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She directs the driver to the front of the property and as we stop at the gates, she rolls the window down and says to the guard on duty, “Diana Ortega. Let us pass.”
He peers inside the car and when he sees me beside her, he takes a second look.
“Mr. Ortega.” He almost salutes, and the relief on his face surprises me a little.
He opens the gates and Diana whispers, “I told you. Their allegiance is to your family, not Mario, despite what he thinks.
“Do you really expect me to believe it will be this easy?”
I stare at her hard, and she shakes her head and almost looks contrite.
“I’ve hurt you, Matty. I accept that and I’m sorry. I was blinded by lust for Mario. He could do no wrong and he was everything I wanted. However, he showed me a side I am no longer comfortable with, and I want to make things right. For you, for your family and, well, for us?”
She blinks and bats her long lashes and I almost believe every word—almost. However, I’ve been here before and paid the price and I’m not about to make the same mistake twice.
“Tell me where we’ll find Mario?”
I revert to business and ignore her pleading traitorous eyes and she says sadly, “In the basement. You will have the element of surprise because he won’t believe for one second that you know where he is.”
“The basement?”
She shrugs. “It’s where the ritual is carried out.”
“What fucking ritual?”
Diana sighs and appears angry as she hisses, “The Dark Lords. Mario has built a replica altar in his basement. He uses his staff to act as fellow lords and enjoys carrying out false ceremonies. It’s why I came to you. He’s out of control and is bringing unnecessary heat on the organization.”
“You seem to know a lot about that.” I stare at her hard and she shifts a little on her seat.
“I’m aware of how it works, but Mario has overstepped the mark in every way. He must be stopped before he brings the organization down.”
Cesare is taking it all in and we share a look, both of us doubting every word that spills from her lying lips, but I don’t have time for questions, it’s actions Abigail needs now, so as I take out my gun and make it ready, Cesare does the same.
If we are about to face a gun fight with our own soldiers, we won’t go down without a fight.
The car stops at the main entrance and Diana wastes no time in being the first one out, whispering, “I need to go ahead to clear your way.”
I’m hot on her heels because I’m not letting the traitorous bitch out of my sight and as we head through the door, I’m amazed that the soldiers stand back and bow their heads.
It’s all a little eerie and as Cesare organizes our troops, I watch as Diana’s hand hovers over the door at the foot of the staircase. She turns and places her finger on her lips and opens it before pointing down some stone steps.
She heads through the door and as we crowd behind her, she whispers, “Listen.”
We strain to understand what she’s heard, but all I register is our own frantic breathing and I hate the worried stare she throws me as she says urgently, “We could be too late.”
That’s all it takes for me to push past her into a huge room that makes my skin crawl. It’s creepy as fuck and I stare around me in surprise when I notice a stone altar set in the middle of the room with metal cuffs dangling over the edge.
“What is this?” I hiss and Diana replies, “It’s the ceremonial room. The Dark Lords hold their ceremonies in one exactly the same and I told you Mario took it a step too far.”
She nods toward the center of the room where I regard a massive open trap door that appears to lead into oblivion.
“Mario will be down in the tunnels, probably hunting your wife.”
“Do you really expect me to believe—”
Suddenly, a sound like a gunshot makes its way from out of the pit and I hear the sadistic cackle of a madman. “Keep running, baby. Daddy’s coming for you.”
Diana looks so angry it stuns me for a moment and she says urgently, “Hurry, he’s after her and when he catches her, he’s going to hurt her bad.”
