The Tyrant (Banker #3)(41)

Think.

Thirty seconds later, it finally came to me.

34892

I typed the numbers into the keypad, and then the door started to slide open.

Thank god.

Slowly, it moved, revealing the ground above. Once a crack opened wide enough for me to fit through, I climbed up and got to my feet.

There was a guard standing there, staring at me like he couldn’t figure out if I was supposed to be there or not. He finally made the right call and drew his weapon.

I shot first.

He fell to the floor with a thud.

The gunshot was loud in the enclosure, so the other men must have heard it.

I didn’t have time to creep around.

I sprinted like hell, moving through the main room and back to the secret doorway. I knew the way because I’d been there before. But now the trick was not getting shot. Men chased me with their weapons drawn.

If I didn’t stay ahead of them, I would be pumped full of bullets.

I made it to the front door and shot both men before they could react, each in the head. Then I pushed through the double doors and made it outside. It was still dark, but it was nearly dawn.

I sprinted to the meeting place where Bates would be sitting in the old car.

His eyes widened in shock when he saw me, like he’d never actually expected me to get out of there alive.

“Go!”

He started the engine and pushed the passenger door open.

Before I even made it all the way inside, he hit the gas.

I jumped in and shut the door as we took off at full speed.

Men poured out of the building and onto the sidewalk with their guns raised. A lot of them fired at us, breaking the back windows and destroying the taillights, but once there was enough distance between us, we were finally out of firing range.

Bates drove sporadically through the streets, speeding as he made sharp turns. Both hands were on the wheel as he got us out of the city and into the countryside. Once we were on a straight road, he gave me the most incredulous look I’d ever seen. “I can’t believe you did that.”

I still hadn’t caught my breath. Sweat dripped from my forehead and into my eyes. I tried to wipe it away with my hand, but it was no use. There was sweat everywhere. “Neither can I.” I chopped off a man’s dick and killed a few others. I’d turned into a killing machine, something I didn’t know I was capable of. But when it came to my family…I was willing to do anything to protect them.

And I wasn’t ashamed of that.





13





Cato





So much fucking pain.

Everything was broken. Everything screamed. It was the kind of agony that made you wish for death.

But it was nothing compared to watching Siena take my place.

That was the most painful thing I’d ever had to do.

To watch her hand herself over to that asshole so I could go free.

I would rather die a million times.

But there was nothing I could do. I fought the guards until they threw me on the sidewalk and my men carried me away.

Now I was at my estate, barely able to stand as I stepped into my home.

“Mr. Marino?” Giovanni caught me before I slammed into the ground. “What are you doing here? We need to get you to a hospital.”

“Martina? Where is she?”

“She’s in the kitchen, perfectly safe.”

I’d already lost one of my girls. I wasn’t going to lose another. “Siena took my place…I have to get her back.” I slowly slid to the floor, too weak to even hold myself up.

“Sir.” Giovanni used his strength to guide me carefully to the floor. “We have to get you to get you to a hospital.”

“Siena!”

“Sir, if you die, who will take care of Martina?”

All I cared about was saving Siena, even if it killed me. But I forgot about the person who mattered more, the person I swore to protect above all else. If I died, she would be alone.

“You need to go to the hospital, Mr. Marino.”

“I…” I could barely think, I was so weak.

The door burst open, and Bates walked inside. “Cato! Shit.” He leaned down and looked at me. “Jesus Christ, you look dead.”

“Siena…” I tried to get up again, but I couldn’t.

“She’s right here,” Bates said. “She’s right here.”

“What?” I asked, barely keeping my eyes open.

“Oh my god…” Her voice resonated in my ears, so beautiful it seemed unreal. “Cato…” She moved over me and cupped my face. “You need to get to a hospital. Now.”

“Siena?” I grabbed her wrist, wanting to feel her pulse, wanting to feel that she was real. “You’re here.”

“Yes, I’m here. I got away.”

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it. “Thank god.” My breathing turned deeper and heavier as I became weaker. I’d never felt this weak in my life, never felt so powerless. Somehow, Siena managed to get us both out of there without my help.

“Bates, we have to get him to a hospital,” Siena said. “He’s barely holding on.”

“We’ll take the chopper,” Bates said. “We can all fit.”