Surrender (Careless Whispers #3)(68)
My phone rings, and I know, with gut-wrenching certainty, that it will be him.
I pull my cell from my coat pocket and glance at Unknown Number on the caller ID. Steeling myself to hear his voice, I whisper, “Fuck you,” to myself, but don’t speak into the phone.
“No hello, Ella? What kind of greeting is that?”
“What do you want, Neuville?”
“You and the necklace. So here’s what’s going to happen. Listen carefully and do not speak. You’re going to exit the back door and Matteo will be waiting for you. Good man, by the way. Very corruptible. I love that about him. Leave the phone. We both know it can be tracked. If you make a phone call or send a text after we hang up, Kayden and Adriel will die. The two of them are sitting across from Gallo, who I have on payroll. For how much, you ask? I paid him six million dollars, one million more than Kayden offered him to go away, and he’s been instructed to shoot Kayden and Adriel should either of their cell phones ring. I’m thinking that Gallo hopes it rings, aren’t you? Oh, and sweet Marabella and Giada. It would be a shame to see them die today, wouldn’t it? If you call anyone, someone dies. You have sixty seconds to make it to the back door or someone dies.”
“I’m not dressed,” I say quickly. “I need two minutes.”
“Ninety seconds.”
The line goes dead.
seventeen
Neuville will kill everyone I care about, just because I care about them.
That is the only thought I can afford right now, outside of how to warn Kayden before it’s too late to save him, and everyone around him and us. I have no room for worry, fear, or anger. Just rapid decision and action. I need that two minutes I asked for, not ninety seconds, and I have no choice but to risk taking it. I toss my phone down, having no doubt Matteo is monitoring any movement it makes via the satellite tower. By the time it hits the floor, my gaze is already on the space under the door dividing me from another seemingly empty room, as a wild plan forms in my mind. I’m under the wall in a split second, squatting and finding exactly what I need in yet the next room over: a pair of legs under that wall, which means a purse and phone should be present as well.
I go to my knees and lower myself to my elbow, face to the carpet, and scan for the purse that is thankfully on the floor, but it’s going to require me reaching deep into the room. The woman is dressing, her back to me, and I have no time to spare. I go all in, sliding my upper body under the wall and snagging the purse to drag it to me. The minute I have it, I dig for a phone, find it, and shove the purse back into the room, uncaring of where it lands. I’m already on my feet and dialing the one person I know isn’t in danger at the moment or corruptible, like those bastards Gallo and Matteo, praying she answers an unknown number.
“Bonjour.”
“Sasha, don’t speak, just listen,” I order. “This is life or death and if you’re in a public place, take cover now.”
“I’m not,” she says. “Go on.”
“Matteo’s dirty. Gallo’s dirty. Neuville’s here. He’s got guns on just about everyone, and don’t call anyone. Gallo will shoot Kayden and Adriel if their phones ring, or he might just do it anyway. Get creative and save them. I have to go.”
“You can’t go with him, Ella. He’ll kill you.”
“He’ll kill everyone else if I don’t,” I say. “You know him. You know I have to do this.”
She hesitates, then says, “Yes. He’ll kill everyone. We’ll get to you. He has to go to the airport.”
“I can handle myself,” I say, anticipating my purse and gun being taken from me and digging out cash for survival when I escape, and credit cards to be traced, if I can manage to use one of them. “Save the others.”
“Leave the phone on.”
“Trace it after you save everyone else.”
I end the call, turn the cell on vibrate, and stuff it in the opposite boot from my right now much appreciated backup gun. The money and credit cards get shoved deep in my sock, though I’d rather they be at the soles of my feet, where I know I won’t be searched. I open the door, scanning the empty hallway, and walk down it. I’m out of time but I look right toward the store, and then left toward the back door. My hand goes inside my open purse, gripping Annie.
Inhaling, I shove open the door that takes me into a narrow road and shared sidewalk dividing us from yet another row of stores and restaurants. Matteo is parked to my right and doesn’t get out, and I start to get into the backseat. My idea of pulling my gun on him is dashed when he faces me, holding his own. “Give me the gun and the purse,” he orders. “And I know your skills, Ella. Don’t think for a minute I won’t shoot you.”
“Neuville wouldn’t like that,” I say, slowly lifting my purse over my head. “He wouldn’t get to rape me again first.”
“Maybe he’d settle for Giada,” he taunts.
“Sick bastard,” I growl, handing him my purse.
He yanks it from me. “Get in—and I’m only giving you my back for two reasons. You aren’t getting close to the wheel, and if we aren’t standing in front of Neuville in ten minutes, he starts killing people.” He glares at me a few moments. “Understand?”
Lisa Renee Jones's Books
- Behind Closed Doors (Behind Closed Doors #1)
- Lisa Renee Jones
- Hard Rules (Dirty Money #1)
- Demand (Careless Whispers #2)
- Dangerous Secrets (Tall, Dark & Deadly #2)
- Beneath the Secrets, Part Two (Tall, Dark & Deadly)
- Beneath the Secrets: Part One
- Deep Under (Tall, Dark and Deadly #4)
- One Dangerous Night (Tall, Dark & Deadly #2.5)
- Beneath the Secrets Part 3