Chapter 29 Vertigo
Vertigo
I duck as Matteo lunges for me.
He slams into the wall, stumbling as I try to get around him.
He spins, grabbing for me as I jam my elbow into his side making him fumble.
Feet screaming, I sprint and come out to the main area.
There’s no one around as I start to head for the elevator when I see someone on the ground and realize it’s Michael.
“Fuck,” I mutter, running to him.
He groans, beginning to get up as I approach. Blood trickles from his head as he looks up and his eyes widen. Michael jumps up and grabs me. I yelp as I tumble to the ground, almost skidding into the wall as he slams into Matteo.
Matteo claws for me, screaming in Italian and then punches Michael.
They keep fighting as I get up, running for Rudy or the elevators.
Shouts come from behind, and there’s screaming followed by gunshots.
I crouch, covering my head as I try to move towards the wall as people panic.
My heel catches on the carpet, stumbling in the opposite direction I want when someone bumps into me.
Everything whirls as gunfire sounds again, drowned out by the music and flashing lights.
A woman runs into me, and I stumble again towards the low, glass railing.
It slams into my waist, the force almost making me topple over.
I grip the glass, barely stopping myself from falling.
I stare at the nightclub below. A scream claws at my throat as I see the crowd dancing on the very hard, concrete floor that’s a good fifty feet below.
After everything, falling to my death High Anxiety style almost seems poetic.
My head blurs when a hand grips my arm, spinning me around. I’m shoved against the railing, remembering why I hate high heels as I lose my balance. My fingers dig into the railing, clinging to it as Matteo’s hand grabs my throat.
I cough, choking as my eyes widen. I bring up a hand, trying to pull him off and while trying not to fall over the edge with the other—either get choked to death or fall.
I gasp for air. Angry eyes glare at me, frowning with such maliciousness. There’s commotion everywhere on the second floor, mixing with the partying below as my head goes fuzzy and vision blurs.
“Please,” I choke out, pleading with those angry eyes. “Matteo. Please.”
“You won’t take him from me,” he rasps. For a second, the pressure on my neck lessens. I suck in a breath, while my hand wraps around his wrist. Through the darkened haze, I see tears.
“Matteo. Stop.”
“Whore,” he growls, tightening his grip again.
There’s yelling and someone slams into Matteo, knocking him off me. The force pushes me back as his hands are ripped from me. Finally, I lose the last of my balance.
Time almost slows as the ground beneath me disappears, toppling backwards. My breath catches, unable to scream from the throbbing around my throat and shock. I flail for anything to grab onto, but the railing is too slippery. I’m falling to my death.
Suddenly, someone grabs me. I’m yanked forward, head snapping back as I land against another body.
“Got you, ma’am.”
Gasping, I look up at Michael as he pulls me away from the edge. His nose is bleeding, another wound on his forehead. Blood is everywhere on him. Relief fills me as he gets me on my feet.
“Thank you,” I rasp.
He nods once, turning his head towards the commotion.
My vision is spotty as I struggle to swallow.
Holding onto Michael’s arm, I look in that same direction.
Men hold back others, and Vincenzo’s shouting at, I think, one of his bouncers.
He then hits him, pulls out a gun and shoots him.
I flinch at the suddenness, the act unknown to the club below as people continue dancing.
More people yell as I realize one of the men holding back Matteo is Rudy.
Is Owen behind them? A headache forms as I try to focus.
“Ma’am, your dress,” Michael says stepping back.
I look at him, and then at myself realizing my dress is hiked up to my hips and the strap falling off my shoulder. Thank fuck I wore shorts. I gasp, pulling the strap up as Michael carefully helps tug down my dress. Suddenly, there’s an angry shout.
“Hands off her!” Leo’s command punches through the noise.
I look up as Michael steps back from me. Leo storms towards us, face furious, murderous even, as I catch sight of a gun in his hand.
“I told you not to leave her.”
Michael starts to speak, “Boss, she went into—”
“I don’t fucking care! And then I turn around and see you touching her!” Leo starts to raise the weapon.
My eyes widen. Holy shit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this angry. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him yell like that. His face contorts with wrath.
“Leo—”
“He failed at his job,” Leo growls, aiming his gun on Michael. No one attempts to stop him, just as no one did when Vincenzo shot his bouncer. Not even Michael.
Quickly, I step in front of Leo, and he halts. The gun tilts down when I state, “Red.”
His gaze flashes to mine, flaring in worry and ire. He breathes heavy, left hand flexing at his side.
“You will not touch him.” I try to keep my voice steady, straining from the throbbing pain.
“I didn’t wait for him. He fought off Matteo.
He was fixing my dress, after saving me from falling to my death.
” I point to where I’d been, keeping my eyes on him.
He flicks his gaze to where I point, fury vanishing and replaced by horror. “Look at me.”
He does so as I step closer, moving the gun down fully. Leo breathes heavy as a whirl of emotions cross his face. There are whispers or yelling, I’m not sure as I tune them out and focus on him. Briefly, I catch sight of Vincenzo watching us, right before yelling for Matteo to be dragged away.
Leo’s hand comes up, shaking as he clutches my face. Pure terror fills his eyes as I feel myself tremble and feel sick. I realize we’re both brewing panic attacks inside. On the verge of freaking out. I place my hand on his chest, coming close as I swallow past the lingering pain.
I do the only thing I know can work.
“Once upon a midnight dreary…”
His eyes widen, pulling me forward as he buries his face against the crook of my neck. He says against my ear, “…while I pondered…weak and weary.”
His gun disappears as we continue The Raven, both of us calming down. Suddenly, we’re interrupted as Vincenzo comes closer from behind Leo, who must sense him because he turns his head in a predatory manner towards Vincenzo. He stops, stepping back as he raises his hands in surrender.
“Signorina,” he tells me. “When you’re certain he won’t kill me or my men. Third floor. I’ll have the boy. And brava.” He turns away, disappearing along with his men.
Leo presses his face against my temple, breaths becoming calmer. I whisper a few more lines of The Raven with him, feeling my own panic attack recede. I glance over where Michael is, his expression somber. Blood drying on his face, he mouths, “Thank you, ma’am.”
My head barely nods in reply.
I’ve no idea how long we’ve been there when he kisses my forehead, stepping back.
His eyes are clearer, but simmer with fury.
Leo flashes his gaze to Michael, but says nothing as he raises my chin to look at my neck.
He traces where Matteo’s hands had been and that anger comes back full force, growling low.
“Ringer.” The order is abrupt, and I’m shocked to see Rudy appear. “Take her back to the hotel with Michael. Send Animal to replace you.”
“I’m not leaving,” I argue, that shakiness coming back.
“I have to go deal with Matteo,” Leo counters. “Or Vincenzo will. He attacked you and paid his men to help him onto this floor to come after you.”
“I’m not going back without you.” Tears start to come.
The panic attack threatens to build again, adrenaline trickling away.
I’m not really in pain, not compared to what Steve did to me, just fearful of leaving Leo.
I don’t want to be separated from him. The thought wrecks me, making me want to breakdown.
Whatever they decide with Matteo, I’ll endure it, but the last thing I want is to wait in that damn hotel alone.
He clutches my face. “Autumn.”
“Please, don’t make me leave,” I plead, grasping at his shirt.
The headache forming worsens. It’s barely been a couple of hours since we got here, yet the ever-changing gauntlet of emotions, swings me from side to side. I almost died, fucking again, and the last thing I want is to be away from him.
“You’ll be safe—”
“Red,” I rasp.
His face falls before tugging me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me. I cling to his back, begging him silently not to send me away.
“You don’t leave my side, even if it’s to use the restroom again, do you understand?”
“Yes.” I nod against him as relief floods me.
I don’t realize how rigid I was until my muscles relax against him.
Leo must feel it as well, because he sighs as he strokes my hair back.
He then pulls away, but not before placing a brief kiss on my lips.
He gestures for the other two to follow as he leads me to the elevator.
The headache is now faint, while I concentrate on the warmth of Leo’s hand.
We get to the third floor, going the opposite direction from before. The floor has been cleared. Below the partying hasn’t stopped, which almost makes me sick to how oblivious they are.
We get to a doorway with two guards. Glass wall again, but it’s a shiny black this time.
Only Leo, Rudy, and I are let in, Michael staying outside.
This room is cut off from the rest of the club with a window overlooking it and keeping the noise out.
The floor is a shiny tile, perfectly clean if not for the two bodies on the floor.
And chained up in a chair, sits Matteo gagged and shirt ripped to shreds near the window.
Another body is being dragged to the other side.