“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Your face just went white as a sheet. Did you have something for breakfast?” Pop presses.
“I did. If you’ll excuse me. I just need to respond to a text,” she mutters distractedly.
I want to burst out laughing. I told Mario sending those pictures to her was going to fuck with her head. I’m hoping it will cause her to show her hand.
I had them cropped so she could make out the dude with his brains blown out, but not recognize the location. I snort when I get a text from one of my guys back at the house, letting me know Juliana is texting the phone we found on that asshole and cloned before dumping the destroyed original with the body.
Oni’s suggestion, by the way. He sends me a screenshot of the text she just sent to the dead asshole. This time, I can’t hold my laughter in.
Juliana:Why haven’t you answered my calls? This isn’t funny. What are these pictures? Where the fuck are you?
“You’re in a good mood this morning,” Pop says to me.
“Nothing to be in a bad mood about. Business is good, I’m engaged. I see my promotion coming any day now.
“Who knows, Uncle Emilio could be calling us in to discuss the wedding or the promotion.” I pause and rub my hands together. “This is all so exciting. Right, Juliana?”
“Uh, um. Yeah,” she says, still sounding distracted.
I cut my eyes to Mario in the driver’s seat. He’s giving me the same look. I give a slight nod, causing him to pull his phone. At the next stoplight, he begins to type feverishly.
I shoot a text to Ed and Al, so they’re on alert. We’re not that far from my uncle’s house now. However, I will feel better when we’re all there.
My next text is to my uncle. He should know what’s going on and what might be headed his way. However, before I can get thetext off, a group text comes in from my pop. I stare down at my phone, wide-eyed.
Pop:Floor it, Mario. Rico, look alive. Emilio, we are coming in hot. Be ready.
I elbow Mario to get him to look at his phone. He looks down and then immediately steps on the gas.
CHAPTER 22
Ambushed
Oni
I’m still reelingfrom Al’s words as both his and Ed’s phones ping. Al looks down at his and his eyes go wide. Quickly, he reaches for the bag between my and Emilia’s feet.
I recognize the bag from training. It’s the one where they keep the bulletproof vests and helmets. In training, the same bag sometimes had spare guns. Knowing what the bag carries, my curiosity is piqued, and my heart begins to race.
“This truck is bulletproof. As long as you’re both inside, you’re safe. Stay in the vehicle, Oni,” Ed says pointedly.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Despite Ed’s warning, Al still hands both me and Emilia a vest. I lick my lips and tug it on quickly. Emilia does the same. Ed is driving while tugging his on and fastening the straps.
“We might have incoming,” Al answers my question as he gets his vest on.
He pulls two guns and checks the clips. I look down at my lap, to my bag. After yesterday, I decided I never want to be caught out there without my own gun. Al reaches to place the bag back on the floor between us. I note an extra helmet and gun still inside. There are also a few clips.
I look out of the windshield and see the car ahead of us is racing forward. Ed has begun to pick up the pace as well. He runs right through a red light to keep up with the car carrying Rico and his dad.
I grab onto the passenger handle above me. Everyone has fallen silent and it’s like you can hear a pin drop. I’m holding my breath as we enter a residential area. There are large houses on either side of us, some hidden behind tall shrubs.
I finally take a breath as the car ahead turns on its blinker, indicating they’re about to turn into one of the driveways on the left-hand side. Everyone in the car seems to relax. However, the moment is short-lived as a vehicle races around us and another appears ahead of the car Mario is driving.
As Mario goes to turn the car into the driveway ahead, the car that raced around us slams right into its side. The SUV that appeared out of nowhere slams into the other side at the front end. I sit in shock as Ed slams to a stop and starts to bark orders.
