Page 63 of Corey
“We should split up,” Xander suggested as the hallway diverged. “Cover more ground. We’re running out of time.”
Although he didn’t like the idea, the other man was right. Getting pinned down between the Lazaro and Villarreal cartels would not end well. Escaping as quickly as possible and not drawing attention to themselves was key. Let the narco enemies duke it out and kill each other.
“Roger that,” Corey responded.
Before they could separate, Xander grabbed his arm and squeezed. “Good luck finding your woman.”
Corey frowned, and a strange, almost resigned look passed over Xander’s face. Almost like he knew something bad was about to happen—and he wasn’t going to do anything to stop it. Like he’d had a premonition, and the ax was about to drop.
“Maybe I’ll see you in another life.” With a sad half smirk, Xander plucked the comms out of his ear. Sheer determinationand the wrath of God distorted his features before he turned and charged down the hallway.
“Hawke!”
But he didn’t stop. Xander Hawke was a man on a mission.What the fuck?
But Corey didn’t have time to figure it out. He had to find Sera.
And time was running out fast.
???
What in God’s name is that? An explosion?
After dropping the vase and losing her only weapon, Sera hesitated, her attention landing on Barrera. Would he still come after her?
For the first time, she saw fear flash over his face. Without a word, he spun around and raced over to the large, gilded mirror hanging on the wall. Its edges were decorated with elaborately carved angels and scrollwork. His fingers slid down the side, and Sera gasped when the mirror swung open to reveal a dark, hidden passageway. Without a word, he slipped inside and shut the door behind him.
He’s running,she realized, which meant one very important thing: he felt threatened enough to evacuate the premises.
“Bastard,” she hissed, racing over to the mirror. She dragged her fingers along the edgework, searching for a button or lever. But it was so well-concealed that she struggled.
Gunfire popped somewhere, sounding far too close for comfort, and she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to breathe. She had no idea who’d boldly invaded Barrera’s domain, but the most likely choice seemed to be the Villarreals. She remembered the Motley Crew talking about the warring cartels and how the Villarreal clan had recently achieved power, breaking the powerhold the Lazaros had over the drug trade.
Shit.She was in the middle of a brutal drug war where both sides were killing each other. Wasn’t that just her luck?
A part of her hoped Corey had found her and come to her rescue, but that seemed too good to be true. Sera was on her own, caught in another nightmare. But this time, she refused to hide and shake and pray the bad guy didn’t find her.
No. This time she was taking action. And she’d fucking go down swinging.
New determination flowed through her, reigniting her fight. Sliding her index finger along the mirror again, she slowed down and focused on the feel of the intricate designs carved along its edge. Something would feel different. A hidden mechanism that would open the secret door and allow her to escape.
Frustration built when she couldn’t find anything, but she refused to give up. More explosions rocked the house, and when she smelled smoke, she redoubled her efforts.
There!She felt the subtlest curve and something sticking out, tucked beneath the underside of an angel’s wing. It was rougher, not quite as smooth as the rest of the design. She gently pulled and the mirror opened with a soft whoosh.
Triumphant exhilaration poured through her until she looked beyond the mirror, straight into pitch blackness.
“Fuck,” she hissed. She’d have to face the dark with gunfire in her ears. And this time, there were explosions, too. Oh, and also a completely psychopathic drug lord.
She had to keep a light on at night or she couldn’t sleep. How would she manage to traverse a narrow tunnel that led to God-knows-where in inky darkness? Coughing at the acrid scent of smoke quickly accumulating in the room, she glanced over her shoulder and saw it was now pouring beneath the door.
You don’t have a choice, Sera,she told herself.Now fucking go!
Heart thundering, breaking out in a cold sweat, she stepped into what looked like an endless black hole. Placing a hand against the wall, she blinked against the darkness, taking it slow and easy. A slight musty smell enveloped her, and she trailed her hand along the smooth wall as she ventured forward, taking baby steps.
Barrera went this way,she reminded herself. That meant it would be safe.
She had no idea how far the passageway went and she knew she had to pick up the pace. Out of nowhere, a familiar voice echoed down from the bedroom.
