Page 109 of Carnival
Yet again, Hudson looks at me — really looks at me. His eyes fall down to my ruined feet, jaw clenching shut. His fingers twitch by his side, and I know that look — I’ve seen it one time too many. He’s itching to pull his gun out and start shooting.
“She hurt you,’’ he doesn’t ask; he states the obvious. It’s almost as if he’s trying to understand the depth of Vivian’s insanity. “You’re her granddaughter, and she hurt you.’’
“She did,’’ I take a deep breath. “But I’ll be okay.’’
“I promise, Rose,’’ Hudson puts his hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “She will pay for what she did. This will not go unpunished. She will pay for all the blood she spilled, for every single time she dared to lay her hands on you. I promise.’’
Hudson De Santis is one of the scariest men I’ve ever seen. I’ve heard whispers about him. Not only on the illegal side, buton the legal side, too. His business is extremely successful, and everyone who knows who he is, is terrified of the power he holds. And when someone touches his family? He goes nuclear. He doesn’t think about the consequences because he can afford not to. He can decapitate a man in the most crowded street and face no legal issues.
Because he took over a ruined empire and made it bloom.
The reason he’s respected is because he always keeps his promises. Whether you’re a friend or a foe, if he makes a promise, he’ll see to it, even if it means your life is over. So, I smile.
A genuine smile that hasn’t happened since Vivian took me.
“Thank you, Dad.’’
Hudson kisses my forehead, then pulls back, looking at James.
“Noelle will catch Vivian.’’
“Is that your wishful thinking, or is it a fact?”
Hudson really doesn’t like the tone of James’ voice. “Listen, boy, while you were playing around with your little butcher knife, my wife was killing ten people at once, with no weapons at all. You will not doubt Noelle Campbell, nor her abilities, because I will not stand for any disrespect that comes her way. Do you fucking understand me?”
Hudson doesn’t know this yet, but in this moment, James truly starts respecting him. I see his eyes flicker with something only the two of us can decipher, and instead of provoking him further, James simply nods.
“Alright.’’
Hudson straightens up, anger slightly disappearing. “Then, let’s move quickly. The goal is to find all the men with bombs and get them as far as possible from the carnival while Aria, Arlo, and Blair continue to evacuate people. Rose, go join them.’’
“What? But—’’
“No buts,’’ he cuts me off, eyes narrowed. “I don’t want you anywhere near bombs, do you understand?”
“Yes,’’ I sigh.
I glance at James one last time, and he nods, clearly agreeing with Hudson’s sentiment. I smile a little, then turn around, walking away from the two men.
Spotting Aria isn’t difficult, her split-dye hair peeking through the mass of people. When she sees me, she drops whatever it was she was doing and rushes to my side. She’s crying into my shoulder, hugging me tightly, and I return the favor, tightening my hold on her, as if my life depended on it.
When she’s finally ready to let go, the two of us start rapidly leading people out of the carnival. From what Aria told me, Blair is with some of their men, stopping all rides and forcing the workers to leave as well, which is difficult because all of their equipment is very expensive and not easily replaceable.
We spend the next twenty minutes forcing people out of the carnival. Each minute seems like an eternity, my anxiety rearing its ugly head. I’m just waiting for a bomb to go off, and the fear is causing me to yell at unwilling people. Some think this is a part of the play, that we’re joking.
A stern look from Aria seems to deter them, but not my yelling. Apparently, a five-foot, five-inch blonde girl in a puffyprincess dress isn’t intimidating enough. But a girl with a resting bitch face, and a gun in her hand is enough to scare them away.
When the crowd lessens, so does the burden on my shoulders. It’s still there, the fear lingering in the background, and although the thought of a single person dying here tonight, because of me, is killing me on the inside, when I see two pregnant women safely leave and girls around my age gone from the scene, I can’t help but feel relieved.
“Our side is done,’’ Aria comes to stand next to me, taking my hand in hers. She’s not very open with her emotions, but this is enough for me. She’s grounding herself, reminding herself that I’m here and that I’m safe. “Approximately another fifty people are left.’’
I take in a deep breath; the number is way lower than I expected it to be. The pleasant surprise doesn’t last for long, because as I’m about to open my mouth and start asking what our next move would be — I don’t have to.
“Get down!”
Aria yells, pulling me to the ground harshly.
My ears start ringing as the sound of explosion replaces the silence, the blast wave sending shocks through my body. The thunderous rending of metal fills my senses, my body going rigid.
