Chapter 10 Megan #3
Then, he raises his eyes to me, and the transformation is instantaneous. They latch on to me like I’m offering him a life vest in the middle of the stormy ocean, and I swallow the sicky feeling in my gut. My throat feels like it’s on fire.
He thinks I’m here to help him.
What makes my stomach twist itself into even tighter knots is that he’s right.
“Hey.” He’s appraising me, trying to figure out how far he can push me to get him the hell out of here. “What’s your name?”
Something cold slithers down my spine. Is he turning on the charm the way he did with Nikki? Was she so blinded by the brash glare of Hollywood that she couldn’t see through the sleaziness and the oily smarminess and the bullshit?
“Megan. I’m Nikki’s friend.”
Recognition flickers behind his eyes, but Demi was right, not even a hint of an apology is going to slide off his tongue. Instead, he’s already working on his excuses.
“Megan.” He smiles, showing startlingly white teeth. “Nikki spoke about you. She was so excited that you were coming to LA.”
Was. Past tense.
I suck in a deep shaky breath. “Why did you do it?” I’m surprised at how firm my voice is. “Why did you hurt her?”
He blinks furiously. Maybe he expected me to lead with how much I enjoyed his movies, or maybe it’s genuine shock that I can see in his eyes.
“What did she say about me? Whatever it was, you can’t believe it. I was trying to help her.” The shock has morphed into incredulity. “Come on, Megan. You know your friend. You know what she—”
Gio reacts while I stand there numb, allowing his cruel twisted words to burrow deep inside my brain.
Leaning over him, Gio stuffs a rag in Tommy’s mouth while he wriggles and squirms in the seat, lifting the chair legs off the floor in his efforts to escape.
When Gio comes back to me, he blocks my view and lowers his head, the muffled groans continuing behind him. “Have you seen enough, Meggie?”
I’ve seen and heard more than enough, but I’m not done yet.
No turning back.
“Can you give me a few moments alone with him?” Gio’s eyes harden, and I add, “Please. I just need to say my piece.”
I wish I didn’t have to do this. I don’t know how Gio will react if I manage to pull this off, but I have no choice but to follow my heart and do whatever it takes to save my sister.
He peers into my eyes for the longest time.
Then, finally, he turns around and speaks to the prisoner. “If you so much as look at her the wrong way, you won’t live to see your movie hit the big screen.”
He goes to leave the room when I realize that his bodyguards are not going with him. Panic blooms inside my chest.
“Gio!” I blurt out, turning my back on Tommy and the guards. “I want to be alone with him.”
“Meggie, you know I can’t do that.”
“Please, Gio.” Fuck, fuck, fuck! He must know that this isn’t just about finding closure. “Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking for.”
His eyes drift to the actor bound to the seat in the middle of the room, and back again. “Five minutes.”
My heart leaps like a dog seeing snow for the first time. I shouldn’t be so animated over something that will hurt Gio, but I can’t look at it that way. I’m doing it for all the right reasons.
At least, that’s what I tell myself when I watch the men file out of the cabin leaving me alone with Tommy Romano.
The instant the door closes behind them, shutting us both in, I dash over to the seat and slide the razor blade from my sleeve. “This was all I could find.” I speak in urgent whispers. “Use them to cut the ropes. Tonight. When they’re sleeping. There’s a van outside with keys in the ignition.”
He looks at me as if I’ve grown horns. “Why are you doing this? Things not so rosy between you and the bastardo, huh?”
I flinch, something inside me solidifying. What did Nikki ever see in him?
“I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for my sister. Letting you go will save her.” I look into his eyes and wish I hadn’t when I’m inexplicably reminded of Amber’s father. “Do you know where she is?” I’m still holding the blade.
“No.” There’s no emotion in his eyes or his voice.
“Take this.” I move around the seat and am horrified to find bloody stumps where several fingers should be.
Did Gio do this?
Watching me, his mouth twists into an unlovely grin. “That’s not the only reason your little plan won’t work.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “I can’t drive.”
My thoughts are careening around my brain like a grand prix race.
I’ve already drugged Gio once, I won’t do it a second time, and there’s no way he’ll listen to me now that I’ve set the wheels in motion without confiding in him first. I’m in this alone.
Only, I’m way out of my depth with no idea what to do next.
We’re running out of time.
I shove the blade into the palm of his hand, cross the room, and open the window. “Be quick.”
I’m shaking. I wish I’d never answered the call on Gio’s phone. If I hadn’t, I’d be driving around Stowe with Demi right now, searching for my sister, oblivious to what’s going on inside this cabin.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the van.” It’s the best I can do for him.
I climb out of the window and sneak around the back of the cabin, stopping at the corner to gauge the distance between me and the waiting vehicle. It’s closer than I thought it was, and I silently thank the universe for its tiny offering. Any farther, and my foot would’ve held me back.
There are no voices. I can see Demi and two bodyguards from the cabin hanging around outside the entrance, but there’s no sign of Gio. Where did he go?
There’s no time to dwell on it.
It’s now or never.
No time to create a distraction or plead with them to go against Gio’s orders and let me do this.
My heart is pounding so hard, I swear they’ll hear it.
But still, I run. Dragging my injured foot behind me, I run to the driver’s side of the van, out of view of the bodyguards, and hold my breath as I open the door.
If Tommy doesn’t make it, I can claim a moment of madness after speaking to him, my emotions causing me to do something crazy.
But how would I explain the blade when they find it?
Thump-thump-thump.
If I survive this, my heart will have used up years’ worth of beats in Vermont that I will never get back. But it will be worth it to see Amber again.
How many minutes have passed? I climb into the driver’s seat and fumble with the keys. If I start the engine too soon, everyone will hear it and stop me before I can go anywhere, but if Gio appears and finds me behind the windshield…
Before I can imagine Gio’s reaction, the passenger door opens, and Tommy slides in beside me, his bloody hands in his lap.
“Go!” he cries. “Go, go go!”
I turn the key and slam the van into first gear, my foot sliding off the clutch and making them grind. I don’t look around. I swerve the van across the grass and away from the guards, Tommy’s open door swinging on its hinges.
In the rearview mirror, I see the guards raising their weapons to shoot the tires and hear Demi yelling at them not to fire. She chases us down the road as I hit the gas.
There are other vehicles. I need to put as much distance between us as possible.
Tears fill my eyes when I think about Gio learning that I betrayed him. I hope he can forgive me. When this is all over.
I drive blindly, swiping at my tears with my upper arm.
We’ve left the mountain slope behind when I spot the vehicles behind us.
I swing the steering wheel as hard as I can and veer away from the town and along a narrow, unmade road.
It’s bumpy, lined with dense prickly shrubs on either side of the track.
Tommy has somehow managed to close the passenger door, and he leans forward as if he’s enjoying the chase.
“Whoa.” I sense him grinning. “So, you’re the crazy one, huh?”
I have no idea what he’s talking about; I’m too focused on keeping the van on the road and dodging the overhanging branches.
“If I’d known, I’d have insisted that Nikki introduce us before Sabatelli got his hands on you.”
My stomach twists. “Stop talking.”
“Okay, okay, I guess that was a little insensitive.” I still sense his eyes on me though. “Look, I should thank you for clearing up the other situation.”
The other situation? Is he talking about Nikki?
“I only got involved with her because The Fish called in a favor.”
Is he actually fucking for real?
I stare at him, my knuckles bone-white on the steering wheel.
Unfazed, he continues, “I couldn’t refuse. I mean if I’d known it would end up like this…”
Like this… He’s talking about his bloody fingers, not my best friend getting killed.
He doesn’t even care about what happened to Nikki.
My tears dry up. Anger sparks inside my chest like white-hot coals.
I went against Gio to set this guy free because I thought that it would save Amber’s life, but I see it clearly now. He doesn’t deserve to be free. He doesn’t deserve to live the rest of his life when Nikki will forever be twenty-three.
I slam on the brakes, clutching the steering wheel tightly.
Tommy shoots forward in his seat and headbutts the windshield, but I don’t miss a beat.
I stick the van in reverse and put my foot down on the gas.
The van spins, the tires churning up dirt and rocks and gravel, as I try to execute a three-point turn in a space that isn’t wide enough.
“What the fuck are you doing?” He rubs his temple with the back of his hand, smearing blood down the side of his face.
“We’re going back.” My jaw is clenched so tightly it hurts.
“Like fuck!” He grabs the wheel and yanks it towards him.
My arms move with it, and so do my feet. The engine revs. The tires squeal. Before I can get the vehicle back under control, Tommy’s bloody fist collides with my jaw, and we’re crushing foliage, heading downhill, branches and heavy blossoms slapping the windows as we go.
The pain in my jaw reverberates around my skull, but I cling to the steering wheel, knowing that it’s the only thing that will stop me from crashing through the windshield if we collide with anything solid. I’m not wearing my safety belt. Neither of us are.
Then, without warning, we emerge from the brush and are speeding towards an RV parked up in a small clearing.
I scream, but it’s swallowed by the terrifying screech of metal on metal.