Chapter 56
Fifty-Six
“I’ll walk into the darkness willingly, even if saving them means losing myself.” Aria Boschett.
Evie screams. My heart slams against my ribs as I’m flung to the side, into Johnny.
The elevator jerks to a sudden stop. Across from me, Olivia, Simon’s assistant, reaches for Evie.
She lifts her up, pulling her tight against her chest. Something dark flashes in her hand—a gun—my breath freezes.
I can’t speak, can’t move. Olivia turns in a single, terrifying motion and presses the weapon into Gracie’s side.
Terror explodes through me. She squeezes the trigger.
The gunshot cracks in the confined space.
Gracie’s body jolts backward, slamming into the back panel.
Her head hits the metal railing with a sickening thud.
Before Gracie collapses in a heap. Johnny’s gun is out, and he’s aiming it right at Olivia.
A scream rips straight from my soul. Evie wails, her eyes wide with horror.
Olivia clutches her tighter, using her as a human shield.
The gun shifts to Evie’s temple. I’m gripped with pure terror as my world narrows to this metal box and the little girl screaming inside it.
Gracie isn’t moving. No. No, no, no. Please not Gracie.
“Drop it, or I’ll kill her!” Olivia shouts. Johnny doesn’t move, indecision written across his face. “Listen, Johnny boy.” She shifts Evie slightly, lining the child’s head up with Johnny’s barrel. “Let me make this clear. I’m not bluffing.”
The corner of her lips curves upwards. “Are you willing to gamble with Evie’s life?
” She taps the trigger squeezing only a little and my heart stops.
“Besides,” she adds, “Gracie is bleeding out. Someone should put pressure on that wound. Whether she lives or dies, that’s your decision, Johnny. ” Move, Aria. Fucking move.
“J–John... Johnny, put the gun down,” I choke out, forcing my tongue to work.
“You should listen to Aria, Johnny boy,” Olivia mocks, caressing the side of the gun against Evie’s head.
Tears pour down Evie’s cheeks. Olivia screams at the top of her voice.
“Someone tell this brat to shut up, or I’ll silence her, and you won’t like how.
” She pushes the cold steel harder against Evie’s temple, and Johnny’s face goes pale.
“Don’t shoot anyone else,” he says, his hands rising. His voice is strained with fury. “I’m going to set the gun down. Slowly.”
I want to reach out to Evie to comfort her; her face is red and blotchy with panic.
My chest squeezes just looking at her. “Sweet Evie,” I say carefully.
Evie’s small features are wrenching in despair as she looks at Gracie.
“Evie, honey, Gracie’s going to be okay, I promise.
” Evie looks my way, her eyes meeting mine, wild with terror.
“Auntie Aria needs you to be brave right now. Can you do that for me?” Evie gives a slight nod as her crying dulls to hiccupping sobs. “Good girl. That helps Gracie.”
I look at Johnny every second stretching like hours as he crouches.
“Hurry, Johnny,” Olivia chuckles. “Left hand up, palm toward me! Place the gun down. Slowly. Both hands up as you rise.” Johnny does exactly that.
“Kick it over,” she commands. He nudges the gun across the floor. It stops near her feet.
Olivia crouches, her gun still aimed. She places Evie down, keeping an arm locked around her as she grabs Johnny’s weapon. She straightens.
“What do you want?” Johnny growls, his voice vibrating with rage. I’m now seeing the mobster he hid behind that boyish smile of his.
Olivia grins. “Lorenzo sent me to collect Aria.” The laughter that spills from her is cold and unhinged. She turns the service key and presses the button for the parking garage. Chills run down my spine.
“No, take me instead,” Johnny says.
“Sorry, Johnny boy. She’s the assignment.” Olivia jerks her chin toward me. “You can thank Cyan for that. Thought he could walk into places he didn’t belong.”
The elevator dings. “Here’s how this goes, Aria. There’s a car waiting. You’ll get in the back seat. Then I’ll leave with little Evie. Johnny, you’ll stay.”
Johnny steps in front of me. “No.”
Olivia sighs, clearly annoyed. “I hate repeating myself.” She makes a clicking noise with her tongue. “Tsk tsk... Gracie is going to die?” she sings in a creepy, sing-song voice, aiming her gun at Gracie’s head.
A sob catches in my throat. “No!” I rush out.
My eyes fall on Gracie; she’s so still, so pale.
The pool of blood around her is expanding, blooming across the elevator floor like a grotesque flower.
Panic claws at my throat. This can’t be real.
I need to calm down. If I scream, it won’t help; it will only give Olivia more reason to snap.
I might lose her, my new sister. I need to stay focused.
Forcing myself to look closer, desperate for a sign, for anything.
There—Gracie’s chest, it moves. Barely, but she’s breathing.
She’s alive. Thank goodness, that’s all that matters.
But not for long if she doesn’t get the help she needs.
I have to keep calm and do what Olivia says.
That is the only way to save Gracie. “I’ll go with you.
” I stare at Olivia, wishing that looks could kill.
Gracie’s my anchor. She needs me now. I have to try and save her.
“Aria?” Johnny’s arm flies up, blocking me. He can’t stop this. It is our chance to save Gracie. Someone needs to stop the bleeding.
“Johnny, Gracie needs help. I’ll be fine. You heard her. I’m the job. She won’t hurt me.” I glance at Olivia; the woman I want to bury six feet deep. “We go together,” I say, my tone cold. I’m not leaving her to kill Johnny the second I walk out.
“Smart girl,” Olivia smirks. Oh, she was planning to kill him.
“Once I’m in the car, you let Evie go. She’s just a child.”
“Sure thing. But if you do anything besides getting into that car...” She trails off again, brushing the gun against Evie’s head.
I meet Johnny’s eyes–no sparkle, no humor just ice and fury. “Johnny, help Gracie. Get her the care she needs. Promise me.”
He blinks, knowing this is our only option. “We’ll come for you.” I nod. Gunfire explodes in the elevator again.
Evie screams as Johnny jerks, a bullet tears into his right shoulder. Blood spreads down his sleeve, soaking his shirt, but he doesn’t fall. He doesn’t even stumble.
“What the fuck? We had a deal, you bitch.” I scream. The elevator is a pressure cooker, seconds from detonation.
“Calm the fuck down,” Olivia sneers. “That’s what he gets for running his mouth. Now walk.”
I breathe through the anger and fear. I can’t fall apart now.
We exit the elevator, and I see a black car idling nearby.
The driver steps out, raising his gun at me.
My stomach sinks. Agent Alex. One of Ethan’s FBI friends.
At the sight of him, realization hits me.
I remember where I’ve seen Olivia before.
She’s the delivery driver who picked me up the day I met up with Ethan.
What the hell is going on? I scan the parking garage, checking the corners.
No backup. No way out. I don’t stop moving.
I walk straight to the car and get into the back seat as instructed.
“No, wait. I’m driving. You don’t know where we’re going,” Olivia says.
“Of course I do,” Alex replies.
“The drop-off location changed.”
“Why wasn’t I told.”
“We don’t have time for this.” Olivia waves her gun.
“Keep yours on the elevator. Johnny’s in there just in case he tries something stupid.
” Alex turns toward the elevator. Olivia shoves Evie aside and fires point-blank.
Blood explodes from Alex’s head. His body drops like a marionette with its strings cut, his skull split, his brains on the pavement.
Olivia hops into the driver’s seat and slams the car into gear. I glance back just in time to see Evie running toward the elevator, toward safety, toward Johnny. Relief surges through me just as the car jerks left onto the street. I slam into the door, pain bursting through my side.
“Seatbelt,” Olivia shouts. “Can’t have the merchandise arrive damaged.”
“Fuck off. Drive carefully, then,” I snap. She hits the brakes. My head crashes into the back of the front seat. The crazy bitch did that on purpose.
“I’m not repeating myself, princess,” she says. “Put the motherfucking seatbelt on, or I’ll put a bullet in your kneecap. You’ll still be alive.”
“Okay, okay, chill out. There’s no need to be trigger-happy.
” I buckle the belt, fingers trembling. This crazy bitch killed an FBI agent without blinking.
I wonder if Alex was really an FBI agent.
If she messes up my leg, I’ll be useless when Cyan comes for me.
I touch the bracelet on my wrist, my fingertips grazing the gemstones.
I can almost hear Cyan’s voice. Stay strong, Dove. Fight.
My thoughts drift to Gracie. Sweet, grounded, loyal Gracie. She’ll be okay. She must be. I won’t accept any other truth. Outside the window, street signs blur past. Dread coils tight in my gut. “Where are we going?” I ask. She doesn’t answer.
About fifteen minutes later, we pull into another underground garage full of parked cars, and we stop on the third floor down. The door opens, bringing with it the metallic scent of oil. I memorize everything: the walls, exits, and corners. Every detail. Anything that might save me later.
“Get out,” Olivia orders. I obey. A car door opens nearby, and footsteps echo as someone approaches. Each step is sharp, and my stomach knots. I stop, my body vibrating with disbelief. No, it can’t be. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, buried in Cyan’s flock, stops in front of me.
“I told you, princess. You’re beneath me.”
Olivia steps beside her, hand brushing down her side, and grins. “I told you I could get her for you, baby,” Olivia brushes a kiss against Lucilla’s lips like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Lucilla lips curves. “You’re the best, love.
” They’re together? Olivia holds something up, a glint of silver.
Not a knife; it’s a syringe. Before I can move, she drives the needle into my neck.
Fire blooms beneath my skin as images of Cyan, Evie, and Gracie flash. Then nothing. Blackness crashes in.