Page 87 of Heritage of Blood

I nod, looking down the hallway that continues past the turn where Nik stands. “Must be this way. I killed two guards where we were being held. No other exits. Let’s move.” My men form behind me, guns trained into the darkness, and light beams from their weapons illuminate the hall.

“We cut the main power and covered the exits,” Nik whispers, “shouldn’t have gotten too far.” One of the lights flickers on something, and I see the elevator buttons. My stomach roils.

She’s stuck on the elevator with him.

Chapter53

Kate

“Hurry up!” Antonio manhandles me down the hall, gun still pressed to my side. It’s hard to see anything, soft lights wink with every other step. Bellowing grunts are within earshot, but the addition of gunshots confuses the direction it’s coming from.

Luka.

Every strike, every pound of the guard’s fist booms in my head. This can’t be it. My stomach drops at the thought of never seeing Luka again, never experiencing his touch. I didn’t confess how I feel. I didn’t tell him that despite his questionable morality, he enhances my life filling that void I’d thought I’d always have. He’s changed my life for the better, opening up a world that now is complete. I have to get back to him.

“Let me go!” I implore yanking my arm back, but Antonio’s fingertips dig into my skin, his nails biting and sharp. With a pull forward my body collides with steel, my head going fuzzy, but I see Antonio fumbling to press buttons. The doors open right under my face, and with one push, I topple into the elevator.

When I right myself, a gun is positioned in front of my face.

“Press the top floor button. Now!” Antonio flicks the gun my way, then back to the buttons. My focus is wavering, sporadic black spots dance in my vision. I falter, hand going to the metal railing. I need to get back to Luka.

“I need to go back, please he can’t—”

The sting of metal collides with the side of my head sending me collapsing backward.

“Stupid bitch, I’ll do it myself.” His fist punches the button and the elevator jerks into motion. Pain lances above my eyebrow and I palm it, wetness collecting on my hand. I draw it back, blood sticking to me. Antonio’s figure flutters in front of me. All I want to do is close my eyes, rest beckoning me.

“Sir, the paramedics are on the way—”

His ocean-deep eyes snap up to mine stealing my breath before he crumples to the ground.

The memory of Luka bleeding out and falling to the ground on top of me rushes to the front of my memories. My hands find my hair and I run a hand through it, pulling tight fistfuls. I can’t leave him. My chest burns, crushing my lungs. I gasp for air, my body quaking.

“Get up!” I’m yanked to stand, slumping against Antonio’s body, the fight in me slowly dying. My mouth gulping for air.

A whirring sound jolts us to a halt, and the groaning of metal above grinds into silence.

“Shit! They cut the power.” Antonio frantically smashes buttons, his hand flying through his silver hair several times. The emergency light flickers but holds steady giving me a clear view of the sinister man. His dark eyes meet the olive of his skin, deep furrows framing them. A web of wrinkles spread with each smirk. “Come here!” He grabs me, gun pressed to my temple. Body odor invades my nose and draws my attention to the sweat beading on his forehead.

“Why—why are you doing this?” I stumble through the question, tilting my head back to get a better view of him. I watch him swallow and a light laugh rasps in my ear.

“Why does the Mafia exist at all? Money and power. You’re a fool if you think there are any other motivations. As the oldest, I’m set to take over for my father. There are some in the Cosa Nostra that disagree with my methods.”

I snort. “I wonder why …” I wince at the throbbing my own voice creates in my head. He lowers the gun, his face coming right in front of mine. Cigarettes mar his breath, and he hisses through his teeth.

“You know nothing.”

The heaviness of stale air drapes over the space, suffocating and rank. A trickle of sweat rolls down my back, the elevator becoming uncomfortably warm. I fidget trying to ease the sensation, but Antonio’s tight hold clutches me further. It’s eerie, the only sound is my ragged wheezing and Antonio’s deep exhalations.

I’m unsure how long we stand there. Time seems to stumble and grind to a slow ticking.

A banging noise twists my insides, a subtle hum vibrates through the floor, and the control panel lights illuminate the floor buttons. The motors roar back to life and with a lurch, we are ascending again. The cables and pulleys creak while the ventilation system kicks back on, fresh air circling once again. As the elevator approaches the top floor, Antonio thrusts the barrel to my head once more, tripping through his words.

“Do—Don’t move or I’ll blow your head off.” I’m weak because I quiver at his words. The soft ding of arrival floats through the air and the doors slide open.

Luka’s swollen eyes widen and his nostrils flare when he sees me, but a thrill surges through my body. He is alive.

Men dressed in black uniforms surround him, and a cluster of red dots are trained on Antonio. I wince at Luka’s bloody face, and I follow each mark. His shoulder is contorted, and he’s hunched over, one hand clinging to his middle.