Matteo looked up at the security camera, and a concerned look crossed his face. He glanced over his shoulder again, double checking that no one was around, then he eased the gate open and tugged me inside. He led me over to a tall, thick bush and asked, “Help with what?”
“Is there a young woman in the house?” I didn’t want to say too much, but I needed to be clear, so I added, “Someone Antonio has locked away somewhere?”
“Whoa.” His eyes narrowed as he asked, “How did you know that?”
“Because I’m the reason she’s here.” I knew there was a good chance that he would refuse, but I had to try. “I gotta get her out of there. I need you to take me to her.”
“What!”
“I have to help her, Matteo. Her life is in danger because of me!” I didn’t have the time or luxury of going into lengthy detail about who Kiersten was or why she’d been taken, so I simply told him, “I have to help her, and there are only two ways I can do that. I can either turn myself in to Antonio and end this thing now, or I can...”
“You’re not turning yourself in!” Matteo fussed. “He’ll kill you if you do.”
“Then, you have to take me to her. It’s the only way.”
“You know what Antonio will do to us if he finds out!”
“Yes, I know perfectly well what he’ll do.” I reached over and placed my hand on his arm. “But it’s something I have to do. And if you help, I promise to make it worth your while.”
“And how are you gonna do that?”
“I’m going to help you get out of here. I’m going to help you start a new life and…”
“That’s never gonna happen, Everleigh.” He sounded utterly disheartened as he muttered, “I’m in this for good. Antonio’s never gonna let me walk away. You know that.”
“Yes, but he won’t be an issue— at least not for much longer.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I heard a couple of men’s voices off in the distance, which startled me. I feared we might have been seen, so I stepped further into the bushes as I urged, “I don’t have time to explain. You’re just going to have to trust me. Antonio won’t be a problem for much longer.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There are people who are upset with him for taking the girl. They’re coming for him.”
“Yeah, well, people have come for him before.”
“These guys are different.” I thought back to Viper and his brothers, remembering just how big and intimidating they were, and added, “These guys are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and they’re going to kill Antonio for taking her. No doubt about it, and if you’re still around when they get here, they’ll kill you, too.”
“You trying to scare me?”
“I’m just telling you like it is.” I reached up and placed the palm of my hand on his chest. “Please, Matteo. You don’t belong here.You never have. You know that. We both do.”
He took a moment to consider everything I said, then finally said, “She’s upstairs. I think I can get us up there without being seen, but we’re gonna have to be careful. If anyone sees us together, we’re both dead.”
“Understood.”
Matteo gave me a slight nod, then stepped out of the bushes. He scanned the premises making sure we were alone, then he took hold of my arm and tugged me forward, guiding me down a small dirt path. Matteo stopped several times along the way, making sure that we were in the clear as we made our way through the wooded area in front of Antonio’s house.
When we reached the clearing, Matteo positioned me at his side and used his body to shield me from the view of the security cameras. He bypassed the front of the house where several guards were congregated at the front steps and slipped around to the back. He tried to play it cool as he approached the back door, and after another quick look around, he led me inside.
I’d spent three years in that house, but it felt completely foreign to me as Matteo guided me through the kitchen and down a narrow hallway. Seconds later, we were making our way up a circular staircase. We’d only gone up a couple of steps when Matteo glanced back at me and whispered, “Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“That you stole all his money?”
“No, of course not!” I raked my teeth over my bottom lip with a wince. “It’s all there. I just kind of moved some of it around.”