Unbound (The Dominator 3)

“Shh,” I pulled her with me back out into the alcove.

My eyes were still fucking burning a little but it was dissipating.

I heard sirens moving in. I called Nino. He answered on the first ring.

“T! Fuck man.” I heard sirens even louder in the background. Good.

“Nino, third bomb happening in less than five minutes. Maybe much less. Don’t know from where.”

“Fuck. I’ll tell the fire department.”

I was at Dex and my sister. Two guys were pulling the boards off Dex and he was now free. But he wasn’t moving.

People were moving a little. Some, anyway. I didn’t know where this bomb was detonating from or how bad this was gonna be. I needed to get us the fuck out. I saw we were clear to get behind the bar. There was shit on the floor. Broken bottles and glasses, light fixtures dangling, two people lying on the ground looking dead or unconscious but there was still space to get around them. A couple people had their phones on and the space was illuminated a bit.

“That way; there’s a fire exit by the bathrooms on the other side of this bar.” I hoped I was right. I’d toured the place twice so I was pretty sure.

Dex was in rough shape but I hauled him over my shoulders, fireman-hold style.

“Athena, hold the back of my jacket. Don’t let go. Contessa, hold Tia’s hand.”

Tia was bawling and rubbing her eyes but she followed my directions and grabbed my jacket and my sister’s hand and I moved through the area behind the bar at the same time as firefighters moved in through the area over there at that emergency exit, their helmet lights illuminating the space even more. The place was a fucking mess and there were definitely casualties above and beyond the fucker I’d shot.

I called behind me, “Everyone who can move, move out this door.” I called to the two firefighters, “A guy over there told me there’s a third explosion happening and it could be any minute, ten minutes after the second explosion.” The firefighter’s back straightened and his eyes went wide.

And then with Dex over my shoulder, Tia and Tess at my back, we moved outdoors.

Paramedics moved to us immediately, pushing a gurney. Someone helped me get Dex onto it. He was now unconscious.

Nino moved to me.

“Where is he?” I muttered under my breath.

“Got ‘im,” Nino said low, his face stone as he took in the wreckage that was visibly coming out of Fete in the arms of firefighters.

Tia was still holding my coat. Tess was still holding Tia’s hand.

I turned around to face them. They both looked a little bit disheveled but otherwise fine. Thank God Tia being out of the way for the first and second explosions was a part of that fucker’s plan.

“Good,” I said to Nino and turned around and took my wife into my arms.

She was still bawling. She was also shaking. I took my filthy tux jacket off and put it on her shoulders as she cried into my chest.

Nino put his arms around Tess and hugged her. She was crying, too, watching Dex get wheeled toward an ambulance. More ambulances were coming.

“Move away from this building,” I said and we all moved back. I didn’t know whether John, Kate, Ben, Olive, or any of our other investors were still in there but there were more emergency vehicles arriving.

This place was rural, it’d take time, time we might not have. I wanted the girls away from this area. Our limo was still here so I moved the girls to it and led them inside.

“Don’t. Don’t go back in there!” She g

rabbed at me frantically when she realized that I wasn’t getting in.

“I won’t. I won’t, baby. I’m just seeing what’s what. Gotta talk to the cops. You okay? Anything hurt?”

Her hand moved to her stomach and she grabbed the fabric of her dress there, “No. No I’m not hurt. My ribs a little from his gun that he pushed…but no. The room shook and we heard the booms but I didn’t get hurt. That guy that grabbed me was rough with me but I’m… I’m okay.” Tears streamed down her face. I kissed her on the lips. Her hand moved up to her ribs. I put my hand on hers a second and kissed her on her nose and then her mouth.

Thank fuck.