Vincent (28 page)

Chapter Fifty-Two

The Difference Between Life and Death

“How in the fuck did this happen?” Nero looked at Elle when Vincent came in with Lake and Adalyn.

“Holy shit, this is insane!” Adalyn ran through the place, going straight up to the wall of glass windows and putting her hands and face on the glass to look down at the city.

Lake smiled at Nero. “Don’t worry. Chloe and Maria are coming, too.”

Elle gave Nero a kiss on the cheek before he started to throw real daggers at Lake instead of with his eyes. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

“Yes, you fucking will.” Nero looked at her, the way of how she was going to make it up to him clear in his green eyes.

Lake heard something on the other side of the door and watched Vincent go and open it. Amo and Chloe were on the other side of the door, laughing.

“See you later.” Amo grinned down at her, letting it be known that he was going to be the one to take her back home, as well.

Chloe looked back up at him and smiled. “That sounds good.”

Lake had never seen Amo smile, like
really
smile, before that moment. In the short time since she had met Chloe, she honestly didn’t believe she had seen one from her like that, either.
Go Team Amo!

Chloe came into the room, shyly saying hi to everyone before she ran off with Elle to go find wherever the hell Adalyn had gone.

Lake went to go with them, but her hand was caught by Vincent and she was pulled into a very hot and too-quick kiss.

He slapped her ass lightly when he pulled his mouth off hers. “Be good.”

“Yeah, and don’t give Elle any more fucking ideas,” Nero warned her.

Lake ran halfway up the stairs, out of harm’s way before she answered both of them, “No promises!” She giggled up the rest of the stairs to find Adalyn sitting in the bottom of the huge, empty bathtub.

Adalyn looked like she was about to cry. “I am never going to be able to take a bath the same way again.”

*  *  *

Vincent watched Lake giggle off upstairs, making him smile.

Nero pointed his finger at him. “That’s the fucking problem right there. You think it’s cute when she does shit like that, and it eggs her on.”

As much as he didn’t like admitting it, “It is pretty cute.” That was one of the many things which had drawn him to her, especially when she wasn’t doing things that could get her potentially killed. Then again, Nero was on the verge of killing her but he couldn’t, so that was just icing on the cake for him.

“It is,” Amo agreed, siding with Vincent.

Nero rolled his eyes. “Let’s go before I decide to be an asshole and stay to make sure Lake doesn’t get them in trouble.”

“I could stay,” Amo was quick to offer his services.

“Fuck no, you’re not.” Vincent pushed his biggest friend out the front door.

Nero shut the door behind him. “No fucking way. We’d come back to find you fucking all of them.”

Amo kept his mouth shut, not confirming or denying Nero’s statement.

And that right there is why Amo will never fucking be allowed to be alone with Lake.

*  *  *

They were all having a great time sitting on the floor upstairs, eating pizza and watching TV on the huge screen Elle had made Nero put in the bedroom so she could watch all her favorite movies in bed. Well, all of them minus Maria; she had gotten a stomach bug.

Lake swallowed the huge bite of pizza in her mouth. “So, Chloe, do you like Amo?”

Chloe looked at her, her face turning red. “N-no, he’s just my friend.”

“Vincent was just my friend at first, too.”

“It’s not like that.” She looked at the ground, her face still red.

Lake took another huge bite of her pizza. “Well, what about Lucca? Do you like him?”

Chloe looked back up at her, and her eyes grew big. “No way. He s-scares me.”

Lake looked at her in pity. The poor girl didn’t know what was coming her way, but she had to at least give her a warning.

“Vincent scares me, too.”

A loud gulp escaped Chloe’s throat before she took a nervous bite of her pizza.

Pop.

Lake looked around to see if anyone had heard a noise, but no one seemed to have noticed.

“Shh…” she said quietly, going for the remote to turn down the TV a few notches.

They all went dead silent.

Pop. Pop.

The noise was a quiet gunshot followed by the front door squeaking open.

Faces of horror stared back at her, their heartbeats pounding as one.

Her instincts kicked in, knowing she had to do something other than sit there and die.

“Bathroom,” she mouthed more than whispered, giving them the motion to crawl.

A shocked Chloe wouldn’t budge so Elle crawled over to her, pulling on her shirt to move. Finally, she inched forward, and Lake crawled behind them.

As she passed the bed, she quickly reached up and grabbed Elle’s cell phone off the mattress.

Adalyn was the first to reach the bathroom. Opening the door slowly to avoid any sounds, she crawled in with Chloe going in behind her, Elle following, and finally, Lake came in last.

As she crawled in, her mind quickly ran through scenarios. All but two of them ended in too much spilled blood. She shut the door behind her, looking around to see if anything could be placed in front of the door. Nothing. Only one scenario remained.

She handed Elle her phone then whispered to them all, “Call Nero. Then get in the tub and keep your heads down.”

Elle hurriedly pressed the buttons, putting it to her ear while simultaneously trying to get a paralyzed Chloe in the bathtub.

Lake turned back toward the door, the small window of time closing.

“Where are you going?” Adalyn whispered harshly as she crawled into the end of the tub.

She put her hand on the doorknob.

“Nero, someone’s h-here. I think they have a gun,” Elle whispered into the phone, trying not to cry.

“Lake!” Adalyn tried to crawl out but Elle was halfway on top of her, trying to give Chloe the most room.

Turning the knob, she opened the door and locked it for when she closed it. She crawled out of the door, turning back to see tears run down Adalyn’s face as well as Elle’s while she tried to hold Adalyn still. It finally hit her in that moment why she could relate to Elle.

Elle had been tortured like her. Too familiar with frightening scenarios like this, her instinct was to protect Chloe and now Adalyn. She couldn’t see it before, because Elle’s happiness with Nero had soothed her scars from the past.

Closing the door an inch, Chloe was all she could see. She sat in the tub, holding her knees to her chest, nothing but a motionless, blank stare on her marred face. Lake knew the torture she and Elle had experienced could never be compared to the pain and torment Chloe had been forced to suffer. There was nothing in this world that could soothe her scars.

Making the ultimate sacrifice, she brought the door to a close, unwilling to let anyone hurt Chloe again.

*  *  *

Nero pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Here we fucking go. Lake already…”

Vincent watched a flash of terror cross over Nero’s eyes. Knowing something had gone terribly wrong in his gut, he ran toward the elevator, pushing everyone out of his path.

Seeing two men load onto the elevator, he pushed his legs harder to stop the doors from closing.

“Get the fuck off!” he growled at the two men, already moving to punch in the code to send them to the top.

Nero and Amo were right behind him, throwing the stunned men off the elevator and letting them fall to the ground.

The doors slid to a close as their heavy breathing filled the air.

God, don’t you fucking dare take her away from me.

*  *  *

Looking around the bedroom, relief flooded her that the gunman hadn’t made it up the steps to see her come out, and that it was too late for Adalyn to leave, the risk of getting Elle and Chloe hurt too great. The bathroom door could easily be broken into with one pop of the gun, but she had a chance of them being saved. If she could distract the gunman until help came, she might save their lives.

It just came with a price.

Think, think, think!

Sneaking across the floor, she went straight to Nero and Elle’s huge walk-in closet, grabbing a lamp that sat on top of a chest along the way. She then wedged herself behind the closet door, leaving it open.

The creaking of the stairs sounded in her ears. Lake gripped the lamp, turning her knuckles and fingertips a ghostly white as she stared at the open door in front of her.

The creaking ceased.

Be strong.

Faint footsteps padded on the bedroom floor.

She took a calming breath, and then her foot slammed the closet door closed.

Then, heavy footsteps padded right outside the door.

You are strong.

The door swung open.

Lake found peace with whatever fate she was going to meet. Sacrificing herself for her best friend, a protector who deserved protecting, and a broken girl who shouldn’t have a hand laid on her was a good way to go out.

She flung the door right back, swinging the lamp with all her force at the dark figure which had entered the room.

Pop. Pop.

*  *  *

The elevator moved, rising to the top. They were locked in until it came to a stop.

“What the fuck happened?” Vincent growled at Nero.

Nero squeezed the phone as he punched in numbers. “She said someone fucking broke in with a gun before she hung up.”

Vincent stared at the crack between the doors, envisioning them opening.

“Lucca, where are you?” Nero asked with hope in his voice. His voice then filled the tiny space again with that hope gone. “The girls. Someone broke in. We’re in the elevator…” He pulled the phone away from his face.

Vincent squeezed his jaw shut to the point he felt pain.

Amo clenched his hands, wanting to know what Vincent would rather not hear. “Where is he?”

“First floor.” Nero crushed the phone in his hands.

Lucca had been their last shot. There was no point calling anyone else at that point. Dante or anyone who could be in his office or in the security room would arrive at the same time they would.

He stepped up to the door, his face an inch away, every second feeling like an eternity.

Open!

Open!

Open!

Open!

Fuck
!

The elevator stopped.

The crack started to open just like he had envisioned. Vincent twisted his body, getting off at the fastest possible second. A second could mean the difference between life and death.

Everything slowly started to blur together as he ran down the hallway, seeing a lifeless body of a fellow made man on the ground. He ran through the broken door and up the stairs.

The moment his eyes landed on Lake, the rage overtook his body. Vincent’s mind lost all control and he accepted it, greeting his old friend again.

*  *  *

Lake had successfully beaten the intruder with the lamp enough so the gun had fallen onto the floor, but not without going off a couple of times.

Run!
She took the opportunity to open the door while he looked at the gun sliding across the floor. If she could lure him out and possibly downstairs, then the lives in the bathroom would be saved.

She had only made it halfway out before she came crashing to the floor, a body falling down on top of hers.

Reaching for the lamp to beat him upside his head again, her body was quickly snatched and turned around. Facing the intruder with him looking down on her, she could tell he was made. That look in their eyes gave it away every time.

“Where the fuck is she?” the crazed made man asked.

Fuck you!
She fought him tooth and nail, kicking, scratching, and even managing to bite him when his arm got too close.

“You little bitch!” he roared, closing his hands over her throat.

No amount of kicking and scratching could pry his hands off her. She started to feel the life drain out of her…

Slowly…

Slowly…

Chapter Fifty-Three

The Sound Of Bone Obliterating Into Thousands Of Bits

Everything was blurry from her life force almost being gone. She couldn’t see it, but she could feel something change. The pressure of the man on her stomach was gone, the tightness around her throat released, and the numbness on her body started to wear off.

“Lake.” Amo gently shook her chin.

Lake blinked up at him before she quickly sat up, grabbing at her throat.

“You okay? Where are the girls?” Amo asked, helping her sit up straight.

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m fine! They’re in the bathroom.” She spoke hoarsely. All she wanted was for him to make sure they were okay.

When he moved away from her vision, she was finally able to take in her surroundings. Nero was already at the bathroom door, kicking it free. Amo was right behind him, going in. Her eyes moved over and terror filled her at watching Vincent violently punch the man to a pulp, a small pool of blood already forming around his head.

Her gaze dashed over to see Lucca running up the stairs.

“Don’t you dare kill that fucker.” Lucca pulled a fighting Vincent off.

His wild eyes finally met hers, sending a shiver down her spine. As he walked closer to her, Vincent’s appearance slowly softened.

He dropped to his knees in front of her. “Baby, please don’t be afraid of me.”

Tears flooded her eyes, the horror of what she had gone through finally taking its toll.

His warm embrace circled her, and she melted against his skin. Lake was finally safe.

Hearing footsteps again, a man dressed in a suit she hadn’t seen before came up the stairs holding a bat. “Fuck, man. He got Al. They should be cleaning him up no…” His voice trailed off when he saw the scene with all the girls.

Lucca took the bat out of his hands. “Thanks, Sal.” Then he crashed it down over the leg of the man lying on the floor.

The sound of bone obliterating into thousands of bits was the worst sound imaginable. She held her hands over her ears, trying to drown out the noise as she stuck her face harder into Vincent’s chest.

“Enough!” Vincent yelled.

Lucca smashed the bat over his other leg.

“Fuck! That’s enough!” Amo was the one to yell that time.

Lucca reared the bat back one more time but stopped midair, his attention going to the scene in the bathroom.

Lake peeked her head out to see Elle in the same position as her, though in Nero’s arms. Adalyn was standing, dried tears on her face and her jaw almost to the ground. Chloe was still in the bathtub with a blank stare on her face as she watched Lucca with the bat in his hands.

Lucca squeezed the neck of the bat.

She barely managed to turn her head back away before the sound of bone crushing greeted her ears one last time. Not until the sound of the bat hitting the ground did she look up again.

Lucca inhaled deeply, using both of his hands to slick back the loose strands of his long, black/brown hair, which had fallen around his face. “Now, that’s fucking enough.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat, wondering how many nightmares she was going to have of him.
The Boogieman.
Lake had heard Elle refer to him as the boogieman, taking the nickname as a joke at first, but right then she fully understood that, in fact, it wasn’t a fucking joke at all.

Adalyn was the first one to move. She took small and very slow steps until she was finally past Lucca then ran over to Lake as fast as she could. She plopped down beside them, taking Lake into one of her death grips of a hug.

Vincent hugged them together, placing a kiss on each of their heads.

Adalyn started to tear up again, breaking the hug to gently shake Lake. “I should kill you for what you did!”

Everyone went silent, looking at her.

“What did she do?” Vincent asked what was on everyone’s minds.

Don’t tell him!
she pleaded with her eyes.

“She got us to get down in the bathroom but decided to go all badass and leave, locking us in.” Adalyn hugged her tightly again.

Dammit, Adalyn.

Lake hugged her friend back. She was glad the last memory of her crying, trying to escape the bathtub, wasn’t going to be her last.

Elle, who was trying to bring Chloe to life, stood and went into the bedroom yet stopped to stare at Lucca who was smoking a cigarette.

“Don’t think about telling me to put it out. You have no fucking clue how many flights of stairs I just ran up.” Lucca’s voice was cold.

“I wasn’t.” Elle quickly ran past him, exactly how Adalyn had, then repeated the same thing by plopping down to give Lake a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Lake hugged her back, knowing she was thanking her more for saving Chloe’s life than her own. “You’re welcome.”

After Elle got up to head back to the bathroom. Lake looked at Vincent. It was written all over his face that he didn’t like how she had risked her life.

Finally, Amo and Elle managed to get Chloe out of the bathtub.

“Let’s get you home.” Amo took his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders, careful not to touch her.

Chloe clutched the jacket to her as she started walking with Amo.

She saw the silent ‘thank you’ Amo had given her. She saw the terrified look in Chloe’s eyes as she passed Lucca. She saw Lucca’s fury staring back.

Amo and Lucca were two different people battling for one broken girl. Amo changed around Chloe, becoming a better man. Lucca, however, wasn’t going to change, showing her exactly the man he was.

“Sal, will you take Adalyn home?” Vincent asked, trying to break the tension in the air.

“Sure,” he answered.

Adalyn gave Lake and Vincent one last hug before getting up. “Um, is he dead?” she asked, pointing at the elephant in the room.

Lucca threw his cigarette butt on top of him. “No, I need him alive.”

That’s not creepy at all…

Adalyn grimaced. “A ‘no’ would have been fine.” Then she quickly ran away.

Sal laughed, following behind her.

Vincent then got up off the floor, helping Lake up with him.

“Did he say anything?” Lucca asked, flicking out his Zippo to light the end of another cigarette between his teeth.

Lake took a moment, thinking back. “He just asked where
she
was.”

“Maria was going to come, but she got sick,” Nero revealed to Lucca, information he had learned from Elle just a little bit before.

That was exactly who Lake had thought the intruder was talking about. She and Elle were new girlfriends to soldiers. No one would dare to piss on the mafia’s front door steps for them.

Lucca took a long hit. “I’ll clean this fucker up.”

“Oh, there’s a gun in the closet,” she pointed out.

Vincent growled, taking her hand. “Let me know if that motherfucker talks.”

Smoke filled the air as Lucca exhaled. “He will.”

Lake tried not to think about whether the man deserved what was coming to him as they all walked down the steps.
No one deserves Lucca’s brutality.

Going out the broken front door and to Vincent’s beside it, she started to go inside when Nero stopped her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Thank you for keeping her safe.”

“You’re welcome, Nero.” She hugged him back once the shock wore off.

“See you tomorrow, Elle?” She smiled at her.

Elle smiled back. “Ye—”

“Don’t push it,” Nero told her, taking Elle’s hand and going back down the hallway in a hurry. “She’ll be busy.”