Page 94 of Explode
“We’re under attack,” Rafe replied. His eyes scanned the gardens, asdid mine, my heart racing wildly in my chest. “I don’t know who it is but there’s a load of them, they’re all wearing masks. I need to get you both to the panic room.”
He started pulling Sofia along, the other hand holding his gun.
“Rafe, where’s Miles?” I asked, trying to keep up with him whilelooking around the garden, and expecting the Grim Reaper to appear at any minute. The gunshots were getting louder, only now the air was starting to fill with screams of pain.
“He’s in the house, he’s got access to our weapons, and he’s fightingwith us. He told me to get you both to the panic room,” Rafe said, pausing at the doorway to the house to check the room was clear.
When several bursts of gunfire sounded from the front of the house,fear gripped me. Whoever had decided to attack the Bianchi mansion meant business.
A huge part of me wanted to tear away from Rafe and Sofia to findMiles and see for my own eyes that he was okay. Hell, I could have helped to fight back. I wasn’t the best shot with a gun, but I wasn’t bad, some help would be better than nothing, right?
But if Miles had told Rafe to get us to the panic room, he’d only worryabout me until he knew I was safe, and he needed to focus on looking after himself.
A gunshot rang out from behind us, sounding like it was damn close,and when I turned to look behind me, it was to find a group of men, all dressed in black, and wearing black balaclavas sprinting towards us.
“Fuck! Let’s go,” Rafe shouted, seeing the group descending on us.Sofia saw them too, and the shrill cry of terror that left her throat was enough for me to grab her hand and start pulling her along with Rafe. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and I tried my best to hide my fear, not wanting to spook Sofia more than she already was.
Checking the hallway was clear, Rafe pulled Sofia behind him andtook off, keeping his gun raised for any threat.
“Sofia!” A deep voice roared, and seconds later, the dickhead whohad his hands wrapped around Sofia’s throat moments ago appeared, another guard following in his wake. The two of them had their guns raised. As soon as his eyes landed on Sofia, relief washed over Owen’s face.
“Oh, thank god,” he sighed, stopping to meet the three of us in thehallway. Rafe’s brows furrowed when Owen’s hand cupped Sofia’s face, but now wasn’t the time to discuss his sister’s love life.
“I’m taking these two to the panic room, go join the fight,” Rafeordered. His tone was stern, one I’d never heard from him before, but right then, he wasn’t my friend Rafe, he was the future heir to the Bianchi empire.
“Your father sent us to get you, Antonio’s been hit, he needs you withhim,” Owen said, looking from him to Sofia. “Let us take the girls. We’ll get them there safely.”
“Fuck!” Rafe roared. He stared at Owen and the other guard for a fewseconds, before looking to Sofia and then to me. Indecision weighed on him, but when he reached his decision, his angry gaze landed back on Owen. “You get them to the panic room, if anything happens to either of them, I’m holding you responsible.”
Owen nodded, and his eyes softened as they landed on Sofia, who,by now, was almost hyperventilating, fear consuming her.
Rafe pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I’llcome for you when it’s safe.” Giving me a final look, one that begged me to keep his sister safe, Rafe took off, sprinting back the way we’d just come.
“Let’s go,” Owen said, grabbing Sofia’s hand and pulling heralongside him. The other guard grabbed my arm, but I shook out of his grasp. I didn’t need to be manhandled to get my ass to the panic room.
As we made our way through the house, I tried to ignore the roarsand screams coming from all around, trying my damned hardest not to worry about Miles. But when we rounded a corner, and the dead body of a Bianchi guard came into view, the reality of what was happening outside hit like a sledgehammer. My lungs turned to stone.
What if Miles didn’t make it out of this?
Upon seeing the dead body, Sofia gasped and stumbled over herown feet, making Owen come to a stop. Tears streaked down her pretty face as she stared at the body.
“Come on, Sofia! Stop fucking around,” Owen yelled angrily. Hisfingers were wrapped so tightly around her arm that the skin underneath his fingertips was turning a deep shade of red. Sofia would no doubt have bruises there come tomorrow.
“She’s scared, you asswipe,” I hissed, only for Owen to turn aroundand glare at me. His eyes were filled with hate. Hate aimed solely at me.
Whatever. I wasn’t exactly his biggest fan.
Owen started tugging on Sofia’s arm again. “Let’s go,” he said, hisvoice hoarse. He dragged Sofia around the body, heading towards a door at the end of the hallway.
“Wait, Owen. This isn’t the way to the panic room,” Sofia said,confusion in her tone.
It took a few seconds for her words to register. If we weren’t going tothe panic room, where the hell was Owen taking us?
Sofia must have come to the same conclusion, she started pullingagainst Owen’s hold, shouting at him to let her go, but he was too strong. He carried on pulling her by her arm, her cries of panic growing louder, and a feeling in my gut took root, telling me something wasn’t right.
Instinct kicked in. I bolted forward intending to somehow get Owenaway from Sofia, but the other guard grabbed me, stopping me from reaching them.
Remembering everything Miles had taught me, I spun around, andwithout hesitation, I threw my weight behind my punch, hitting the guard square on the nose before kneeing him in the balls. He fell to the ground, squealing in pain, his nose pouring blood.
