Chapter 23 #2
My gaze slides in the direction Matteo mentioned.
To someone who is here for pleasure, he looks like a bouncer casually leaning against the wall, observing everything that’s going on around him, only making himself known if a problem arises.
His face is pointed in a different direction, but his eyes are locked on Matteo and me as he talks into his watch, most likely tipping off Dimitri that we’re back.
Good.
Give him all the heads-up he can get because it isn’t going to help him today.
Matteo and I round the corner, heading straight for his office. We don’t knock. There’s no need. He knows we’re here.
The fake look of surprise on his face when he sees us only adds fuel to the fire.
“You two have some—” Dimitri says as if he has any authority right now.
“Shut the fuck up,” I growl, slamming my fists on the desk. Dimitri jumps back in his seat, his eyes widening slightly. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dimitri says as he looks me dead in the eye. “But you need to get the fuck out.”
Dimitri’s hand slowly slides along the desk, searching for something.
I throw my head back and laugh. It sounds manic. “Do you really think a panic button is going to save you right now? Like every single one of your fucking men didn’t watch us walk by? Pathetic,” I sneer.
Dimitri sits up tall in his chair and puffs out his chest. “Don’t stand there and act like you know what’s going on. You don’t know anything,” he hisses. “You’re not as smart as I thought you were if you think those are the only men I have.”
“I think you’re playing a game you don’t know how to play because the way I see it someone would have already been here by now to fuck me up, right?” His eyes waver slightly. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Now, I’m going to give you thirty seconds to tell me where Bronwyn is. I know she’s here.”
“I don’t know who Bronwyn is.” Dimitri sticks his chin up.
“Did you not hear me when I said I know she’s here? Her phone is inside this building.”
“This casino also has a hotel. Maybe she’s stepping out on you.”
My nostrils flare as I reach under my jacket and pull out my FN Five-SeveN, firing one round into his hand. Blood splatters across the desk, hitting Matteo and me. “Time’s up.”
Matteo makes a noise in his throat behind me as he wipes at his shirt, his lips turned up in disgust. “Stabbing him would have been less messy. His shit is all over my new suit,” he grumbles over Dimitri’s scream.
Dimitri breathes heavily through his nose as he struggles to open a desk drawer and pull out a towel, wrapping it tightly around the wound.
The white towel turns a pale shade of red from the blood seeping through.
Once he has the wound secure, he reaches back into the same drawer and pulls out a pistol, slamming it down on the desk.
I snort, the corner of my mouth turning up in amusement. “What, are you going to shoot me now?”
“I want to know why you’re not always armed. A man in your position should be. You know, in case something like this happens,” Matteo asks as he straightens out his jacket.
Beads of sweat are pooling at the top of Dimitri’s forehead as his pained gaze settles on us. “Because my men should have fucking killed you the second you stepped foot in my casino again.”
“Shoulda, coulda, woulda.” I shrug before leaning over the desk. “Now, tell me where the fuck she is.”
Dimitri stares at me through heavy-lidded eyes. The beads of sweat are now dripping down his face as his chest heaves up and down. The towel is now dark red from the blood loss. “The basement.”
“Take me,” I demand.
Dimitri slowly stands. He moves to grab the gun, but Matteo is faster. He swipes the gun and tucks it into the waistband of his slacks.
“I don’t think you’ll be needing that,” Matteo says as he waves his hand toward the door. “Lead the way. I wouldn’t test Gio too hard. Your dick will be in a box next.”
Dimitri jumps to his feet, swaying from the loss of blood. He grabs onto the desk, steadying himself, and hisses, “I knew it was you.”
“You shouldn’t have sent him sniffing around my girl.”
“If her father would stop digging himself into a hole he is never climbing out of, I wouldn’t have had to.”
“So what? You wanted her in exchange?”
Dimitri has the nerve to shrug. “She’s not hard to look at, and my son needs to get his head out of his ass and marry someone soon.”
I see nothing but red.
I’m on him before he can blink. My hands are around his neck and I squeeze tightly. Dimitri’s good hand clutches mine in a poor attempt to pull me off him as he struggles to breathe, his face turning the color of the towel.
“You motherfucker,” I growl as I slam him against the wall by his neck.
Matteo is in my ear, talking lowly, “Let up. He’s not any good to us dead right now.”
I give one last squeeze before I release him. Dimitri falls to his knees, gasping for breath. Matteo yanks him up by the collar of his shirt and drags him out of the room.
“Tell us where to go,” Matteo demands.
Dimitri points a weak finger toward an unmarked door near his office. I lead the way as Matteo continues to drag him behind us. I yank the heavy door open, revealing a metal stairwell winding down to the basement.
I take the steps three at a time as I race to the bottom, leaving them behind me. The closer I get, I hear male voices talking. Reaching into my waistband, I take out my gun as I near the bottom.
My heart is pounding in my ears from the adrenaline of knowing I’m close but so far away.
I peer around the corner and freeze. There, in the middle of the basement, is Bronwyn slumped over and tied to a metal chair.
My arm holding the gun raises, ready to fire blindly, but Matteo’s hand on my bicep pushes it down, stopping me.
“We need to think this through,” he whispers in my ear, being careful not to draw attention to us. “I count four men that we can see, and there’s only two of us.”
I swiftly inhale.
I hate that he’s right.
I look behind me, noticing Dimitri isn’t with him.
“I left him at the top of the stairs with his mouth taped shut. Didn’t want to risk something happening. Alessio is on his way. He’ll get him.”
“How do you suggest we play this? I’m not waiting for him.”
Matteo has about two seconds to come up with a plan before I go in.
My eyes scan the room as I wait for Matteo to answer. Two men are in the corner talking to each other as they stare at Bronwyn. Another man is by himself on his phone, not paying attention. And the last is Bronwyn’s dad. He’s standing near her, but he’s watching the guys in the corner.
Oh yeah. He’s mine.
“Fuck it,” Matteo finally says as he reaches for his gun. “Let’s just get this over with.”
A sinister smile spreads across my lips.
It’s showtime.
I come out from around the metal banister slowly slapping my hands. “I think my brother and I missed our invite, boys.”
Dennis’s eyes widen as he steps back while the other three men stand up straight, their hands reaching toward their waistbands.
“This is a private party, Adduci,” one of the guys says.
“Ah, so you know who I am?” I ask. Rage is flowing through my veins, but my tone doesn’t show it.
The man grunts.
“Then you know who she is to me.” I nod toward Bronwyn.
I can’t look at her right now because if I do, all bets are off. I need to get her out safely without risking her getting shot in the crossfire.
“She’s not yours anymore,” the man with the phone pipes up.
“That’s news to me.” I tilt my head. “Then whose is she?”
“Boss’s brother bought her. He’s on his way to pick her up now.”
I chuckle lowly. “You see, that just won’t do.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because the only one leaving here with her is me.”
In one quick motion, I raise my gun and fire four rounds into his chest. Matteo fires off rounds behind me at the other two guys as they return fire. A bullet grazes my arm, making me fall back a step as I grunt in pain.
“Shit, are you okay?” Matteo yells over the gunfire echoing around us.
“Fine,” I grunt as I load another clip and aim right at the guys. I empty it into both of them as I watch their bodies rock back until collapsing on the floor in a pool of blood.
Dennis runs frantically for the door.
But I’m faster.