Hero: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (21 page)

“I’m not coming back, Larry. After I get Lottie out of here, I’m not coming back. To hell with this whole thing.”

“I’m not—”

“We’re not asking you to. Just take a walk, Larry. Just go and be somewhere else for ten minutes. You’ll come back, nothing will be different, and when this gets out it’s all going to fall on me anyway. You can take a walk.”

That tough-guy attitude was back in full force and this time, I appreciated it. They stared each other down for a few tense moments, but then Larry backed off, cursing again and leaving with a last muttered
fuck you
over his shoulder.

Frankie glanced at me and I gave a small smile before we hurried on. We’d wasted too much time already, I knew that, and Leah was waiting for us.

Oh god, please let Leah be waiting for us.

After a couple more turns, each one making me wonder whether someone else would come charging at us from around a corner, we finally ended up in a corridor that seemed to have collapsed halfway down, creating a dead-end.

“Place was burnt out years ago - that section collapsed.”

Frankie grunted it at my puzzled glance, then nodded to the door in the wall ahead of us. With every small hope rushing through me, I bit my lip and slid back the bolt, easing the door open.

I heard the slight cry inside and then I was in - and all the relentless fear and worry that had been circling in my mind over the last day coalesced to a single point within me, red hot emotion struggling to escape in the explosion of relief at simply
seeing
her again.

We stared at each other for a moment - surprise, confusion and deep-seated relief appearing on her face - before I rushed forward.

“Leah!”

My hands scrabbled almost ineffectually at her gag and binds in my frantic energy, hot moisture appearing in my eyes and blurring my vision, making me grateful beyond measure when Frankie stepped up gently to help.

When they were finally off, we sank into one another’s arms and I squeezed her tighter than I could ever remember.

“Oh god, oh Leah, ohh I’m so so sorry. I’m sorry. Oh baby…”

I was babbling, but everything I’d ever said to her seemed like a big, unforgivable lie, and I couldn’t deal with it. We didn’t have time, but I couldn’t deal with the enormity of it.

“I’m sorry, w-we need to leave, b-but I’m sorry. Oh Leah…”

Her voice, when it finally came, was hoarse but insistent - and she took a step back to look at me, still holding my hands tight.

“I’m…okay - fine, Lottie. It’s okay.”

I searched her eyes for a long moment, but to my surprise I couldn’t find anything but determination and reassurance. It almost broke my heart to see it, after everything I’d been imagining, but I nodded and hugged her tight one last time. We could talk later.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

I ripped off my own light restraints and glanced back at Frankie.

“These are useless now - anyone who sees the two of us is going to be suspicious.”

Plus, I couldn’t deny how good it felt to be rid of them - and he didn’t argue. I looked back at Leah, who was still trying to shake out her limbs.

“Can you walk? Run?”

She nodded and started moving forward almost as if to prove it.

“Walk, yes. Run…if I have to.”

Her expression was grim, but I didn’t stop to think about it as we left the room.

It was okay. She was back. It’s going to be okay. You’re going to get out.

We got halfway down the corridor before the sound of running feet alerted us, and then three men came barreling around the corner. Larry was back…with Alfonso.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jason

I wanted to scream in frustration.

After finally working my way through that half-broken door, the damn room was empty.

They’d moved her. The bastards had moved her. And now I had no clue where she was or what was happening to her.

It was fucking hard to stop myself from running out into the hallway and charging through the corridors. Remembering that I was one man, alone, in an unknown place was damn difficult when Lottie was missing…

When the rage had died to a cool simmer, I tried the other door - and found, to my surprise, that it opened. I glanced around cautiously, and when I saw a guy down the corridor - turned away from me for now - I sprinted quickly.

He caught sight of me out of the corner of his eye and turned in alarm, but I was on him before he could react, shoving him up against the wall with a hand around his throat. His eyes bulged as he tried to swallow hard - sound cut off, but only lightly choking him. For now. I wasn’t in the mood to be forgiving.

“Where’s Lottie?!”

My voice was rough and dangerous, and he shuddered under me, at the same time as surprise flashed again. When I gave him slight breathing room, he choked and sputtered.

“Who the hell are you?!”

I slammed him against the wall again.

“Fucking stupid answer.”

He groaned, but there was an odd speculative look in his eyes underneath the pain.

“No…we’re…helping her.”

What?

That wasn’t what I’d expected to hear either. Releasing him enough to talk but keeping my hands firmly around his throat, I growled at him.

“Talk.”

Swallowing, he nodded quickly, trying to gasp for breath. I almost regretted being so rough.

“Lottie, w-we came to help her. She’s with…Frankie now—looking for her s-sister.”

I stared at him.

What?

It didn’t matter. I didn’t need to understand. I just needed to get to her.

I let up some more, actually feeling a little bad if he really had been
helping
her.

“Where?”

He pointed down the corridor and that was all it took to have me sprinting down there in pursuit, making a split second decision to believe him and let him go.

I was fully aware that there might be others ready to block me - and for all I knew, I could be setting off all kinds of alarms either through letting him go, or my mad rush. But if everything was going well on Valentini’s end, he should be distracting them a hell of a lot more than me right about now - and besides, I didn’t have time to waste. I had to get to Lottie - and hopefully her sister - before chaos broke out, or they got into even more trouble.

I passed a few branches of the corridor on either side, and with each one my heart stuttered a little more, uncertainty creeping in. But he hadn’t said to turn, so I didn’t - I kept going, focus narrowing further with every step I took.

God damnit Lottie!

I couldn’t fault her for going after her sister, but I wished she’d fucking waited for me.

The sounds of a scuffle and some shouts up ahead redirected all my attention and with my heart in my throat, I powered around the corner.

Eyes darting between them all, it took me split seconds to absorb the standoff between the three men, Lottie and the girl slightly behind who must be her sister. They were edging backwards, but the corridor was blocked and it was obvious they had nowhere to go.

Lottie met my gaze for one brief second before a man turned to look - but that second was all I needed. With all the fury of an avenging angel, I plunged forward, at last spitting my rage at the men who’d dared to take my girl. My brave, beautiful girl. Strained and scared and exhausted, but still so breathtaking I almost lost my focus.

Almost.

I didn’t realize I was yelling until I saw their eyes widen, my elbow connecting with the squat, Hispanic guy in the center and sending his head snapping to one side as I ducked and dove and fought with the tough military precision anyone on Valentini’s side could have vouched for.

They got in a blow or two that I didn’t even notice, pure fury enough to carry me through it all - and then they were down with almost disappointing ease.

Spitting with the raw, violent need, I rounded on the one man still standing - who threw up his hands at the look on my face, backing away.

That made no difference to me - until Lottie stepped in my way.

Her shining face -  bright with tears and relief and fear and beauty and pure disbelief - made me hesitate just a moment, until she put her hands on my rough, red fists and lowered them slowly.

“It’s okay, Jason. He’s with us. It’s okay. We’re okay.”

I realized she’d been speaking for a while as I came out of that blood-red haze, a constant reassuring murmur that started to ground me again.

As I blinked slowly, I staggered, noticing at last how much the fear and adrenaline of the last 24 hours had taken its toll on me. I pulled her to me, clutching her far too tightly as I held on and tried to convince myself that she was alright. She was alright.

Even here, surrounded by unconscious bodies and the tense, violent air, she melted into me. And that, if nothing else, brought me back completely.

Lottie was here. She was alright. And she was mine. Mine to hold. Mine to protect.

I had to fight the strength of the possessive thoughts that threatened to unbalance me, inhaling her sweet feminine scent before finally stepping back.

“Fuck I’m glad you’re okay, baby. We need to leave - now.”

She nodded, turning to the two who had graciously given us that moment. I tried to feel a little guilty for it, but couldn’t.

“Let’s go. Introductions later.”

They nodded and we started towards the exit again, the blows I’d taken earlier finally making themselves felt as I moved - maybe they’d gotten more in than I’d thought, after all.

Now that I had them, I wanted them out as soon as possible. I had no idea if anyone had heard us or whether there were other guys on the way - and while I was happy to go toe-to-toe with anyone I needed to, I didn’t want Lottie or her sister getting caught in the cross-fire.

Glancing back to check on them, it was clear her sister was struggling. I didn’t know what she’d been through, but it was obvious that walking fast was hurting her. Not stopping to think about it, I ducked back and swung her up into my arms, prompting a startled gasp.

I smiled down at her and tightened my grip as I picked up our pace.

It was Lottie who I really wanted in my arms, but since she was walking fine I couldn’t quite justify it - and knowing Lottie, she’d probably be pissed I wasn’t helping her sister.

The guy I’d seen before came rushing up to us when we rounded the corridor to where he’d been standing before - giving me a slightly wary glance but looking relieved.

“The exit is—”

“I know where I’m going.”

The men looked surprised, but no one objected as I ducked into the room I’d thought Lottie was in. Lottie gasped as she saw the hole in the wall that had previously been another door, but she followed me without question - and the rest followed her.

When we finally got through the unused part of the complex that I’d forced my way through, Jackson was waiting exactly where I left him.

His eyes flickered with relief when he saw Lottie and Leah - then caution masked them as he noticed the other two guys.

Ignoring that, I looked down at Leah, finally trying to assess how she was.

“Are you okay to stand?”

“I was standing just fine before you grabbed me.”

She gave me an indignant look, but that combined with the amusement in her eyes told me more than any other response could have. I grinned and put her down.

Lottie’s sister indeed.

Once back on her feet, however, she sought Lottie immediately and they embraced tightly. I told myself that my irrational spurt of jealousy at that was ridiculous.

I wanted Lottie in
my
arms.

Instead, I looked at Jackson, raising one brow. He glanced suspiciously at the other guys, but when I didn’t react, he shrugged and told me what I wanted to know.

“Everything’s in place now - Valentini’s got the area crawling with guys and this crew aren’t very organized. We know where Xero and Jorge are, so he’s ready to go. Said he’d hold off another twenty minutes to give you time to come out - and join him. Who’re they?”

The last with a nod towards the two men standing by looking at us uneasily. I shrugged.

“Frankie, I guess, and…”

“Tom.”

He supplied his name for me and I finally turned to them.

“Thanks for what you did for Lottie - I appreciate it.”

They nodded but didn’t say anything more, and I guessed it was something between them and her. Jackson stepped forward into that silence, looking them up and down.

“If you know this place, you could help us out…”

I stopped listening, distracted by Lottie and Leah beside me, my concern sharpening as I noticed Lottie’s distress.

“You came for me, Lottie…I can’t believe it. I thought I was going to die…or worse. But you came.”

Leah was looking at her sister with the kind of wonder I was pretty sure that only I’d felt towards Lottie before. But Lottie was shaking her head, tears streaming down her eyes now that it was all over and she didn’t have to be strong anymore. I had the immediate dual urge to take her in my arms and kiss away those tears - and head back in there and pound on some of the guys who’d done this to her. To them both.

But this wasn’t my moment to interrupt.

“I’m so sorry, Leah. I know how much you hated…everything I did. And I did it anyway. And then this. And…and I promised you were safe…and then I let this happen and…and made it all a lie. I’m s-so sorry—”

“What are you talking about?!”

Leah’s outraged response had me tensing, but it got Lottie’s attention.

“You came for me, Lottie. You always promised it would be alright, that we’d be safe…and I knew, I knew they were just words. They helped, but they were just words. But then - this happened - and you made them true. You came for me, Lottie. You kept me safe. All…all my fears, my nightmares…yes, they came true. But then you kept me safe anyway. I’ve never…believed you more than I do now.”

They stared at each other for a long minute, both crying - but Leah’s words got through to Lottie. As Lottie looked at her sister, I was caught by the pure peace that seemed to have engulfed her - swept away all those worries and guilt in a way that nothing else could have. For that, I couldn’t be more grateful to Leah.

And, even though I tried to resist it, the thought transported me. I’d never had that. I never would have that. I’d never been able to save Vera - to take away her fears and keep her safe - and that knowledge haunted me.

Maybe it always would.

But as I looked at Leah’s shining face, somehow not terrified or devastated by everything she’d just experienced, by some miracle I felt a part of Lottie’s peace. I’d done that, at least. Maybe not my own, but I’d saved someone else’s sister. Lottie’s sister. Her family.

That was worth something, at least.

“Can we go home, Lottie?”

She nodded, still giving that watery smile, and I thought she’d never looked more beautiful.

“Jason, what do you want me to tell Valentini?”

Jackson interrupted and I looked between him and Lottie for a moment. She was watching, waiting for me with that unchangeable love and acceptance in her eyes, whatever I chose. I gave her a smile and took her hand, brushing my lips over hers.

“Tell him I’m going home.”

With that, Lottie, Leah and I walked towards the place I’d dropped my car. I looked over and met her warm gaze as we walked - and in the gentle peace and happiness there, I knew I’d finally found that home again.