73

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE

GABRIELLE

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"You have to take me with you." I said, his reaction was immediate.

"No, you are staying here" He asserted, frowning.

I had only an hour to reach the location Derek had given to me. I was to come alone or he promised to kill everyone I cared about.

Derek seemed to have lost it, I was scared for Lucian's safety and my family's as well. I wanted to meet Derek, maybe I could make him change his mind, things don't have to end tragically between us.

"If he doesn't see me, he's going to kill them! We can't risk it, Lucian!" I urged as he yelled something to Devin about preparing the car. I started to speak again when he grabbed my arm, tilting my chin to meet his gaze.

"I'm not about to use you and our baby as bait!" He glares at me. "You are going to sit your pretty ass down here while I go get the job done! I will be back in an hour and I promise you that nothing will go wrong." He sounded confident that it was a very easy task, but why couldn't I dispel the deep-rooted fear branching out from my insides? We've faced dangerous situations before but this was the first time I was feeling this kind of anxious. As though something would awfully go wrong.

He planted a soft kiss on my lips, slowly melting my insides, I held on to him, returning the kiss as passionately as I could before Devin interrupted by knocking on the door.

Lucian didn't pull away immediately, he stared at me long and hard, promising to continue where we left off when he returns. I watched as he straighten to his feet and started to leave the room. My throat clogged up and I started to fight the urge to cry. I really couldn't tell if it was just the pregnancy hormone making me super worried and frightened.

Or maybe I shouldn't have to wait in this room and await his return. The idea started to form in my head. Lucian wouldn't like it but I was absolutely too anxious to think about that now.

The only way that I could be assured that everything was going smoothly was if only I went along with them.

But how?

I walked out of the room, glancing sideways. I avoided bumping into anybody until I reached outside. My eyes quickly scanned around to see Lucian, him along with Devin and several men, I analyzed the situation quickly to see they were going to leave in separate cars. None of them happened to be looking in my direction, their sole attention focused on Lucian as they listened to whatever he was saying. I saw my opportunity. I silently hurried towards one of the cars, popping the trunk open and the next second, I landed inside.

A few minutes later, the car started to move. I started to hear Lucian and Devin's voices.

Shit!

Why did I have to coincidentally enter the same car as them? I needed not to in any way draw their attention, so I stayed unmoving.

I couldn't tell exactly how much time passed, it had to be half an hour at least when I started to suffer from motion sickness. I felt dizzy and my stomach was tight with nausea.

I tried to control my breathing but it didn't work, the space around was too tight, the pungent odor of gas.

And I threw up.

"Did you hear something?" I heard Lucian say and silence followed. I forgot how to breathe, my heart pounding at a faster rate. No, he can't discover my presence!

I tried to clamp a hand over my mouth when another strong wave of nausea hit but it came out anyway. The ugly sounds of throwing up were very much loud in my ears.

"Hear that...stop the car!" Lucian yelled and the car screeched to a sudden halt. I felt as though my life ended when I heard the sound of the door being opened.

I didn't breathe.

No! no! no! no! no!

The trunk was yanked open and the first thing that met me was the barrel of a gun.

"It's me!" I shrieked aloud, tilting my head to see Lucian. His look of surprise quickly transformed to one of pure anger.

"What the fuck Brie! Have you fucking lost your mind!" He yelled.

~~~~~~~~~LUCIAN~~~~~~~~

I almost couldn't believe my god damned eyes, I wanted Brie to stay at home for her safety, to say I was shocked and fucking furious was an understatement. One moment and I could have shot her! What the hell was she thinking hiding in the trunk in her condition!

I pulled her out of the truck when it seemed she wasn't capable of doing it herself. She met my glare with a pleading and stubborn look.

"I was scared, I didn't want to leave you alone. Please don't make me go back."

She could be defiant about anything, but certainly fucking not this!

Time was also something that wasn't on my side, I couldn't leave Loretta in that bastard's hands for a few more seconds. We had planned to arrive at the location earlier to give us an advantage and I wasn't about to waste any more time by arguing with her.

I signaled to Devin who had gotten out of the car the same time I did.

"Take her back home!"

He looked surprised and almost reluctant, I hated too that I wasn't going to have my right hand with me which would very much require a change in plans but Brie's safety was more important than anything else right now.

"You can't go there alone! What are you saying!" She stared from me to Devin, perhaps hoping that he would help to convince me but Devin knew better than anyone that rarely do I change my decisions after I've decided. Besides, I could handle it fine, I've been in a lot worse situation than this.

"There's not much time, I will handle the situation, take her with you." I urged her towards him and she shouted. "No! You can't possibly let him leave, so why are you not saying anything to convince him rather than standing like a fucking stiff piece of wood!" She glared hard at Devin and I almost chuckled as I started to enter the car. Only just to reassure her did I add that I still had a few of my trusted men with me as a precaution against the unexpected.

The engine roared back to life and I sighed. She shouldn't blame me, if anything happens to her, I knew for certain that I wouldn't be able to live.

The cellphone which was with me the whole time vibrated with an incoming message. It was the bastard's reminder that she had only twenty minutes left. He wants something that belongs to me!

My wife! The thought still pisses me off and I could barely keep my rage in control, even then, I would applaud his boldness as he even dare to kidnap my sister or for him to think he could blackmail me!

He would spend the next few minutes thinking he ran this show and was in control.

He started this mistake, but I was going to end it, not to mention that it was something that I've always longed to do. The thought sent a cold smile on my lips, deep down in that part of my mind, he has always been my biggest rival, the root source of all the doubts that cloud my mind. When I get rid of him, even the merely human sympathy that Brie feels for him would all belong to me.

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