Page 177 of The Wicked
“Completely sober. How many were they, the men.”
Still frowning at me, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I couldn’t exactly count. We were being chased around the building, and I practically dragged him to a car, where I drove and informed Angelo.”
My brain worked. “They didn’t follow?”
Concern filled his eyes. “No, they didn’t… it worries me that they didn’t because they were hell-bent on making sure they emptied their bullets in him. Whoever sent them must be influential because… What are you doing?”
I rushed to the window, quickly pulling the curtain aside as I looked down.
Three cars were pulling up, all tinted windows. Armed men started filing out, and people rushed in different directions, evading the unknown gunmen.
I closed the curtain and turned. “They followed. They just waited to make sure there was no room for escape.”
Upper’s eyes widened as he rushed towards me, pulling the curtain.
“Bloody fuck.”
“We need to secure the building,” I said. “Or we’re all dead.”
The door Elio and Angelo had walked into pulled open, and Angelo stepped out. “Secure the building, shoot to kill on sight. Leave one person for questioning.”
Soldiers moved, talking on comms, grabbing weapons.
“Hey,” I whispered to Upper. “Stay here; on no account should you leave this apartment.”
“Where are you going?” he asked, confused.
I didn’t answer as I moved to the weapons table, Upper on my tail as I grabbed a handy gun. The weight was perfect in my grip.
“Zahra, I don’t think this is a good idea; these people, they know how to work a gun—”
“Awesome, I happen to be perfect at working a gun too.”
He shot me a strange look as I cocked the weapon expertly before slipping the gun into the back of my sweatpants. “Listen, Iknow you’re confused, but there’s no time for me to explain why and how I know how to work a gun—”
“That’s not it. Ever since you arrived with Elio, you’ve been a completely different person.”
“I’m in men’s clothing; what the fuck do you expect?”
“That’s not—”
“Stay here with Elio and Cas and the doctors, and I will—”
“Do nothing.” Elio’s voice had my head snapping to the side.
He reached us, his face void of emotion, attention settling on Upper. “I will never be able to repay you for saving Casmiro’s life. I owe you.”
Upper nodded. “It’s all right; he saved mine too.”
Elio gave a firm nod before looking at me. “You will banish whatever thought you think you have at this instant; you are not getting in that elevator.”
“I’m of no use here. I can help out there.”
His eyes hardened. “I don’t need help; I have enough people to handle this.”
Goddamn it.
I frowned, leveling Elio with a glare. “Upper would have died today. Understand? Those fuckers invading this building would have touched one of my own. I want nothing more than to bring down the people responsible for that and—”
