♥️

"It's time." Leo says casually, looking at his watch. I nod, making my way towards a waitress with Leo in tow. We pass through a crowd of drunk dancing women, throughout the night people have become more relaxed, sloppier. My heart pounds as we make our way to her, I hope no one can tell.

She smiles as we walk up to her, Leo slings an arm around my shoulder. We've been at this party for hours, it's well past two in the morning. Everyone is wasted. She greets us and I giggle, acting drunk.

Leo says, "Ci siamo trovati benissimo, andrebbe bene se portassimo a casa una bottiglia del tuo vino con noi? Mia moglie lo adora." (We have had a wonderful time; would it be okay if we took home a bottle of your wine with us? My wife loves it.)

She smiles happily, gesturing for us to follow her down the stairs. We've been paying attention to the basement door. Everyone quit going down over an hour ago, but they're so proud of their wine we knew they wouldn't mind letting us down one last time to get a bottle to take home.

With each step; I become more nervous. The closer I get to Aiden the more scared I become that everything will be ripped away from me again.

I step aside as we walk through the doors into the empty wine cellar. The dim light illuminates the dusty bottles and stonework. I watch the door as it closes, making sure no one followed us.

I peek down the hallway and see that the coast is clear. "Now." I say in a quiet voice. Leo nods and places a rag over the woman's mouth. She collapses in his arms and he gently lays her on the floor, I don't know what was on the rag or where he even held it but I'm thankful when she doesn't make a peep.

"Stay here." He orders me, pointing to where I stand. I shake my head, too terrified to be alone. Rolling his eyes, he grabs my hand and we creep down the stone corridor. A dim light illuminating our way, the party goes on upstairs while we slide underneath quiet as mice.

Before we reach the arch Leo places a finger over his lips gesturing for me to not make a sound, I give him a slight nod.

He pulls out his gun and twist something on the end, a silencer. His body twist around the side and I hear the ting of the bullet whizzing out of the gun but no pop. A thud hits the ground.

When Leo relaxes his stance, I rush inside the room diving in front of Aiden. His emerald eyes boring into mine. "Emilia, sweetheart. Look at me okay? Don't look around." Aiden gently orders me, and I nod my head slightly, not wanting to see any bodies.

His voice has a slight tinge of panic, something I'm not used to hearing come from him. I hear movement behind me and Aiden snaps his finger before I turn my head. Thankfully, it was just Leo getting a set of keys. I sit on my knees in front of Aiden, he doesn't take his eyes off of me except for one quick moment.

He trains his eyes on Leo with a murderous expression. "Bring her somewhere safe and come back for me." he states, his tone speaks finality.

Leo ignores him as he holds the heavy keychain circle, looking for one that would match the rusty chains Aiden is bound inside. I look him over, shaking my head. "I'm not leaving without you."

With a sigh, "Fuck, I missed you so much baby." He goes to move toward me and he's pulled back by his restraints, a low growl emanates in his chest. I push his hair from his face, giving him a calming look even though my heart is ready to burst.

His face softens, Leo continues to fumble with the keys and finally the lock clicks open. My heart starts beating again as Aiden's hands are released from the chains. For one blissful moment he brings both hands to cup my cheeks, his expression in disbelief as his jade eyes search my body.

Without saying a word, he removes his hands from me and pushes himself off the ground. I look up at him, admiring his tall frame as he stands in front of me. He quickly puts on the jeans Leo throws at him, his body towering over me as he wraps one hand around my waist and one around my face, covering my eyes.

His hands guide me out of the room, he only removes them when there are no bodies in sight. "This way." Leo says, gesturing back down the hallway we came from. Aiden doesn't look at me as he pushes us down the dark corridor in silence.

A man rounds a corner, his surprised expression making my nails dig into Aiden's arm. He steps in front of me shielding me as Leo hits him with the back of the gun, knocking him out. Aiden grunts, cursing under his breath as he reaches back to check on me.

He's bent over and I can feel one of his hands against my stomach and one on my leg as if he's about to carry me but then his hand slides up my dress. "What the fuck is this?" He asks as he pulls the gun from where it's tucked inside the fabric against my leg, his eyes narrowed. I shrug, not knowing how to explain.

Aiden turns his attention to Leo, "Why in the fuck does she have a gun?" He asks him, Leo opens his mouth to speak but Aiden stops him, placing the gun in his hand and shaking his head. He knows it isn't the time.

My knees begin to shake as we make our way to another set of doors. Leo looks between them, deciding. Aiden grunts, pushing him aside and choosing for him. Luckily, he was right.

And we're out.

Aiden's hand is clamped firmly around mine as we make our way through the vineyard in the back. The grape vines scratching my legs as we walk. My heels dig into the dirt making it hard for me to match both of the men's long strides.

Aiden can tell I'm struggling as he lifts me over his shoulder, running. "Put me down." I say to him, I know he's injured. I can see what they've done to him.

"Not a chance." He runs beside Leo, holding me firmly as we make our way through a dense forest. Finally breaking out into the quiet sleeping city, then he sets me down.

We walk for a mile in complete silence until we reach a dark alley, we slide in and take a moment to breathe.

Why is Aiden letting go of my hand?

And why does he have Leo pinned against the wall?

♥️