His Twisted Heart by Ellie R Hunter
Chapter Forty-One
Victoria
My eyes are so heavy, but I dare not close them. All I need is an hour’s worth of sleep, but I continue to blink, fighting to keep them open.
Mason and Myles have been wriggling their restraints around their wrists, but it’s no use. They don’t free themselves, only tear at their skin. Their agitation grows with every minute that passes.
Dad’s more focused now, and Mom is just losing her shit.
The door opens a second time, and the fatigue that was just trying to crush me vanishes.
Eight masked men walk in and pair off, going to each one of my family members, apart from me and mom. We’re deemed not as much of a threat because we only have one masked guy untying us and hauling us to our feet.
Dad doesn’t attempt to fight, knowing we’re outnumbered, but the twins apparently haven’t thought that far ahead. They’re both quickly put on their asses and dragged back up to their feet.
I have no idea if we’re being told what’s happening next or not, but I don’t fight my captor and walk in the direction I’m being shoved in.
Through a series of corridors, there’s an open door at the end, and when I stumble through, the first thing I see is a plane. A freaking plane. My fear amplifies, thinking we’re about to be flown somewhere, when the guy holding my arm stops me at a certain point by the staircase leading up to the plane.
My family are positioned on either side of me, and the ropes restraining our wrists are cut. Myles takes advantage and swings his fist, but stops short when a gun is held to his head. The men who brought us out here hold guns to each of our heads. This is it. This is where I die. I should be grateful I’ll be leaving this world with a bullet to the head instead of being burned alive, but still, it’s a world I don’t want to leave.
Tears stream down my face, and the ground beneath begins to vibrate. Blinking the tears away as best I can, I look over to the enormous hangar doors as they open, and catch my breath when I see the club riding in.
A sliver of hope surfaces, and I feel Mason’s hand wrapping around mine. It brings a level of comfort, and his smile helps too.
With the club showing up, I hope this will all be over, and soon. My legs hurt from sitting in one position for too long, and I want to sleep for hours and hours.
They park in a semi-circle, Cas stopping in the centre, and I can’t help a small smile at how beautiful the club is when they’re all together like this. There’s nothing more powerful than these guys on a mission.
I look from member to member, and stop on Luca.
He’s already staring straight at me, and I swallow hard around the lump forming in my throat. He throws me a reassuring smile, and I hold on to it. We have so much to talk about, and I want to live long enough to hash things out with him.
Two SUVs drive in and stop by Cas and the club. The British guys climb out in their swanky suits, and movement in my peripheral catches my attention. More guys are walking off the plane, forming a line behind us.
The guy behind me nudges the gun harder against the back of my head, and I do as I’m nudged to do.
Cas and Sparky walk toward the British guys and start a conversation. I can’t quite read them from here, but I’m guessing he’s negotiating for our release. Or, at least, that’s what I’m hoping is going down.
I settle my gaze on Luca and focus on him. I take in the stark white patch on his cut and sigh in relief, seeing he’s been patched in. I remember when he vowed, he’d never join the club, and here he is, standing as a brother with them.
It sure looks good on him.
My eyes dart down to his hands when I see him slowly signing.
“In a minute, they’re going to swap you for the Brits. When they say, come straight to me.”
I don’t dare to sign back, but I give him a barely perceptible nod.
It all happens so fast. Mason’s hand tightens around mine, and then the gun is nudging my head harder as Mason pulls me forward. As we walk toward to the club, to Luca, Mason keeps hold of my hand and starts walking behind me, as if shielding me. I don’t look back, as I can’t hear what’s going on, but as we reach the van the prospects always drive, Luca is moving around the motorcycles, and is in front of me before I can blink.
I’m stunned stupid when he wraps his arms around me in front of everyone, but the shock is short-lived, and then his warm hands are framing my face before his lips crash onto mine. Again, it’s short-lived, but in this moment, I forget where we are and what’s going on.
Keeping his hands around my face, his thumb brushes over the bruise I got from the guy who knocked me out back home.
“Are you okay?” he mouths.
I nod, and before I can guess what’s going to shock the shit out of me next, he’s throwing me in the back of the van and into my mom’s waiting arms.
“Do not leave this fucking van!” he signs vehemently before moving for Mason and Myles.
They grab guns from a bag I didn’t see, and then move aside for Dad. Snatching up a gun that looks like it belongs in the middle of a war, he slams the door shut, and Mom’s hold on me tightens as she backs us up behind the driver’s seat.
I can’t help myself. I strain my head up to look out the window, and all I see is people shooting.