Chapter 23 Florian #2
The only response I get on the other end is silence. Anger roars through me as I pound my fist against the dash.
“I’m going to fucking kill her,” I say and punch the dashboard again. “Head to the penthouse. They’re on the rooftop.”
My men and their families may find it odd that Arabelle and Adahlia are together, but no one will stop them from entering the building. Everyone knows Arabelle is my wife, and they know Adahlia comes to my penthouse often.
It’s not surprising she chose the rooftop. Our conversations up there revolved around our lives and the dreams for our future outside of what we needed to do for our families. It was too bad that it was also the place where she’d lose her life.
As the elevator doors slide open, a gust of wind sends a chill down my spine.
Alrick is getting more men, but I’ve ordered them to hold back to avoid spooking Adahlia.
Right now, my only concern is getting Arabelle away from her unharmed.
Alrick already knows to take steps to make sure Arabelle’s safe, and that Adahlia dies if anything happens to me.
With my hands buried deep in the pockets of my peacoat, I approach Adahlia, who is standing behind a trembling Arabelle, a gun pointed at her head.
“Hands up!” Adahlia orders. “Or I’ll kill her, Florian! Don’t fucking play with me!”
I continue to walk toward them, but I do raise my hands in the air as a sign that I don’t mean her any harm.
“What’s this all about, Addie?” I ask. My eyes shift toward Arabelle to make sure she’s all right. She looks terrified, and there’s a mark above one of her eyes. Other than that, she looks fine. I return my focus to Adahlia. “Why are we here?”
In a display of annoyance, Adahlia rolls her eyes.
“You know why we’re here, Florian. Don’t play stupid.
You married this bitch when it should have been me.
Did you think I’d just let her get away with taking you from me?
I’m my father’s daughter, after all. You should know better than to screw me over! ”
She tightly clutches Arabelle’s hair, forcefully pulling her head back, eliciting a piercing scream.
“Addie! Addie! Take a deep breath and calm down. Leave her out of it. None of this is her fault. Your problem is with me, so talk to me. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
I’m only a few feet from them, but the closer I get, Adahlia steps closer to the edge of the building.
“Friends?” she screams. “We’re more than friends! I love you!”
Her face is flushed, and her eyes dart around with a wild intensity I’ve only seen in people who are cornered and have lost their shit. If I don’t act soon, Arabelle will be hurt or worse. And I will never let that happen. It’s going to be her before I let anything happen to Arabelle.
When I’m close enough where I know Arabelle won’t be hurt, at least not from the gun, I spring toward Adahlia, simultaneously shoving Arabelle aside. The sharp sound of the gun reverberates through the air, jolting me into action, and Adahlia loses her balance when I push her over the edge.
“Florian!” Adahlia screams. “Please, help me!”
I walk to the edge of the building and look over the edge. She’s clinging onto a metal pipe that’s fixed to the concrete of the building. It’s groaning from her weight.
“Please, help me,” she pleads, her tear-streaked face filled with desperation. “I love you, Florian. You can’t let me die.”
As I reach down, my fingers wrap around her delicate wrist, feeling the pulse of her heartbeat. She tightly grips my hand, her knuckles turning white when she lets go of the pipe.
However, I know how this ends. Pulling her up would put Arabelle at risk. She’s already proven that she’s a threat, and she will never leave us in peace if I let her live. There’s only one thing that I can do.
My face breaks into a wicked smile, and she instantly recognizes her mistake of placing her trust in the Beast.
Wrong move.
Her relief immediately turns to fear, and tears fill her eyes.
“Florian…”
Arabelle’s voice, filled with pain, echoes in my ears from behind me, prompting me to release Adahlia’s hand without a second thought.
Her screams of terror echo through the stillness of the night, blending with the distant hum of the city.
While I’d love nothing more than to watch her fall to her death, I have more important things to attend to.
I rush toward Arabelle, my heart pounding in my chest. When I reach her, I kneel beside her. “Are you hurt?” I ask, looking over her body for any injuries.
She reaches for the bruise over her eye and winces before dropping her hand. “Bruised, and I have a massive headache, but I think I’m going to be okay.”
I help her to her feet, feeling the warmth of her body against mine when I wrap my arm around her shoulders. I guide her toward the elevator, eager to get off this fucking rooftop and safely inside my penthouse. The place will be swarmed by cops in no time.
“Is she dead?” she asks when we step inside the elevator.
When I press the button, the door closes, sealing us inside, she presses her head against my chest. “She is.”
She lets out a sigh of relief. “And Hugo?”
I tighten my embrace. “I don’t know.”
Hopefully, he isn’t going to die. He’s like a brother to me, but right now, I’m more concerned with her well-being. I failed to protect her, the one thing I promised her I would always do. Now, I need to make it right.