Page 6 of Matteo
I didn’t comment, because we all knew they decided on a summer semester to adjust to the new campus and their surroundings in time for fall. It made sense at the time, but now…
A familiar sign appeared and I swerved off the road. Without bothering to slow down, I cut through the forest that surrounded the campus.
“What are you doing?” Hannah screamed, bouncing up and down on the seat as the Rover navigated over the rough terrain. “This is not the way into Yale.”
“If you wanted to go your way, you should have driven yourself,” I grunted, keeping control of both my temper and my vehicle. It’d never failed me before and it wouldn’t today.
“Honestly, Matteo, this attitude of yours is the reason Arianna stays away from me when you’re around.”
“Are you sure she isn’t using me as an excuse to get away fromyou?” The words were out before I could think better of it.
Hannah scoffed. “Like hell. She wanted away from all mafia boys, butyouin particular.”
I could feel Nikola’s gaze burning into the side of my head, but I ignored it.
Hannah always had a flair for the dramatics. Her twin knew it, and so did I. Ari and I got along just fine. We had an understanding that dated back almost two decades.
I stomped on the brake as we reached the edge of the woods, all my thoughts coming to a halt, and turned the engine off. Reaching beneath the center console, I punched in the code and removed two guns from the safe, handing one to Nikola.
“Stay here, Hannah.”
I jumped out of the car, then took off running. Nik shouted something about an exit on the south edge of the building that was no longer in use. If I could break into it, I’d be able to get to my sister and Ari.
The summer sun shone hotter than normal, fooling people into thinking it was just another summer’s day. No clue that beyond the redbrick walls, students were hiding in terror, not knowing whether they’d live or die.
But I couldn’t think about the what-ifs right now. Instead, I focused on my plan for the shooter, how I could disarm him before he could do any more damage.
While Arianna was the quieter twin, she could still be a badass if the situation called for it.
Police cruisers surrounded the front and sides of the building, men in uniform pacing around in bulletproof gear. As predicted, the old emergency door on the south side of the building remained unguarded.
My loafers hit the ground as Nikola’s combat boots, the perfect combo for his black jeans and white T-shirt, pounded on the concrete behind me. Once we reached the door, I glanced over my shoulder, scanning our surroundings.
“I got your back,” he grumbled.
I pulled out my Swiss knife and got to work, thankful it took no time for the lock to click in release. I pushed the door open and shared a glance with one of my oldest friends, nodding once before pulling out my gun. I wasn’t playing hero. I just wanted to get the girls out of here.
I glanced inside and saw nothing but a deserted hallway, and the eeriness of it sent a tingle of awareness to the nape of my neck.
Footsteps silent, we crossed the dusty floors, further proof that these parts were rarely utilized.
We were a few feet in when a bloodcurdling scream rang out.
Followed by a single gunshot.
CHAPTER THREE
ARIANNA, 25 YEARS OLD
Why didn’t I just stay at St. Jean D’Arc?
As another round of gunfire and screams sounded, my reasoning behind the move to Yale felt incomprehensible. Taking online courses through Yale to get my graduate degree in astrophysics worked perfectly fine while I was still at D’Arc. But no, I wanted to venture off instead.
And now it might cost me my life. And Francesca’s.
Why is it that my decisions always end up hurting everyone around me?I thought, my heartstrings pulling tight to the point of physical pain. But I forced those thoughts out.Stay present, Ari.
I pulled the hem of my green Gucci dress over my knees and hugged them tighter to my chest. Francesca and I were crouched underneath one of the desks in the library while chaos erupted all around us. I cursed my newfound independence and the joy that had washed over me when my parents finally agreed to let me study here, and I pressed my hand over my mouth to stifle my whimpers.
