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As I pace my room, trying to come up with a plan, my heart is pounding in my chest. Even though I shouldn’t care about Tyson, I do. He only thinks that he knows what he’s dealing with when it comes to my father.
Part of me that hopes he escapes before he learns the truth. Otherwise, he’s going to have quite the wake up call if my father does get to him. I have to stop that.
I don’t want to see anything happen to him. Especially since he only got caught because he was helping me escape.
I glance at the bars over the window again before heading to my bed. When I lift the mattress out of the way, I’m not surprised to see the secret compartment in my bedframe open. The gun that I usually keep in there is gone.
Even though I know my other hiding places will be empty, I keep looking. I check every spot in my room, searching for any weapons that my father might have overlooked.
By the time I’m done searching my room, no better than when I started. Idon’t have any weapons, no plan yet, no way of knowing if Tyson is still alive, and there is nothing I can do about any of it. That’s what pisses me off the most.
The sun is setting as I do another search of the room, hoping to find something that was overlooked when my room was raided.
When I come up with nothing yet again, my chest constricts. What should I do? If I stay here much longer, I’m going to die. The fact that I ran away would have confirmed to my father that I’m no longer loyal to him.
I signed my own death sentence and I still wasn’t able to get away.
After turning on the lights, I sit down on my bed and cross my legs beneath me. Panicking and searching for weapons that aren’t here isn’t going to help me. I have to really focus on making a plan. I just wish I knew if Tyson is still alive. God, I hope so. I have to believe he is, otherwise, I’ll crumble.
There is a strange sound at my door before it opens and Damien walks in. He closes the door behind him, holding a finger to his mouth for a moment.
I raise an eyebrow, wondering what my oldest brother is up to. He and I have never been the closest of siblings and I can’t imagine that he would want to see me while I’m imprisoned. Damien is the kind of man who doesn’t consider questioning my father. He carries out Dad’s commands without a second thought.
Finally, his finger drops from his mouth. He looks at me and shakes his head, his arms crossing over his chest.
“What the hell are you thinking, Aria?” he asks.
I shrug and pick at a speck of dried blood on my leg. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about. Why the hell are you sneaking around with the FBI? Do you want to die?”
“I wish everyone would stop asking me that,” I say, rolling my eyes and giving him a smile. “I don’t have a death wish.”
“You could’ve fooled me.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say. I want the best for this family. You know that Dad is going to get us all killed. He’s losing control and killing soldiers for the slightest offenses.”
“I know,” Damien says, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside me. “I know he is.”
“Should I even bother asking you where Tyson is?” I ask, though with Damien here, I’m almost sure he is either dead or dying. My chest hurts and I fight the wave of pain that tries to overtake me at the thought. Since my father wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, I have no choice but to make my escape as soon as my brother leaves me alone. I’ll figure out what to do once I’m out. I need to guarantee my immediate survival first.
“He escaped shortly after they brought him in. They weren’t even able to get him down to the basement before he was out and on the run.”
My breath leaves me in relief, but I show my brother no other reaction that the raise of an eyebrow, already seeing the holes in his story. There is no way Tyson would’ve been able to get out without somebody on the inside. I know that a few of the other soldiers are undercover agents – Tyson has said as much – but I don’t know who, other than the man who got me that time for the meeting with Tyson’s boss, but I never saw him again after that.
Even if the soldiers were put on his detail, they wouldn’t be able to get him out without someone else stopping him.
“You got him out,” I say, narrowing my eyes as I stare at my brother. “Why would you do that?”
“Word is that the deal you made with the FBI has gone missing,” Damien says, ignoring my question. “And that Tyson has gone rogue. You’re both wanted people now. Long sentences in prison are in store for you both.”
“If it wasn’t you, was it Gio?”
Damien smirks and shrugs. “You aren’t the only one who can see that the family is falling apart. If we want any chance at restoring the Russo family name, Dad needs to be replaced.”
“What are you saying?” I ask, trying not to let the hope washing through me take over.
Damien shifts slightly, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. He opens it and pulls out several hundred dollars before pressing them into my palm. He slides his wallet back into his pocket before getting up and pulling a gun from his waistband.
