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"Anyone else feel like they're about to start poking us with sticks and rounding us into cages?" I hissed.
"Keep calm," Costas returned. Checking his phone naturally to not raise suspicion, I knew he was doing a check back at the manor to make sure everyone there remained safe. His brows drew together in slight apprehension. Panic flared within my rising chest, wondering if Sunshine was alright.
"Is everything okay?"
"I'm not sure," he answered. "Mario just sent me a text he needs my help and dropped a pin of his location, but he's no longer at the compound."
Mario and Rocco would be the protectors of my home while we were here. Tony and I leaned over his shoulder to see he spoke the truth, but we weren't sure what avenue would be best taken for something like this. Knowing what we had to do, Tony and I nodded in agreement.
"You need to go. Whether it be him getting stuck running errands or chasing down someone who tried to break in, we need Sunshine protected," I said.
"And you two?" Costas glanced between us before letting his eyes roam over the damned souls galivanting around the room.
"We'll be fine," Tony reassured him. "And if not, we'll alert you too."
Touching a ring on his finger, Costas had Tony wear it just in case something ever went wrong. Once the mechanism released by being turned and pushed in, Costas would be alerted by a tracking beacon, telling him the precise location of his person. Not liking we were asking him to go, we knew he would make sure Millie hadn't gotten hurt.
"The second these hounds set loose, you run like hell to get out. You're only here to do a recon mission, nothing more," our guard warned.
"We will do as we planned unless we need to protect ourselves during our exit." With Tony's promise, Costas dipped his chin and headed for the door. Something didn't sit right with me, but we were in a room of vengeful monsters.
***
Millie
Trying to enjoy my book, my head kept tipping to the side like I'd fall asleep where I sat. The sensation felt weird and unnatural because I took a nap to ensure I'd be awake when the guys returned home. Reaching for my tea on the end table beside the chair I curled up in to read, I felt how heavy my fingers were becoming. That's when I remembered the last time I'd felt like this… when Costas covered my mouth with chloroform.
Gunshots sounded down the stairs, yearning for me to keep my wits about me. Just as I clasped the handle to the teacup, I thought about me leaving the room while I waited for it to seep, visiting Sofia before her departure for the vineyard this evening. Swallowing hard, I'd left a window for someone to tamper with my drink, and my clouded mind began diluting to the new presence of darkness.
Comprehending I needed to run, I let go of the cup in a fumbling manner that sent it crashing to the floor. In my haste to move my unresponsive body, I couldn't stop to clean up my mess. Something told me the guys wouldn't care now that I recognized the presence of drugs in my system. Costas had used chloroform last time, but something had been slipped into my drink, slowing down my body in a similar way.
Wobbling my steps to make it to the farthest stack, I wanted to hide deeper within the room to be less easy to spot. Fighting my mind to keep consciousness proved difficult as I swayed into each shelf during my risky travel. My feet felt like lead filled the marrow of each bone, nearly dragging to keep moving forward. Sloshed, I had to keep blinking for my head to stay afloat.
More gunshots echoed in the lower area, warning me that my time ran thin. Someone planned this. Someone wanted me drugged and lifeless while my men were gone. Trying to breathe, it felt like an elephant sat on my chest. Heaviness swept through me as I fell into the row of shelves next to my location when I heard someone twist the handle of the door.
Trying to calm my breathing, I didn't know how without giving into the drugs even faster. It was like my body knew adrenaline had become the only thing keeping me sane. If I lost the fervent thrumming of my heart, I'd lose whatever battle I faced.
Footfalls headed my direction like they knew I'd try to hide. On my belly, I kept tugging myself forward even though my legs could no longer be felt. Using my weighted arms to anchor me forward another few inches, I heard a woman begin to tsk her tongue at me. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw someone my gut told me to never trust. Giorgia stood at the end of my row, basking in her brilliance like she bested me. Mario caught up to her, seeing why she paused where she did. His darkness loomed all presence of light, showing why I never trusted him when I met him a few days ago.
Giorgia Russi let her heels carry her toward me, bending down just enough to take hold of my panting chin. Turning my head from side to side, I didn't know why she wanted a better look. "Silly, little girl. This is why I'll always stay queen."
Letting go, she reared her hand back before bringing it down against me, striking my numbing cheek. The tingles of pain settled fast because she went to hit me again. Whether it came from her force or the drugs, the darkness finally took hold of me. Unable to defend myself, I'd let them take full advantage of me because I'd been a fool in their company. I'd been too trusting.
seventy-one
Tony
The leviathans kept circling us as we moved through the crowd. Part of me wanted to cower and take hold of Draven's hand, but the man in me knew to stand on my own before them. Unlike Draven, I hadn't claimed my seat at the table yet. Everyone just expected me to now that my father had been showing what a loose cannon he'd become. Apparently, there were enough lower lives who worked for our families who liked this new side of his diminishing strength. He probably thought they wanted to follow him, but I could see the wolves within the sheep's furs.
"I feel like I need to hide my jugular from their vicious snarls," Draven muttered in annoyance. The man probably wanted them to begin a brawl and pound someone's face in. "I'm also noting everyone who's worth mentioning so we can update Carlo, Augustus, and Rocco after we're done here."
"Your hope in our survival is commendable, Dray," I tutted. "People only act this thirsty when they know they're about to get to spill the blood of an enemy."
"Your keen awareness will help keep us alive," he returned. The dance floor had been full of people who gave us glaring looks when we walked by their coupling. So many were here that I never would've expected. I had half a mind to record their presence just to have the proof if we didn't make it out of here. The idea lingered in my pressing thoughts to the point, we tucked ourselves behind a column below the upper level.
With the grand staircase ahead of us, I could see who we needed to. Getting behind Draven, I placed my phone to record in the pocket of my tux. On my chest, I'd be able to gather enough evidence for our allies to help destroy later. Draven took an interest in my work, comprehending my idea. Not a single one of these families would live after tonight, not after siding with the wrong line of power.
Stepping back out into the room, I spun a small circle to capture everyone we needed to. It only took a few more minutes, but the band let their last song die off without starting another. My eyes took notice of the lower gang from Chicago standing in the room filled with ravenous ogres who wanted our titles. They had asked to join the table with me as their entry point, but now I wondered if this had been my father's plan all along. He wanted me to scorn them to gain their alliance.
