I lay on my bed looking exhausted.
Time passed. Maybe hours. Maybe minutes. It didn't matter. I was hoping someone could bring food for me.
When the door creaked open, I knew it was definitely a cook.
He didn't have a number on his uniform, it was his name that was in place of the number, it was Javi.
Those who had names instead of numbers are like trusted ones.
I had spoken with him some time ago, he never spoke more than necessary, but his eyes were sharp, twitchy. I'd seen him at Sergio's side a dozen times too, but now he was alone, holding something behind his back
"You okay?" he asked quietly
"Do I look okay?"
He gave a weak smile, stepped in, and closed the door behind him, slower than Sergio ever did, careful like he didn't want to alert anyone. He moved closer and I tensed up, because it was unlike any of Sergio's men.
"I brought you this," he said, pulling out a protein bar and a bottle of water. "Boss says you haven't been eating"
"Did he also tell you to come in here alone, act all suspicious?"
Javi shook his head. "He doesn't know I'm here"
I took the bottle from him, unscrewed the cap slowly.
"Why?"
He shrugged. "Because whatever this is, whatever's happening between you two, it's not going to end well. Not for him. Not for you"
I narrowed my eyes. "And there happened to be nothing going on between us, except me being a prisoner."
"I'm not the only one watching," he said, looking at the ceiling like someone might be listening. "There are others. People who hate Sergio more than you do. And they're close. Real close"
"How is that even my business?"
"You wouldn't want to know."
"You're one of them?"
"I'm a survivor," he said flatly. "You should be too"
Without another word, he slipped a small burner phone from his jacket and held it out to me
"What's that for?"
"You'll know when the time's right. Don't turn it on. Just keep it hidden"
I stared at it. If this was a setup, it was a clever one. But if it wasn't…
I took it. He exhaled like he wasn't sure I would mess things up like I always do. Then he turned and left as quietly as he came
The door clicked shut behind him
I slid the phone under the mattress and leaned back, my head was spinning. Nothing was making sense to me, but if Sergio had enemies circling, maybe I could use that. Maybe I could make this hell work in my favor
But the peace didn't last long
Not thirty minutes later, the door burst open again, this time it was Sergio, and he wasn't calm
He walked in fast, his eyes scanning the room.
"Did Javi come in here?" he asked.
I didn't answer
"I asked you a question"
"I guess your men don't respect you as much as you think," I said without flinching
He crossed the room and grabbed my arm
"Did he give you anything?"
I didn't move. "If he did, would I tell you?"
His grip tightened. "I'll rip this room apart if I have to"
"Then rip it. I've got nothing to lose"
He stared at me, his breathing hardened. His fingers dug into my skin, but I didn't pull away. I let him see the empty part of me that didn't care anymore. He hated that part. It made me unpredictable
He let go and backed off, pacing now, hands on his hips
"I should kill him," he muttered. "I knew he was getting too soft. I should've put a bullet in his mouth weeks ago"
"Then why didn't you?"
He stopped pacing and looked at me. "Because I thought I could trust him. Like I thought I could keep you in line. But I was wrong on both counts"
His phone rang. He pulled it out, answered immediately
"What?"
Pause
"Where?"
His face changed. His body stilled
"Who else knows?"
There was another pause
He ended the call and looked at me in panic.
"You're coming with me," he said
I stood slowly. "Why? What's going on?"
He didn't answer. Just pulled me out of the room, his hand on my back now, not my wrist.
He seemed protective now. It was so strange to me.
The house was alive now, his men moving fast, doors slamming, orders being shouted. Guns drawn
"Who's here?" I asked as he led me downstairs
"Someone I thought was dead," he said through gritted teeth
Outside, black SUVs were already pulling up. Sergio shoved me into the back seat of one and slid in beside me. Two of his men got in the front, guns out, scanning the surroundings
"Where are we going?"
"Safe house"
"Who is it?"
"I bet you wouldn't want to know."
"Is he my dad?"
"I can't be so tense for a man like James Parker. What can he do?"
I was forced to roll my eyes at him. "Why am I getting involved if it's not my father?"
"Because they want you, he can do nothing to me but he'll take you if he does see you. I'm taking you to a safe house before I come back to face him."
"What nonsense."
"His name is Viktor," he said. "Used to be one of us until he betrayed everyone."
"And he wants you dead? Or me?"
"He wants everything I have. No more stupid questions."
The car took a sharp turn.
I looked at him. "Why would he care about me?"
He looked away without answering, his cold demeanor was back.
We drove fast, Sergio's jaw was tight, his leg bouncing. He kept checking his gun, his phone, the rearview mirror. The man who always acted in control was cracking.
Then a shot hit the windshield
"Fuck" Sergio shouted as glass shattered
The SUV swerved hard. Another shot rang out. We were being followed. I ducked down while my hands gripped the seat.
"They're here!" one of the men up front yelled
"Get us off the road!"
Sergio turned to me. "Get down and don't move"
I didn't argue.
The car skidded to a stop behind an abandoned building. The men jumped out first, guns up.
Sergio grabbed my arm again. "Stay behind me, don't be stupid."
We ran inside a hallway, we made it to the second floor before we heard footsteps behind us. Just one or two but they were sounding like they were close.
Sergio pushed me into a storage room
"Don't make a sound," he said, pulling the door shut
I pressed my ear against the door, I was barely breathing
Then I heard a thick voice.
"Come out, boy Lucian. I only want to talk"
Sergio didn't answer. I heard the safety on his gun click off
The person laughed
"You always did like hiding behind shadows. But I see you now. And her."
The door slammed open. Sergio fired. So did the other guy
I screamed as the bullets tore through the walls.
Sergio pulled me out and we ran again, down the back stairs, out into the alley. Another SUV was waiting but it doesn't belong to Sergio.
Sergio fired first, it was just one shot, clean. A man dropped
He pulled me behind a dumpster.
"We're not getting out of this clean," he muttered
"Then what?"
He looked at me. "We split. You run. I draw them off"
"No, you said they wanted me, so of course they'll follow me."
He hesitated. Then pulled a knife from his boot and pressed it into my hand
"You use this if anyone touches you. You hear me?"
"I can't."
"Are you even the daughter of Don Parker? Act like your father."
I nodded in fear.
Gunfire erupted again. We bolted in opposite directions
I ran down the alley, I didn't know where I was going. I just ran.
Then someone tackled me from behind
I hit the ground hard, air knocked from my chest. The man grabbed me, pinned me down
"You're her," he hissed
I stabbed him without thinking
The blade sank in. He screamed then I rolled away, his blood on my hands, I felt so irritated.
Then a van pulled up, it has no markings
The side door slid open
"Take her," someone from inside shouted.
Three men jumped out. I fought. I kicked, bit, screamed. But they were stronger.
I was being foolish by not giving the phone that was given to me earlier to Sergio, I didn't know it had a tracker which they used in finding me so quickly.
The last thing I saw was Sergio running toward me, gun blazing.
Then everything went dark.