Chapter 26 Luca
LUCA
“Ride with me.” When I attempt to guide her to my car, she plants her feet in place and yanks her hand out of my grip. “We don’t have time to argue about this. One of us has to drive the vehicle back and make sure we’re not the last ones back.”
“Oh, that’d be a shame if we didn’t get to play anymore.” Her mouth twists into a grin as I think of Micah getting the upper hand.
Reaching forward, I seize the back of her neck. “If you screw this up on purpose, I will make you pay more than the Keepers ever will.”
Her stubbornness doesn’t falter as she remains rigid, her chest rising and falling with even breaths.
“I didn’t want to play. You did this with your stupid little man-child fit when you made me jump off the roller coaster with you.
Which is a perfect metaphor for you—a fucking roller coaster.
So, blame your own damn self. Because it’s your fault that you’re stuck with me. ”
Ivy pulls away and marches to her car before dropping into the driver’s seat.
Fuck. She is going to be the death of me one way or another.
I have no choice but to follow behind her in my own vehicle until we reach the residence.
Once we’re all parked and observing the property, Remy asks, “Why are we stealing some senator’s cars?”
Micah responds, “Probably because he pissed off the wrong person.”
Agreed. He crossed the wrong person, and they’re using Mercy to make him pay.
“I don’t like this,” Brooke says, scanning over the property. “Shouldn’t we do some surveillance or recon before we just run in blind?”
“No. We don’t have time.” Micah scans back at me. “And we’re not in this together. It’s every man for himself.”
Brooke asks, “What about the one on your team, jackass?”
He responds, hardly paying her any attention, “Yeah. I guess I’ll bring you along for the ride.” He grips her elbow as they head off, sprinting along the fence, then they disappear into the shadows.
Ivy glances to me. “What’s our move, Captain Dick?”
I ignore the dig. “Let’s find a way in without setting off every alarm. There’re at least three cameras covering the front of the house and one covering that entrance gate.” I point to the few I see, knowing there are probably plenty that I don’t.
Being invisible is easy. I’ve done it plenty of times. And this is no different.
As we walk along the property, I notice a blind spot. “There.”
We head to the opening as I jump on the stone wall that’s about waist high, then climb over a pillar and turn to find Ivy right behind me. “And how do we get the car out? It’s not going to fit through here. We can’t just drive it out the gate.”
“Why not? The driveway will be the quickest route.” I enjoy her slightly panicked and confused look.
“You can’t be serious.” But she knows I am as she mutters, “This is not going to end well.”
Agreed.
As we approach the house, I take note of every interior light, only one appearing to be on in the house. So, someone might be here. Which means being first will increase the chances of getting away clean before the guy realizes what’s happening. Once he hears a vehicle crank up, it’ll be game over.
“Hurry up,” I whisper to Ivy as she falls back a few steps.
“In a hurry to get arrested?” she asks but thankfully picks up speed as we make our way to the side of the house.
“He won’t call the police if he catches us.” I know the mentality. He’ll get away with murder. And a dead body is one who can’t tell his secrets. “He’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”
She looks more annoyed than worried. “Fabulous. Another unhinged psycho.”
There’s a fucking security guard who’s having a smoke out on the dock, which isn’t far enough from where we’re at for my liking.
I pull her against me, shielding her until I see the guard’s back is to us.
Holding my finger up, I place it over her mouth signaling for her to be quiet then motion with my head towards the dock.
Her frustration is in full swing as she backs away and mouths, “Okay.”
We quickly reach the side door of the garage and find it already unlocked.
Fuck. I know who beat me here without seeing.
But once I dash into the garage bay, I spot Micah sitting behind the wheel of a classic Jaguar, and that is the moment the engine roars to life.
Fucker waited until I got here to do it.
But it won’t stop me from completing this dare.
The garage door is barely open as he drives out. I run past a newer truck and opt for the closest vehicle that I know I can hot-wire fast.
“Get in,” I instruct Ivy as I work on starting the motor. She’s no sooner in the passenger seat when the main lights in the garage flip on.
“Goddamnit.” I almost have the car started when I catch a glimpse of the security guard standing just outside the garage, but more concerning is the man in a robe who has a pistol pointed our way.
A loud shot rings out, followed by metal clanking. Yep. Shoot first. Ask questions later. He’s probably more fearful if he’s made an enemy out of the Keepers. And clearly, he has since we’re stealing his prized possessions.
Just as I get the car started. I see Garrett and Remy duck into the side door of the garage. I don’t wait to see their fate. I shift into gear, the wheels spinning on the smooth concrete, before we soar out of the bay.
Another guard is in the driveway, his weapon drawn and pointed straight at us.
Reaching over, I force Ivy to the floorboard, “Stay down.”
Then return my hands to the steering wheel and hold on tight as I press the accelerator to the floor. The guard isn’t backing down, and neither will I. He fires off three shots. Each one hits the windshield, glass spidering around the holes, but the windshield stays intact.
And I stay on course. There’s no chance I’ll concede. We’re in too deep; we’re getting out no matter who we have to go through. And the guy is a shitty shot because an additional two shots miss as I continue barreling towards him until he jumps out of the path at the last second.
Ivy rotates, peeking out the rear window. “You almost killed him.”
“He almost killed us.”
“True.” There’s a little panic in her voice as she turns back and examines the windshield before I feel her eyes raking over me.
“No need to worry. I’m okay, sweetheart.”
She flops back against the seat. “Pity. I could’ve been done with this bullshit if he wasn’t such a terrible shot.”
“You’d miss me.”
She ignores me.
“Probably sit at home and cry because you’d be so miserable and worn-out with your pitiful life.”
She stays turned away. “I need to get my car. Stop and let me out now.”
“We’ll come back for it. We have to get to the cemetery.” When she finally glares at me, she looks even more pissed than usual, so I add, “If you would’ve listened and rode with me, it wouldn’t be an issue.”
That’s all it takes for her to turn away again with a few choice words mumbled under her breath.
After that, we ride in silence as I consider the price tag of the vehicle we’re driving.
The car Micah is driving is a rarity among collectors, and this one would cost a good chunk of change.
It’s clear the senator has funds coming from more than his political salary, because there’s no way he could afford these.
Without a doubt, his lifestyle was funded or at least cushioned by the society.
Old money that costs more than it’s worth because they take your soul.