Page 19 of Corrupt Desires

Suddenly, the gas pump stops, signaling the tank is finally full. As I go to grab the handle of the pump, I realize I am no longer alone. Chills skirt down my spine, some instinctual part of my being noticing the danger and sending warnings trickling through my system. Keeping them in my peripheral vision, I notice two blacked out vehicles facing me, almost daring me to move.How did I miss them pull up?I was probably too engrossed in my own thoughts…

Slowly, I put the pump back into its holder and take a deep breath. If I time it correctly, I can turn and climb into the driver’s seat before they can get to me. Once I’m in the vehicle, I should be somewhat safe if they decide to ram into my car. At least once I’m inside I can grab my gun under the seat. The knives I have on my body won’t do much damage to a vehicle. No, my best bet is to get into the car quickly and gun it for home. Literally.

Counting down to myself, I prepare to pivot and put myself safely in the car.

Three…

Two…

One…

I explode into action, my hair whipping around my shoulders as I rip open the door and launch myself into the vehicle. At the same time, I register the rev of their engines as they taunt me, causing my adrenaline to spike in answer.

Turning the key, I rev my own car to life and make a split-second decision to back out and get the fuck out of here. Squealing the tires, I whip the car out into traffic and floor it.

Peering into my rearview mirror reveals the cars in pursuit, zigzagging through traffic to keep me in their sights. The car beneath me climbs to record speed, but it’s not enough for the newer vehicles that are chasing me. Soon, the buildings and skyscrapers fade away and are replaced by ocean views, winding roads, and rocky ridges. They gain on me, relentless in their pursuit. I have to assume those chasing me are the Romanis, but how they knew where I would be and when, is beyond my knowledge.

A quick glance shows one of the blacked out vehicles gaining on my bumper before tapping my backend, causing my car to swerve. I do everything in my power to keep my vehicle steady before the next tap. It’s almost like they are playing with me. I have no doubt that they could easily wreck me, so I can only assume they have orders not to kill me. I can’t help but think that killing me would be preferable to whatever they plan on doing should they get their hands on me.

Reaching under the seat between my legs, I grab my gun from its holster, taking the safety off with one click. Already prepped with one in the chamber, I rest the gun on my lap, keeping it ready. Looking back again, I see no vehicles. Confused, I look around and almost let loose a pent up breath. My fear is renewed when I see both vehicles gaining on me from my left side. Sweat runs down my forehead;I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up for.

Rolling down my window as they get closer, I take aim and shoot, firing three rounds into their passenger window. The glass shatters and the vehicle swerves before losing ground on me. Looking back reveals the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, and I can only hope my bullets found their mark. One down, one to go.

Before I can even finish thinking about what to do next, I’m hit from behind so hard my head flies back before whipping forward and slamming into the steering wheel. I quickly lose control of the vehicle, careening toward the edge of the road. I slam on the brakes, but it’s not enough; the cliff edge is coming up too quickly. My car plunges down the cliff, my body jerking with every bump as it goes before rolling to a stop near the bottom. Thankful the cliff had a broad slope instead of a plunging cavern, I take in my surroundings. The hood of the car is absolutely wrecked, smoke billowing out, obscuring my view of anything in front of me. It’s too dark out to make out any other features anyway.

Undoing my belt, I search my lap and then the floor, desperate to find my gun. Relief bubbles up out of me as I feel the cool metal, my breath catching on a sob. Just as my hand latches onto my gun, my door is ripped open.

I struggle, kicking and screaming, before the man pulls me to his chest using my left arm. He has a bruising grip on me as I fight to escape his grasp. I’m momentarily dazed when he backhands me and is able to haul me to his chest once more. Taking advantage of the new angle, I quickly bring my gun up under his chin with my right hand and blow a hole through the fucker’s head. Blood and brain matter spray everywhere. His body slumps to the ground, and I can finally take a few deep breaths. Resting my hands on my thighs, I double over and puke the contents of my stomach onto the cold ground.

Taking lives never gets easier, but when it’s my life on the line, I won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done. Taking stock of my surroundings, I realize I’ll never be able to get my car out of here. Walking back to the vehicle, I reach inside and grab my phone, calling Matteo and requesting a clean up crew for tonight’s unlikely turn of events.

Fourteen

James

Emilia is late. Our dinner has sat for the past hour getting cold, and I’ve been pacing my study ever since. When I checked the GPS tracker earlier, it showed her on her way home, but she should have been home by now.

Feeling desperate, I pull out my phone to check the GPS tracker one more time. What I see has my heart dropping into the pit of my stomach. Emilia’s tracker is showing her car off the highway, in the terrain. Knowing that strip of the highway like the back of my hand, I know for certain there is nowhere to pull off the road. I rush out of my study and take the stairs two at a time, only stopping to grab my keys from the bowl by the door. If something happened to Emilia, I would never forgive myself.

Yanking open the front door, I barrel right into a warm body. The front porch light illuminates a small figure, and realizing it’s Emilia at the last second, I reach out and grab her arms before she can go flying backward. I pull her flush against me, cradling her head and placing a kiss to her forehead. It’s only then that I smell the metallic tang of blood.

Emilia struggles out of my embrace, pushing me away, and my heart plummets.

“What’s wrong, love?”

“Nothing, James. I’ve had a long night. Can we please go inside?”

I take in her disheveled look as I give her a once over. Peering over her shoulder, I notice a different car in the driveway from the one she left with. I really take a good look at her, and it’s only then that I notice the cut above her eyebrow and the swelling at her temple. I grasp her upper arms, pulling her closer for a better look in the dim lighting.

“Emilia, I’m only going to ask once, so help me god.Who did this to you?” I all but growl the question, my grip tightening on her arms, holding her in place.

She looks down before looking back up into my eyes, her gaze glassing over as she must be reliving the events of the night. “It was the Romanis, James. They ambushed me after I left from visiting Matteo and Lorenzo. I checked their vehicle at the crash site and got into one of their phones. They had orders to take me alive. It’s too bad they didn’t walk away still breathing, though.”

The rage that simmers just below my skin surfaces, and Emilia must notice because she flinches at that darkness in my gaze.

“No one touches what’s mine.”

“I’m not a possession that you can own,cabrón.”

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