Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“Run, Gia!”
“She’s going with—”
Gia didn’t allow him the opportunity to finish what he was saying. Releasing the grasp she had on Chloe’s arm, she grabbed for his gun, turned her body into his and, using her other arm, elbowed him in the nose.
Finding herself unexpectedly released, Chloe’s mind only had a second to react to what was happening. She didn’t want to endanger her other friends inside of the theater, especially Maria, who was pregnant, yet Vincent was inside and could help.
Gathering her senses as Gia continued to struggle for the gun, Chloe ran to the theater door, flinging it wide open.
“Vincent, help!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, thinking as strategically as she possibly could for everyone’s safety. “Maria, get everyone out the exit door!”
Hoping that was enough to make her listen, Chloe quickly ran back to Gia, who now had control of the gun. She was practically using the handle as a battering ram on the assailant’s skull while she fought from being strangled.
Knowing Maria would do it if she were here, Chloe went to help Gia, desperately trying to grab at the hands strangling her friend in hopes she could catch a single breath.
“What the hell?” Vincent yelled, shoving her out of the way to attempt to do what Chloe didn’t have the muscle to. His baby blues locked on to the man he was fighting off that he no longer recognized … “Dad?”
TWENTY-THREE
TAKE A LUCKY GUESS
“What the fuck are you doing?” Vincent snarled at him.
When his father didn’t answer, he yelled at Chloe over his shoulder, “Where’s Amo?”
Chloe spoke as fast as she could, trying to fill him in. “I don’t know. He was gone when we came out of the bathroom! Vinny grabbed me and told me Lucca sent him, and that it was an emergency!”
Just as she finished getting the words out, she found herself suddenly propelled back when Maria’s hand clutched hers from behind in a tight grip.
Standing next to all her friends now, Chloe could see they were in the same amount of shock as she was to what they were seeing.
Lake’s eyes were practically as round as saucers. “Why is Gia beating up Vincent’s father?”
“I don’t know.” Chloe shook her head in dismay before pivoting to a pregnant Maria. “I told you to leave.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve never done anything I’m supposed to do.” Maria’s gaze didn’t waver from the trio struggling as she opened her purse and began shouting out orders. “Kat, go check out the men’s restroom. Adalyn, go check out the door on the other side of the women’s restroom.”
“I will.” Chloe made her voice just as firm as Maria’s, daring anyone to question her. “Elle, get everyone and go.”
Elle took one look at her face and knew she was no longer that scarred girl who needed protecting. Grabbing Adalyn and Lake by their arms, she ushered them down the walkway and toward the concession stand.
Proud of herself, Chloe went up to the door that was most likely the cleaning closet, only to find it locked. At the same time, Maria revealed what she kept in her purse.
Taking out a pretty, shiny pistol, Maria walked over in her stilettos to the consigliere and pressed the metal against his forehead.
“Let. Her. Go,” the mafia princess ordered lethally.
“Maria, w-what are you doing?” Vinny’s face went even redder. Slowly, he let go of Gia and started raising his hands in the air. “Lucca sent me to protect Chloe, likely to protect her from Gia.”
Maria, however, didn’t remove the gun. “If Gia wanted to take Chloe out, she would have shot her already instead of using it on you.”
“Amo’s here! He’s hurt!”
At Kat’s shout, Chloe moved toward the men’s restroom, but Maria’s voice had her stopping.
“Stay where you are, Chloe,” she ordered, not knowing what could await her in the men’s bathroom. “Where I can see you.”
“What about Amo?” Chloe asked, understanding that Vinny could possibly have an accomplice, but she couldn’t help it that she wanted to help her friend.
“Kat, call an ambulance!” Maria yelled, knowing there was nothing they could do for him, anyway.
Seeing Maria had it under control, Gia pulled herself out from under Vinny.
Vincent stood there in complete shock. It felt like the longest he had gone without saying a word.
“You have a phone. Call Lucca,” Maria ordered him while her deadly gaze didn’t deviate from his father.
Looking up at them all surrounding him, Vinny was smart enough to know there was no talking himself out of this one. “Vincent, shoot Maria. If you make that call to Lucca, I’m a dead man.”
Slowly, Vincent reached into his suit jacket while Chloe’s breath hitched in her throat …
Lucca looked down at an unconscious Luciano soldier who lay in the hallway. “How long?”
Quickly checking his pulse, Dom shook his head. “Not sure.”