Page 108 of Her Guardian
“Maybe…” I swallow hard.
Then I hear footsteps. Voices, shouting. Heavy doors being forced open. They’re getting closer. They didn’t hear us, or they ignored it. Either way, it’s only a matter of time now. I lean forward, tears streaming down my face as I clutch Lea’s hand.
“I’m sorry, Sarah,” she whimpers. “They were only after me. If you hadn’t been there…”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” I mutter. “You’re my best friend. I’m not looking forward to dying, but… at least we’re together.”
Lea nods, sniffling away a few tears as she hugs her stomach with one hand, the other squeezing mine tight. The wheel starts to move, and I brace myself. For the pain, if there is any. For death. And whatever comes after. I never settled on a deity. I guess it’s too late now.
The door flies open, and Massimo rushes into the room, Big Boyd on his heels, but I’m not happy to see either of them. This is not a happy reunion.
“No! You have to go!” I scream. “There are explosives! There are jet engines underneath this floor!”
“Cadence cut off their access!” Massimo yells. “But we don’t have much time!”
“We’ll get you out of there,” Boyd growls.
Massimo runs to the side of the cage, reaching out for Lea. They join hands and I let go of her. Boyd slams his body into the cage door, groans, and spins around.
“Rowan! Need the bolt cutters!” Boyd yells.
“Dante has them, lad,” Rowan calls out.
Several members of the Morandi family push their way into the room. They take the camera, laptop, and everything that isn’t bolted down. At least I’m not live anymore. My listeners turned viewers aren’t witnessing this part.
Dante cuts the chain on the front of the cage and pulls it open. Boyd nearly knocks him out of the way to get to me. I push myself up and meet him with a hug while Dante cuts the shackle off Lea. Boyd drags me closer to Dante, but doesn’t let go of me. I don’t protest, even when it makes my ankle hurt. I’m too happy to be in his arms again.
Then a whirring sound echoes beneath us, and I see an orange glow. All of the jet engines are powering on.
“Boyd, leave me. You have to go!” I groan.
“I’m never leaving you, Sarah,” he snarls, tugging on the shackle.
“They’re in!” Cadence calls out over Massimo’s phone. “Hurry! I’m cutting off their access again, but they’re going to lock me out before long!”
The whirring stops and the glow fades. Dante moves to me and the bolt cutters grind through the shackle. Then I’m free. Boyd pulls me into a tight embrace and carries me toward the door. I look over and see Lea nestled snugly in Massimo’s arms. Her eyes are closed. She’s leaning against his shoulder. My best friend and godson are both safe.
For now. Because I can hear the jet engines again.
I can tell Boyd is in pain, but he just grits his teeth and carries me through the bunker, not even stopping for other members of the Morandi family that are in his way. He pushes them aside like they’re nothing, and keeps going, until I see daylight.
“Massimo! I’m locked out!” Cadence’s voice calls out.
“Hurry!” Massimo yells.
We spill into the desert with the Morandi family hot on our heels. We don’t get more than a few feet before an explosion rocks the ground. A lot of members of the Morandi family go down. Several get caught in a column of fire that erupts from the bunker—I close my eyes when I hear the screams.
But Boyd doesn’t go down. He staggers across the shaking ground, tightening his grip on me until it hurts, but I don’t care. I’m safe. I force my eyes open and see Massimo behind us. They’re still safe. Rowan. I even see Leo and Emilio, which confuses me, but they’re on our heels.
“There’s more trouble!” Cadence warns, her voice echoing from Massimo’s shirt pocket. “Helicopters! I’m pretty sure it’s Solitude or the Bratva.”
“Has to be,” Boyd grunts.
Massimo starts yelling orders. Rowan, Leo, and Emilio peel away from us. Dante runs ahead, barking Massimo’s orders to the rest of the Morandi family. They take fighting positions, drawing weapons, getting ready for what is obviously going to be a fight.
Boyd gets me to his waiting SUV. He yanks the back door open and puts me down in the back seat. I still cling to him, even when he tries to pull away.
“No, don’t go,” I beg. “Please, I don’t want to lose you.”
