Chapter 38
Thirty-Eight
Emilia
B efore I can launch myself at Anthony with my knife, a loud thump can be heard from somewhere in the house. Anthony hears it too.
“Lorenzo, go check that shit out. Tell Francisco to stop getting his dick wet, grab the woman, and get his ass over here. Looks like we have company.”
“You got it, boss,” says Lorenzo. He was so adamant he wasn’t a lap dog anymore, but here he is, jumping to listen to orders like the well trained dog he is.
“I hope you find a bullet between your eyes,” I spit out at Lorenzo as he walks by the doorway, his faint outline illuminated by Anthony’s flashlight.
“ Principessa , the mouth on you. It’s a shame I didn’t get to stick my cock in it yet. Once this situation is taken care of, we will have to arrange that. I’m sure those plump lips and wicked tongue can deliver as much pleasure as they do venom,” says Anthony, pulling the belt between his hands so it delivers a loud snap that makes Jess jump in her corner of the room.
“You’re not putting your dick anywhere near me, pendejo .”
Before Anthony can respond, gunshots go off somewhere in the house followed by Lorenzo cursing and more gunshots. Anthony drops the belt and whips out a gun that I hadn’t even noticed he had in his waistband, leveling the barrel at me. “Drop the knife.”
I drop the knife and smirk, knowing Lorenzo is going to get what’s coming for him and reveling in the thought. “Looks like your little guard dog isn’t going to be doing much guarding anymore.”
“Shut your filthy whore mouth, Emilia,” he says, taking three large steps in front of me, placing the barrel against my temple. “Or so help me god, you’re going to find a bullet in this pretty little head of yours.”
“Do it, I dare you,” I say, glaring straight into his eyes while I cock my eyebrow up, egging him on.
“You’re a fucking crazy bitch, you know that?”
Venomous words almost leave my mouth, but I’m halted when I see another woman being pushed into the room by a man that has his pants undone. This must be Francisco, and telling by the current state of his pants and the woman, I can only guess that he was probably just having his way with her before he was told to get his ass in here. Filthy fucking bastards, all of them. The poor woman has a blotchy face and tears running down her cheeks as she silently cries and flinches away from him when he grabs at her again, placing her in front of himself.
The other rooms are silent, as I can only assume the other women are doing their best to stay quiet in fear of what’s going on right now.
Hearing nothing but silence throughout the house now, Anthony starts to fidget, his nerves getting the better of him. Taking the gun away from my head, he grabs my upper arm and swings us around, so I’m now in front of him, effectively a human shield for his cowardly ass. The gun is placed back to my temple, but I can feel it shaking. Anthony might have all these sick, twisted fucks working for him, but when push comes to shove, he’s a fucking coward that rapes and beats women to feel like the big dog he pretends to be.
“One, two, they’re coming for you,” I whisper, trying to get under his skin.
He pushes the barrel of the gun into my temple causing my head to jerk to the side and brings his mouth close to my ear, his voice shaking. “Shut the fuck up, principessa . If you don’t shut your mouth, I’m going to blow your brains out.” Getting in his head and distracting him is exactly what I hoped to accomplish.
“Three, four, better hit the floor.” Before he can comprehend my words, I drop like a sack of potatoes, my arm slipping from his grasp in his surprise, and grab the knife that I dropped between my feet. The action pulls at my stitches, but I’m running on pure adrenaline now, I barely even feel the pain as they tear.
With the knife in hand, I whip my head back, cracking his nose as he bends down to try and get a hold of me again. Flipping the knife in my hand, I plunge my arm backward, sinking the knife into his stomach, and twist. He collapses to the ground, and I take his gun, but before I can pay him any mind, my attention is called across the room.
“Ah, ah, ah, princess. I wouldn’t move if I were you,” says Francisco, who has moved into the doorway, pointing his gun at me while still holding the trembling woman by the arm. I hold out my hands and lower the gun slowly onto the floor. While doing so, I see a movement in the hallway.
“You’re really more stupid than you look, you know that?” I ask, standing to my full height seconds before a bullet pierces his skull, the spray of blood coating me in splatters as the bullet exits his forehead and explodes into the opposite wall. He collapses to the ground, his gun skittering across the floor. Holy fuck, it’s finally over. It’s over, it’s finally over.
Jess and the other woman scream, and I quickly shush them, knowing the men in the hallway are with me.
Two men immediately make their way in the room, and I instantly recognize Kayden and Aleks. I’m not sure which of them made the killing shot, but I’ve never been more relieved to see their faces as I am now. I put a hand on each of their arms as they pass in thanks, knowing words can’t even begin to express the gratitude I’m feeling for them. Looking around as the men do a cursory glance to the bodies, and then go to the women in the room, I lock eyes with a third man making his way into the room. James .
My knees nearly give out as I’m overcome with a profound sense of relief as I stumble over to him. He catches me just as my knees lock, a sob escaping from deep within my chest.
“James…” I say, tears falling down my face as I’m unable to find the words I so desperately want to say to this man. The man that came for me with a mini fucking army .
“Shhh, Emilia. I’m here now.” He holds me in his arms, running a soothing hand through my hair.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again. Anthony, he was going to kill you and make me marry him…”
“The only man you’re allowed to marry against your wishes is me, love.”
I slap his chest, not finding his joke to be very funny at all.
“Well, if I can’t have the slut, no one can,” says a voice from across the room. Everything happens in slow motion, it’s as though time has stopped. As I turn my head, I see Anthony sprawled out on the floor, gun raised at me as he pulls the trigger numerous times in quick succession. From the corner of my eye, I see a soldier launch himself in front of me, his body jerking as the bullets impact his upper body.
More shots ring out, and I see Kayden pointing his rifle at Anthony, numerous bullets finding their mark in his skull and torso.
As though someone hit the play button, time speeds up and Kayden comes crashing down, turning over the soldier that lies in front of me. Aleks . I drop to my knees, panic causing my hands to shake.
“You don’t have my permission to leave duty, soldier,” says Kayden as he takes a knife and starts cutting into Aleks’s uniform and removing his armor, trying desperately to get to the bullet wound. “Medic! I need a fucking medic in here!”
“Fuck, there’s too much blood. Emilia, put pressure on the wound while I grab the medic bag.”
I drop to my knees and immediately push my hands over the wound, pushing my entire body weight onto Aleks’s upper chest, but it’s still not enough. One of the shots hit right on the edge of his bullet proof armor from what I can tell as the blood continues to bubble through my fingers. I look over at his face to find him looking at me. He places a shaky hand over my own. “It’s OK, Em. It’s OK.”
“It’s not OK, Aleks, nothing is OK.”
“It is, though. You’re safe now, that’s all that matters.” Blood sputters out of his mouth on his last few words, and I try to hold his gaze through the tears in my eyes. He smiles, nods his head, and turns his gaze to the ceiling.
“Don’t you fucking dare, Aleks. Don’t you fucking dare leave me. It’s not your time. You can’t fucking leave me.”
More and more blood pours out of his chest and through my fingers, pooling around my knees. I continue pushing with all the strength left in my body, but it’s not enough.
“Emilia, love. He’s gone,” James says, gently prying my bloody fingers apart and off Aleks’s chest.
“I’ve got the bag,” says Kayden as he rushes back into the room, only to stop as he sees Aleks’s glassy stare. “Fuck! FUCK!”
Kayden kicks a hole in the wall, causing the two women to scream. “Fuck, sorry. Fuck, I should have checked the bodies better,” he says, taking off his helmet and pulling at his hair. He turns and strides over to Anthony, laying a few more bullets into his body. “Stupid. Fucking. Cocksucker,” he punctuates with each shot of the rifle. “His death was way too quick.”
A fourth soldier enters the room, holding out a bag to James. Reaching into the bag, James starts distributing clothes to myself, Jess, and the other woman, whose name I learn is Bella.
Kayden helps get the chain around Jess’s ankle off and helps her get dressed, before the other men make their way back down the hallway and do the same for the rest of the women in the house.
I’m covered in blood, a lot of it not my own, but thank fuck am I ever happy for some fucking clothes.
“Emilia, love. We should really get out of here,” says James, coming up behind me as I peer down at Aleks. The men are already starting to get him lifted out of here, and I can’t help but to think every single one of these fuckers died way too fucking fast.
“These bastards deserved so much worse than what they got,” I whisper back to him, taking in the peaceful look on Aleks’s face. Aleks saved my life, and he did it with a goddamn smile on his face.
“Well, I might have a late wedding present for you,” Kayden says from across the room where he helps Jess get some shoes on.
“I’m not in the mood for any surprises, Kayden,” I say, exhaustion straining my words.
“Trust me, you’ll want to see this. Lorenzo is waiting for you.”
* * *
Kayden leads me back to the concrete room, and I immediately start to tremble. The room is a horror show, and I’m not pleased to have to go back into it. Before I can lose my nerve, I feel James’s hand on my lower back.
“I wish it was me that killed those cunts upstairs, Emilia. To see you tremble sets a fire within me, eager to burn every single one of those fuckers to the ground,” he bends down and whispers in my ear.
Vincent was mine to kill, and I’m glad his life ended by my hand. Lorenzo set all of this into motion though, I know I have to see this through.
“I’ll be OK, James. We take care of this last loose end, and we can finally go home.”
Kayden grabs the door and holds it open for us as we walk through into the dimly lit room. Lorenzo is seated in the metal chair, rope holding him tight so there’s no chance of escape. And even if he managed to get out of the ropes, the soldiers standing around the room would ensure he wouldn’t get very far.
As we walk in, Lorenzo’s head raises and we lock eyes. Unwilling to let him see how this room affects me, I hold my head up high, walk up to him, and smirk. “Lorenzo, Lorenzo, Lorenzo. How you thought this would work out in your favor is completely mind blowing to me. I’m glad you ended up showing your true colors, though. People like you aren’t welcome in my family.”
Lorenzo spits at the ground, his face reddening in anger. “Fuck you, Emilia. I wouldn’t want to be a part of your family anyway. I was so close to having it all, if it weren’t for you. It’s why I killed your parents. Slit your father’s throat while your poor mother watched. Vincent had fun playing with her, by the way.”
Knowing he’s trying to get a rise out of me, I keep my composure even though on the inside I break just a little more. At this point, I’m sure I have more broken pieces than not, but my goal was to make it out alive, and James, Kayden, and his men have ensured that.
“Well, I’m glad Vince got the end he deserved then. And aren’t you such a coward, killing a frail dying man. How very macho of you. You were nothing more than a little lap dog. Let’s be real for a second, Lorenzo. Anthony had no intention of making you into something worthwhile. You’re expendable, that’s why he sent you down those stairs to begin with.”
“He sent me down because he trusted me to get the job done.”
“And look how beautifully that turned out for you.”
He spits at my feet but keeps quiet at my statement.
“Hmmm, cat got your tongue?”
When he remains silent, I turn around and wave James over. “I know you’re eager to get your hands on this pedazo de mierda . He’s all yours.” (Piece of shit.)
“You sure, Em? You don’t want the honors?” asks James, looking at me in bewilderment.
“I’m in no shape to deal out the damage I desire. I trust you to do it justice.”
James nods his head, taking his time as he rolls up his sleeves, seemingly relishing in the idea of getting his hands dirty.
“Where should I begin, Lorenzo? Cutting out your tongue for the lies you so easily told or cutting off each finger that dared to lay hands on my wife ? Better yet, let’s just do both.”
I cross my arms and lean against the wall, watching as James deals out revenge for the both of us.
Pulling a knife from the black cargo pants that all the men are wearing, James has one of the soldiers hold Lorenzo’s head while another pries his mouth open. One soldier comes over with a torch to heat the blade so that the tongue is cauterized as it’s being cut. The cut isn’t clean, however. In fact, it’s rather choppy, but James gets the job done while Lorenzo screams and shakes. James throws the mangled piece of flesh onto the ground while Lorenzo bleeds just a little bit, the hot blade doing its job to prevent most of it. We wouldn’t want Lorenzo to bleed out before we get to have some fun with him.
“Now you’re going to have a really hard time telling any more lies. Who am I kidding though, you won’t be leaving here to do that in the first place,” says James as he circles the chair that Lorenzo is sitting in.
Lorenzo tries to speak, but all he does is spew complete gibberish without the use of his tongue.
“What’s that, Lorenzo? I can’t seem to understand what you’re saying,” James mocks as he stops in front of him.
Lorenzo lets out a frustrated yell and starts fighting against the ropes that bind him to the chair. It’s useless, though—he isn’t going anywhere.
As James moves on to cutting off his fingers with the heated blade, I can’t help but to relish in the sound of his screams. For every woman he hurt, for my parents, and whoever else might be on that list, he gets every single finger cut off until he has nothing left but bleeding stumps for hands.
Kayden approaches with a tank of gasoline, halting James as he lays punch after punch to Lorenzo’s face.
“I don’t think he’s got much more left in him, Brother,” says Kayden, clasping a hand on James’s shoulder.
James’s knuckles are cracked and bloody from the blows he dealt to Lorenzo, but if anything, he looks like he wants to keep going.
“James, it’s time to leave,” I say, eager to get home and take a shower to get all the blood off me. “Plus, I want him alive as we burn this entire house to the ground.”
James looks like he wants to protest, but he thinks better of it when he meets my gaze. Maybe it’s the exhaustion on my face, or maybe it’s my wounds—all I know is I’m grateful when he nods his head, taking the tank of gasoline from Kayden and starts pouring it all over Lorenzo. As he makes a trail of gasoline out of the room and out of the house, we all follow as Lorenzo starts to scream again.
A few more soldiers join us, each of them holding empty tanks of gasoline. Now that the entire house has been drenched, Kayden lights a flare, throwing it down into the cellar and watching as the fire ignites, making its way through every room in the house. I faintly hear Lorenzo’s screams, and a smile pulls at the corners of my lips. Good, let him burn.
“Where are all the women?” I ask Kayden, looking around but only seeing his men.
“Somewhere safe and far away from here,” he answers, not looking away from the burning house. He stands with his arms crossed, a steely look in his gaze. “The women will be well taken care of. I’ll see to it they get the treatment they need, get new identities, and can start fresh somewhere. Anywhere they desire.”
“And how do we prevent the authorities from digging around into this fire?”
“Franklin’s on it. They’ve been led to believe it’s a training exercise for Special Forces. And if for some reason someone gets suspicious, I’ll use my connections in my old branch to make it go away. It’s covered, Em. No worries.”
I nod my head, completely trusting his word. Kayden can be dark and brooding, but he’s at least a man of his word, that much I know. He’s a fierce protector, and I have no doubts the women, and us, are in safe hands.
Turning to James, I lean into his side. “Ready to get out of here?”
James has a haunted look in his eyes as he gazes down at me, but it vanishes as quickly as it appeared. “Anything for you, love.”
As we turn to leave, the fire warming our backs, I can’t help but to feel some sort of hope that we can finally start building our lives together properly.