Page 79 of His Playground
“Thanks.” I nod and turn back to the chef. It’s only then that I realize how quiet he’s gotten. He’s stopped moving too. “Hold up!” I call out to Louie and Emmanuel.
I walk up to the chef and my suspicion is confirmed. The asshole is dead. I must have stuffed that cloth too fucking far down his throat.
“Stop the grill, Sammie. He’s not going to be eating shit now,” I grunt. My eyes flick over to a couple of soldiers standing by the door. “Get rid of him,” I tell them.
A few minutes later, we pile into separate SUVs. Me with Sammie, Louie with Emmanuel. There are five others full of soldiers, a mixture of Emmanuel’s and ours, sandwiching us between them.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Hearing from Carlo has put my mind at ease for a minute. But now I’m back to being a ball of anxiety. I don’t need to ask him where he is or what he’s doing. I know. I just hope he gets the information he needs to put an end to this madness.
My gaze lands on Jazzy. She’s so tiny and innocent. She doesn’t deserve to be put in danger. Carlo wants me to show herhow to get into the panic rooms he has around the penthouse. There are three. He made a point to show me where they were located when we were dating. In case I ever needed to hide.
“Hey, Jazzy, did you know your daddy has secret rooms in this apartment?” I ask her. I hope I can keep my voice light, make it some kind of game. The last thing I want to do is scare her.
“He does? Where?” She looks around. We’re in Carlo’s bedroom.Ourbedroom.
I point to the closet. “There’s one in there. Want to see it?”
“Yep.” Jazzy jumps off the bed and runs into the closet. I follow her. “There’s nothing but clothes in here,” she says, scrunching up her face.
I walk to the back and gesture to the rack that lines the far wall. “See this shoe?” I ask her.
“Uh-huh.” Jazzy nods.
“Grab it,” I say.
She tries to lift it but the shoe doesn’t move from the shelf. What it does do is open the hidden door. Jazzy’s eyes light up. “It’s real?” she says in awe, walking into the panic room. “What do you do in here?”
“This is one of the rooms you can come to if you’re ever scared. You can close the door and no one outside can get in,” I tell her.
“Like when I have nightmares?” she asks me.
“Sort of. If your dad or I can’t help you, you can come to these rooms,” I explain.
“Okay. Where’re the others?” She spins as she looks around.
I hold out a hand. “Come on, I’ll show you, but these rooms are a secret, remember? Only Bianchis get to know about them.”
“Top secret,” she whispers.
“Exactly.” Just as I open the bedroom door, I hear the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. I tug it closed again, pick upJazzy, and run right back to the closet. “I need you to stay in here,” I tell her.
“By myself? Don’t leave me alone, Antonia,” she pleads.
“I’ll be right back to get you, okay?” I tell her.
“Antonia?” Charlotte hisses. I didn’t hear her come into the bedroom.
“Over here,” I call back.
“But she’s going to see the secret room,” Jazzy says.
“It’s okay. Aunt Charlotte will stay with you until I come back.” When Charlotte walks into the closet, I reach for her. “Wait here with Jazzy.” I then shove her inside the room and shut the door. There is a way to open it from the inside, but I didn’t show Jazzy that part. And unless you know what you’re looking for, I don’t think they’ll figure it out.
Running back into the bedroom, I pull out the handgun that Carlo always keeps in the nightstand and position myself on the opposite side of the bed. And I wait with the barrel aimed at the door. Just like Brian taught me.
Just like Brian taught me…
