A Dangerous Game

by Sienna Grant

  “So, when did you start fucking my little sister Stef?”

  Looking across at my best friend, I grit my teeth and ignore him, concentrating on the road.

  “Can’t you remember?”

  “Watch it Ang, I’m not in the mood. I want to get Laura out of there and then we can talk about this.”

  “Why her? Why my sister? That’s what I don’t get….”

  “Not now, Angelo, I’m warning you.” Blocking his rambling out, I wait for Logan’s directions instead. Before I do something, I know I’ll probably regret.

  “It’s just sat back here, at the end of this lane Stef.”

  I pull over and we stake out the building for a while. A car leaves, wheel spinning through the wet leaves that have dropped to the ground.

  Once the car is out of sight, we get out of mine. I go around to the boot, loading up the guns and pass them off to Ethan and Logan. Until Angelo appears at my side.

  “Get in the car.”

  “No fucking way Stefano. I’m a part of this as much as you and you’ve never kept me out of anything before. I’m not going to let you down now.”

  With a huff, I pass him a gun.

  “It doesn’t seem like I have a choice now, does it?”

  He takes it from me and shoves it down the back of his trousers.

  “Well, come on then, let’s go get my sister.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Stefano

  Logan comes with me through the front, while Ethan goes with Angelo around the back. This place hasn’t been used for a long time; you can tell. In fact, I didn’t even think this old place was still here. I thought it had been knocked down years ago.

  I push open the rickety, wooden door and Logan goes in before me. I cock my gun in front of me, keeping it close to my body, with my finger on the trigger. I hear footsteps on the concrete floor, Logan turns back with his finger on his lips, then points his gun. I move from out of Logan’s shadow, to the other side of the room and wait.

  I see the shadow first coming around the corner, a big beefy bastard in a suit with a skinhead and tattoos. Logan wastes no time at all in grabbing him and putting him in a headlock. Putting the barrel of the gun into his back, he pulls the trigger, making him slump to the floor. Logan kicks him, rolling him away from us.

  We walk through to the next room until I come to a door. There’s a padlock through a lock, a new one by the looks of it. Pointing my gun, I shoot the lock and go through. I look around me, but I miss the guy rushing up the stairs at me. Obviously, he’s come to see what the commotion is. Balling my fist, I hit him square in the face. It knocks him back down the stairs, hitting every step on the way down. I follow him back down, pointing my gun at him. I see the look of fear in the fuckers eyes as I reach him, which makes me happy, it gives me at least some satisfaction.

  “Where is she?”

  “Fuck you.”

  I sigh, “No, fuck you.” I pull back the trigger. The bullet hits his chest, as the redness of his blood begins spreading out and filling his shirt. I watch him take his last breath, then walk away.

  Turning a corner, I notice another door. I hear some kind of commotion at the other side, but I dismiss it and carry on.

  “Stefano.” Logan shouts. I look back and then back at the door.

  “Fuck.” I turn and go back the way I came, until I reach the top of the stairs. I follow it back through, until I’m back in the first room. Rhys and one of his guys have Logan at gunpoint.

  “Well, well, well, Rhys, we meet again…”

  “Yeah only this time you’re the one that’s going to end up with a bullet in them, not me - and I’ll make sure you’re dead before I walk away.”

  “Big words. My question is though, can you stand by them?”

  Cocking my head to the side I wait for his answer.

  “You see, I let you go and I see now that was foolish on my part. I understand that, but that was your chance to walk away from all this…”

  Tightening my hand around the gun, my finger rests on the trigger…

  “This time, you’ll be leaving in a fucking body bag.” My hand is that quick, I shoot the other guy in the head. Logan watches him fall to the floor. Even though I shout Logan’s name, he isn’t quite quick enough to stop Rhys hobbling away.”

  “Fuck it.”

  “No-one is to touch him - he’s mine.” I look around, “Where’s Ethan and Angelo?” Logan shrugs. I make my back through to the basement door, “Find them. Now.”

  I don’t wait for his reply; I open the door and head back down the stairs.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Laura

  I have to force my eyes open; my eyelashes are sticking together. My whole body is shaking, shivering. My clothes are torn, my body aches - I don’t think I can take much more of this.

  Where is Stefano?

  In my nervous state, I think I hear whispers at the door, but I dismiss them. Wrapping my arms tighter around my body, I pull my knees into my chest and hug them as tight as I can. I want to cry, but I don’t think I have any tears left, instead they burn. It’s probably from the rancid smell of pee from the dirty bucket in the corner, a feral animal wouldn’t be allowed to live in these conditions.

  A loud bang comes at the door, making me jump. Oh god, I hope it’s not Rhys. Bullets fly through the door, I can’t move, my body is frozen. I hear two, maybe three sets of footsteps, but I really can’t tell and I’m too scared to look. I keep my hands pressed tightly against my face. When I hear the door crashing open as it hits the wall - my stomach drops and my mouth fills with saliva…

  Oh god is this it? Is he going to kill me...?

  I hear the gunshot, but I don’t feel anything, surely, I’d feel something…

  “Laura?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Stefano

  The sight in front of me has me wanting to rip every one of the O'Connor's to fucking pieces, limb from limb. Pointing my gun at the wall, I shoot the chain that’s binding her.

  She keeps her head down, her face planted against her knees.

  “Laura?”

  She freezes, her head turns to the side when I call her name again, her eyes widening in shock. I rush over to her and drop to my knees at her side.

  “Stefano.” Her voice is croaky… “Oh my god. I didn’t think you’d come for me.” Her chin trembles and without wasting another second, I pull her against my chest, my arms wrapping around her. Fuck sakes, I’ve missed her.

  “Fuck, I’m so sorry.” Loosening my hold, I shrug out of my jacket putting it around her shoulders. “I was so scared I’d lost you.”

  Logan runs in through the broken door that’s hanging from its hinges.

  “We have to get out of here now.”

  It's time to put Logan’s SAS skills to good use. Shielding her, I ask her to turn her face away and put her hands on the floor. The sounds of metal hitting concrete reach us both, as Logan shoots the chain that’s binding her wrists. She quickly puts her scratched and bleeding arms into my jacket and I pull it on, covering her up. Clutching at the lapels, I pull them together, hiding her torn and bruised skin. Turning over my hand, I brush the backs of my knuckles down the side of her face, her tears falling freely down her cheeks. I steal a small kiss from her dry and chapped lips.

  “Can you stand?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “I’ll carry you.”

  Climbing to my feet, I lift Laura into my arms and stand. Cradling her against my chest, her head falling against my shoulder.

  “Keep your face down, I don’t need you seeing anymore shit than you already have.”

  With Logan behind me, we head back up the stairs. We walk into the main room, where Angelo and Ethan are guarding the doors as we run in. A shot comes from nowhere and Laura screams as she watches Ethan go down.

  “Fuck.” I shout out.

  I look around and see the fucker behind the wall. I nod to Logan. He points his gun and shoots,
hitting the fucker in the shoulder. I pass Laura off to Angelo.

  “Take your sister to the car and be careful.”

  “No. I’m not leaving without you Stef.” Laura cries.

  “I’m having no arguments.”

  I look behind me, Logan has his foot on the gunman on the floor, with his gun trained on him.

  “Go.” I place a kiss on her forehead. Angelo doesn’t miss the kiss and doesn’t disguise his disgust either. He still gives me a look that could kill me on the spot. He moves with his sister in his arms and rushes out of the door.

  I check on Ethan first and make sure he’s okay. Then go over to the bastard on the floor wriggling beneath Logan’s foot. I smile and point my gun at him.

  He tries to get free, but it’s no good, Logan is like a brick wall, which is why I wanted him with me. I think Angelo would turn his gun on me at the moment, he’s a little temperamental. I can’t say I blame him...

  “Di Marco, we meet again…”

  Spinning around I come face to face with Rhys Duffy again.

  “It seems the tables have turned this time. This time I going to do exactly what I said.”

  There are two burly guards behind him and there’s only me and Logan, it’s not looking good.

  “Drop the guns.” Duffy demands, in his Irish accent.

  With a sigh, I do as he says and drop the gun to the ground. I see movement from behind them, as Ethan reaches for his gun. He points the gun up at one of Duffy’s men and fires. I charge at Duffy, knocking him from his crutch. We both go crashing to the ground. One of the guards falls to the floor next to us, as Logan is fighting with the other guy. Another shot is fired, but I can’t tell where it’s come from…

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Angelo

  I look to Laura as I hear another shot fired.

  “Shit.”

  “Oh my god Ang, do you think he’s okay?”

  I shouldn’t be bothered if Stefano isn’t alright after what he’s done, but I can’t help it. He’s my best friend and has been for years - it’s always been us against everyone. This started with us and it’ll stay with us.

  I can see the car from where I am, I run a little faster towards it, I know what I have to do. Finding the fob to the car, I unlock it and open the back door. I lay Laura down on the back seat.

  “Where are you going? You can’t leave me. What if they find me again?”

  “Laur, I have to go back and make sure he’s okay. Stay low and don’t move.”

  I don’t wait for her to answer, instead I shut the door and make my way back across the sodden ground, ducking down as I reach the door. I peer through the cracks in the wooden boards that are covering up the window at the front, but I can’t see what I need to. Running to the other side of the door, I peek around it seeing Stefano on the floor and Logan is grappling with a gun with another one.

  Running over to the nearest wall, I squat down and aim my gun, but I’m not sure who to get first. Stefano hits who I think is Rhys Duffy with his gun, knocking him back to the ground. Getting up, he shoots the one fighting with Logan, but I see it before Stefano does. The gun fires, aiming for Stef, I launch myself at him, knocking him back to the ground. The bullet misses him and lodges itself into the wall. From the ground, I twist my body and shoot at Duffy.

  “Fuck you, you Irish cunt.”

  The bullet buries itself into his chest and he slumps back to the ground. Coughing and spluttering, choking on his own blood.

  “Fuck me.” Stefano gasps, “You ever thought of playing rugby?” Stefano puffs out, as he holds his ribs, gasping for breath.

  “You could just say thanks for saving your life.” We bicker.

  I get up from the floor and hold a hand out in front of me. Joining our hands together, I pull him up to his feet. Stefano turns around with his gun in hand and turns it on Duffy. He’s just holding on, the blood continuing to pump out of him. As his gaze switches between Stefano and the barrel of the gun.

  “I should have done this the first time. This is for Laura you fucking sack of shit…”

  Pulling the trigger, the bullet lands right between his eyes. A satisfactory smirk forming on Stefano’s face, he then turns to me...

  “Help Ethan up.”

  Helping Ethan from the ground, we turn back as Stefano as he’s helping Logan up. It looks like he’s been shot in the thigh. Apart from the blood soaking through Ethan’s shirt from the wound in his shoulder, he seems to be alright.

  We both take an arm, place it around our shoulders and walk him to the door. We hear rustling in the leaves outside. I transfer Logan's weight to Stefano, go to the edge of the door and look out, I can’t see anyone.

  “Come on, we need to get out of here.”

  Putting Logan’s arm back around me, we run to the cars as quick as we can. Before we reach them, the other car starts to smoke, we stop dead in our tracks - within seconds there’s fire blazing. Stefano looks to me with pure dread on his face.

  “Laura.” Stefano booms.

  As we’re running over to the car, I remember it’s the wrong one and that I put her in the other. I shout to Stef to tell him and the sigh of relief is evident. We pile in the other car as quick as we can and I jump in the driver’s side. While Logan sits in the passenger seat, Stefano and Ethan take the back.

  “Burn it.” Stefano demands from the backseat. Me and Ethan jump back out of the car and I grab the stuff from the boot. I go back inside, spread the petrol around, covering the dead bodies. Ethan shoves a rag into the neck of the petrol can and lights it, while I throw the other inside. Striking a match, I drop it on Rhys Duffy’s body.

  “Burn, you Irish motherfucker.”

  Ethan holds the bottle in his good hand and I light the rag, dropping it to the ground, we both then run as quick as we can from the building. By the time we reach the car again, the whole building is in flames.

  Watching through the rear-view mirror in the middle of the windscreen, Stef has his arm around Laura tucked into his side… He rests his mouth against her head, his eyes closing as he holds her. I can’t seem to drag my gaze from them. I know I have to get us away from here, I start the engine and drive us away and back to safety.

  My sister is safe, that’s all that matters right now.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Laura

  My eyes open slightly, just enough to see the white of the walls around me. They’re so bright, it hurts my eyes to look at them. The last thing I remember seeing was Stefano, he was holding me against him.

  Where am I?

  I hear the hushed voices in the room.

  “Look at her Stefano. That’s my baby sister lying in that bed. They might have taken her, but how was she even on their radar? They had no reason to even put her in the picture.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me Angelo? You don’t think that the O’Connor’s know that she’s related to you? Do you not think that they’ve been watching every move, any of us have made?”

  Blinking my eyes to help clear my vision, my eyes water. Through blurry eyes, I see Stefano and Angelo having what looks like a standoff…

  “They had no reason to.”

  “Why do you think her and Rhys Duffy became friends? She met him in my club on the same night that Kelly O’Connor showed her face… coincidence? I don’t fucking, think so. It was nothing but a big fuck you to me. The only thing we can do is protect her better, because this is far from over, do you hear….”

  His nostrils flare at the disgust he has for me at the moment,

  “While you’re blaming me, let’s take a look at a few facts, shall we? The day she was taken she asked you for a lift and what did you say to her?”

  The silence is overpowering, I can feel myself drifting back to sleep... I try to fight it but I can’t. The need to sleep is too much…

  Chapter Thirty

  Stefano

  Seeing Laura lie there in that bed is killing me. In the back of the car I held her against m
e, as she sank into sleep. I knew she needed a doctor, so I brought here. The bullet that hit me only skimmed my shoulder, but the force of it was enough to knock me to the ground, hitting my head on the floor.

  Doctor Beckett is on our payroll, he would make her better. Once she’s discharged, there would be no record of this hospital visit. She has one nurse assigned to her that had to sign an non-disclosure agreement.

  “I told her no. I told her I was busy.” Angelo brings me back to the conversation we were having.

  I turn my focus back on Angelo.

  “So maybe it’s your fault she lying there then. I got there too late because you,” my index finger jabs into his chest, “Couldn’t be bothered to stop what you were doing…”

  “The way I remember it Stefano, I was working for you and going by your orders.”

  “You knew that she was wasn’t to be left alone or to walk anywhere.” I fire back. “If you couldn’t go, you should have got someone else to...

  “Angelo, Stefano, what the bloody hell do you think you’re doing? My daughter is lying unconscious in a hospital bed and all you two can do is throw blame around.” Angelo’s mother cuts me off angrily as she walks in and steps between us. I didn’t even hear the door open…

  “This is not helping. Outside now.” She orders. I know that tone. I remember when we were kids and she used to tell us off… I’m not arguing with her, I’m not that stupid, instead I follow her out.

  Before closing the door behind me, I take one last look at her. She’s sleeping soundly, so being the man I am, I face the wrath of Martina Giordano.

  “So, who’s going to explain first?” Martina looks furiously between us, waiting for an explanation.

  Angelo and I glare at one another, not wanting to answer first, so I step up to the plate.