Page 22 of His Lair
Emmanuel barks out an order in Spanish, and his security team appears at his back with bigger guns aimed at the guys in the container. I watch as E pushes through his men. Stopping right in front of the fucker in the middle.
“There a reason you’re pointing a gun in my face?” he asks.
The guy lowers his weapon. The other four look at each other before following suit. “No, boss, we weren’t expecting you.”
“I can see that. Explain.” Emmanuel swipes the gun out of the fucker’s grip, and before the guy gets the chance to explain a single thing, E fires a shot right between his eyes. Blood splatters everywhere. Another four shots follow it rapid fire, and then we’re left looking at five dead bodies on the ground.
“Friends of yours?” I ask Emmanuel.
“Nope.” He shakes his head and then gives orders to his men in Spanish again. They immediately grab for the bodies, dragging them out of the container as my men begin filling the back of a truck with bricks of cocaine.
A few minutes later, we are all situated in our respective vehicles, headed back into town. I wait until the docks are in the rearview before pulling out my phone and texting Louie.
Me:
We need to talk.
Louie:
I’m at the hospital.
“Drop me back at the hospital,” I tell Emmanuel.
He nods but doesn’t say a single word for the rest of the drive. If he hadn’t been there, those fuckers would have been spraying bullets all over me and Louie or Carlo or whoever happened to show up tonight to collect.
Chapter Ten
Iwalk into my apartment and find none other than Emmanuel sitting on my sofa. Again. “You really are going to get yourself killed sneaking in here, you know,” I say, lowering the gun in my hand.
“I’ll take my chances.” He grins.
“What if I weren’t alone? What if I were bringing Sammie home and he saw you sitting here all casual-like? How would I explain that?” I ask.
“I know he wasn’t with you because I just left him at the hospital.”
“How is Charlotte?” I saw her go down, but before I could get close enough, the shooter was already taken out.
“She’s going to be okay. Are you?” Emmanuel gives me a questioning look.
“It’s hardly the first time I’ve seen someone take a bullet.” I roll my eyes at him.
“Yeah, but I hear you’re some sweet and innocent girl these days.” He shrugs.
I scoff. “Because you’re paying me to be.” Then my brows draw down. “Wait… Who did you hear that from?”
“Your boyfriend seems to think you’re toorainbows and sunshinefor the world we live in.”
“Sammie talked to you about me?” If so, I need to have a word with him about keeping whatever it is we’re doing under wraps.
“Not you, specifically, just some no name girl he’s seeing,” Emmanuel tells me.
“Well, he could literally be talking about anyone. We are not exclusive,” I say.
“You fucking other men?” Emmanuel asks.
“That’s none of your business,” I snap.
He lifts a shoulder. “Do what you want, but you should know Sammie puts on that happy-go-lucky persona mostly to hide the brutality he’s capable of.” Emmanuel pushes up from the sofa. “Thank you for letting me know Evie was leaving.”
