Page 60 of Tempt Me
“Francesca,” I breathe out in relief, glad she is alive. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she says, eyeing the captive with disgust. “We need to get out of here before more show up.”
Vik nods in agreement, but before we can make our escape, a loud explosion sounds.
“What the fuck?” Vik shouts, grabbing Fran’s arm. “We need to go now!”
Leaving the talker behind, we make a break for the gate, running as fast as we can in the opposite direction where I know Isaac took Rue. We have to split up. It’s our only option. Police sirens blare in the distance as we head down the steps to the beach, and when we reach the sand, we climb aboard the waiting boat.
Rue and Isaac must’ve made it to their boat.
I hope.
As we speed away from shore, watching as the villa is consumed by law enforcement, I try to calm my racing heart and steady my breath. We made it out alive but not unscathed. This isn’t going to be as easy to sweep under the rug as some of Solitaire’s business is.
And something tells me this isn’t over yet. Antonio’s son still wants what he believes is rightfully his, and he won’t stop until he gets it.
Rue.
With one hand gripping the edge of the boat, I turn to glance at Francesca and Vik. They both have blank expressions on their faces, not betraying their feelings, not even to each other.
We may have won this battle, but there’s a war coming. And I know that we’re all ready for it, we always are. But when it’s directly about Rue, the pieces have shifted.
Francesca turns to me, her dark eyes shining fiercely. “We need to find out everything we can about Antonio’s son,” she says, her voice low and urgent. “We need to know where he is, who his allies are, and what he’s planning next.”
I nod in agreement, my mind already racing with plans and strategies. We may have escaped with our lives tonight, but we can’t let our guard down now. We have to be one step ahead of Antonio’s son if we’re going to survive.
As the boat bobs along the waves, I feel a flicker of hope stir inside me. Maybe we can do this. Maybe we can beat this guy at his own game. But then again, there’s always a chance that we’ll lose.
And if we do, it won’t just be our lives on the line. It’ll be Rue’s, too.
However, it’s no surprise that I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. Even if it means risking my own life in the process.
“Luca,” Vik says suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. “You did good back there.”
I nod in acknowledgment, feeling a warm flush spread through me at his words. It’s been a long time since anyone has praised me like that. Even longer since I’ve felt like I’ve actually done something worth praising. Vik is critical and has every right to be a perfectionist. It’s high praise when he says something positive and it boosts my morale like nothing else could. I’ve been wondering for some time if he was losing faith in me, losing his trust, but those few words have confirmed that I was being paranoid.
But now isn’t the time for self-reflection. Now is the time for action.
“We need to find out where Antonio’s son is hiding,” I say firmly. “Do we have a name for this asshole? And then we need to take him down. Head back to shore. I’ll head to one of the safe houses and grab food. There’ll be nothing on the island.”
Vik nods grimly and turns the boat back to shore some few miles from where we set off. It’ll be a long walk home, but at least I’m doing something instead of sitting and worrying.
“Yeah. Marco. And thank you, Luca,” Vik says. “Your actions today have proved your loyalty.”
“That was in doubt?” I ask carefully. “We are family. Distant and adopted, but that still means something to me, Vik.”
“I know,” he replies with a small smile. “But blood ties can be strong but found family is stronger. I know I’ve been hard on you lately. I just wanted to make sure we could still count on you.”
“You always can,” I say when he lets me off the boat, and I turn on the sand, heading up to the street before making my way to a nearby safe house to gather supplies and food.
Chapter33
Isaac
Rue's hand shakes in mine, and I can feel her pulse racing under her skin. I know she's scared, but I also know she's strong and capable, just like me. We jog down the road that leads to the stairs, listening to the sounds of gunfire and explosions echoing through the night. It's a miracle we've made it this far without being spotted.
"Where are we going?" Rue pants, her breath coming in short gasps.
