged her and kissed the top of her head while holding her. “We have to move fast,” he told Carl. “Anton is unconscious at the end of one of these tunnels with his men. They’re here to leave no survivors.”

  “Let’s pick up our pace.”

  The three broke into a run, keeping right, with Izzy wedged in the middle. He didn’t know how long this tunnel would last or if her family really knew where they were going. He prayed Anton’s men hadn’t shot and killed their escape men. Hoped they’d make it out alive.

  Just then, the end of the tunnel came into view. Flashing lights and her family waited just b
eyond with men wearing uniforms.

  He breathed a sigh of relief. Although this wouldn’t likely go good for him in the long run, it would protect Izzy. He hadn’t paid his dues for the crimes charged against him and, soon enough, these authorities would be running his name and pulling him in to a private room for details. Especially the Italian detective he’d already contacted and no doubt had jumped in his car to open Gunner’s safety deposit box where all the information to put Anton and every last one of his top men involved away for life was held.

  They barely stepped into the bush when it all happened too quickly. One moment he was giving Izzy a reassurance push toward the exit to face her fear and the next thing thugs and officers piled out of the bush from every direction. Threats and demands ricocheted around them. Gun shots rang out. Screams sounded.

  Gunner’s fingers fisted into Izzy’s shirt, pulling her back inside the tunnel followed by her family members jamming bodies together for cover while the authorities battled the criminals.

  “We have to go back to the resort!” someone shouted.

  “We’ll get ourselves killed!” another countered.

  “We can’t stay here!”

  “Where’s Quinn?” Anya cried. “Quinn’s gone!”

  “And Corbin!” Melissa shouted. “Corbin’s out there!”

  They were full-out panicking when they needed to head back to the resort and hide until this passed or get the hell as far away from here as they could.

  “Head back to the resort!” Gunner yelled. “Now!”

  “I’m not leaving Quinn,” Anya cried.

  The family divided like rats scurrying from a cat. Some headed back in the direction of the resort while others tried to pass Gunner. But he wouldn’t let them go running into the cross fire without a weapon. That was a death wish.

  “Anya, come on, he can take care of himself!” Izzy coaxed, pulling her sister from her deadly grip on Gunner.

  He tried to count the heads. Izzy, Carl, Anya, Marc, Melissa and Ryder remained...he was sure. But the rest were gone. Good.

  Melissa tried to push her way past Gunner and he gripped her arm. “Let go of me, you oaf!”

  “Melissa?” Marc came up beside them. “We have to go.”

  “You don’t care about me. None of you do, so don’t pretend, but Corbin does. Corbin cares.”

  “I got her,” Carl said. And Gunner glanced up seeing him take Anya from Izzy while she came back to them.

  Damn it, they had to go.

  “Melissa?” Izzy touched her arm. “We have to go.” The other woman opened her mouth to object. “If you die, you’ll never be able to run away with him.”

  Melissa sighed heavily. It was time to move.

  Gunner stumbled first, his leg giving out and sending him to his knees before the pain shot through his body and he realized the last gunshot had been closer than he’d thought.

  “NO!” IZZY SHOVED MARC and Melissa out of the way and dropped to her knees, meeting Gunner on the ground.

  “Run,” he gritted out, his flat palms landing on the ground with a thud, barely able to keep himself straight. “Run!”

  “No.” She wrapped her arm under his arm. “Go!” she yelled at the rest of her family, but was grateful when her dad grabbed Gunner’s other side to help lift him.

  “On three,” Carl said and Izzy prepared herself when she felt arms wrap around her middle and pull her away.

  “Hey! Stop!” Her hands flailed for Gunner until she saw Anton crouch up behind him. “Behind you!” Her warning came too late and one of the thugs with him slammed the back of his gun against Carl’s head, knocking him unconscious. She screamed for her dad, screamed for Gunner, screamed for help.

  “Shut her up!”

  With Anton’s order, she was twisted around and a hand clamped on her throat, pinning her against the tunnel wall. The person lifted her until she stood only on her tip-toes. Her world threatened to collapse around her, but she wouldn’t pass out. It could be the end of her life. Through the haze and promise of sweet surrender, she remembered Gunner’s lesson to escape this death grip. With her remaining strength, she kicked her captor in the groin and, when he groaned and loosened her grip, she plunged her hands between his arms and brought her elbows down on his. He dropped her and she gasped for air.

  “Get her.” Within minutes another thug had her arms pinned. “Alright,” Anton said, circling Gunner. “This is a fun turn of events.” He gripped his hair, pulling his head back to look at him. “I told you, boy, people would die today and we’ll start with her.” Anton’s cold eyes fell on Izzy. “You remember me, yet, girl?”

  She didn’t reply, wouldn’t reply.

  “I’ll kill you with my bare hands,” Gunner gritted out.

  “Not in your condition.” Anton stopped in front of her. “Say hello to Robert when you’re up there and tell him saving you was the worst mistake of his life.” Anton held a gun to her head and she squinted, but her eyes found Gunner’s. It wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t anyone but this Anton’s fault.

  The gun went off and Izzy squinted, falling to the ground. She hit her knees hard, falling onto her side and grabbing her stomach. She lay on the cold ground and realized only her knees hurt. Her hands roamed over her chest, dropping to her stomach, across each arm. Nothing. She hadn’t been shot.

  Opening her eyes, she stared into the cold dead eyes of Anton. He’d been shot. By whom?

  She sat straight up. The thug was lying on the ground beside her and Quinn had the first man who’d attacked her slammed against the ground. Behind Gunner, stood Corbin, a gun in his hand, his haunted eyes on her because he blamed himself, even after he’d saved her.

  Izzy scrambled across the ground and straight to Gunner. “You’re okay,” he said.

  “I’m okay.”

  He sprinkled kisses everywhere over her face. He kissed her again before wrapping his arms around her. With an ear against his chest, she listened to his soothing heartbeat, and gripped the back of his shirt, never wanting to let go. She closed her eyes, feeling safe and at peace. It was over. No more worries. He was safe, alive...hers.

  “You’re not,” she whispered in his ear. “You’re shot.” She tried to move but he wouldn’t loosen his grip. She watched Corbin rip off his shirt and tie it around Gunner’s wound. The authorities moved in, making sure they were okay, and pulling a vehicle up for them and talking to Carl.

  “We need an ambulance,” Izzy said. “He’s been shot.”

  “No.” Gunner wouldn’t let go.

  “Matteo Marino?”

  They both looked up. “Yeah?” Gunner said with apprehension.

  “You’re under arrest for conspiring murder, and committing fraud.”

  Izzy’s mouth fell open. “What?”

  They continued to read him his rights, ignoring her question. “You can come with us willingly or we will use the handcuffs.”

  Gunner finally let her go.

  “What? No!” She grabbed his arm. “No.”

  He sent her a reassuring half smile.

  “He’s been shot. He needs an ambulance.”

  “Izzy, let me go.” Gunner’s soft words wrapped around her.

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Izzy...”

  “I said no.”

  He glanced behind her with a nod and she felt her father’s hands cover hers. “Come on, Izzy,” he said, giving her a little squeeze. “Let the officers do their jobs.”

  She looked at him, legs weakly folded on the ground. “Dad? No. No.” Tears rolled down her face.

  “Sweetheart, yes. Let him go. We’ll sort this out.”

  In what felt like a stretched out lifetime, Gunner slipped from her grasp, promising her it would be okay.

  How could it be okay? They were taking him away. Nothing would ever be okay again. The two officers gripped each of Gunner’s arm’s and led him outside.

  “No!” The scream tore out of her as she lunged for the man she’d risked her life to
save, not imprison. She only made it three steps before her father’s arms wrapped around her waist. She fought him, flailing to escape and repeating, “No.” She wondered how this had spiraled the wrong way so quickly. Soon Gunner was gone and her energy had drained to nothing.

  She faced her dad, the tears uncontrollable. Her dad held her while sobs overtook her body.

  “We will fight for him,” Carl whispered, petting her hair. “The best lawyers we can find. I promise.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  “I DIDN’T WANT to come,” Izzy hissed at her brother three weeks later. But even she heard the lack of conviction, lack of caring, lack of everything that had made her, her.

  “You bugged me for weeks to obtain these tickets for you.” Marc didn’t sound, or look, mad. In fact, she’d say this was the first time he’d appeared truly concerned about her, thoughtful even. It didn’t change the fact that Izzy had worn the same outfit to bed for two days without changing and absolutely, in no way, would she walk through those doors now. She might be losing the battle of her soul, but she retained her dignity.

  “I also bugged you to treat yourself to a manicure, but you didn’t do that, did you?”

  He levelled her a serious look. “You’ve been moping around your suite for weeks. You won’t let the cleaners in and you’re not ordering food. I know you’re not cooking food, so I wonder if you’re even eating.”

  She pulled a candy covered chocolate out of her sweater pocket and popped it in her mouth.

  Her brother’s eyebrows drew together. “Did that even come out of a bag? Or are you eating fuzzy lint candy right out of your pocket?”

  She frowned. “Marc, I’m not in the mood. Gunner is in jail because of me. Because of us. Our family. We are tainted and he’s only one person in the mass of lives we’ve destroyed.”