CHAPTER FIFTEEN: WINTER
Hands wrap around my waist before I'm tossed to the ground, my head being cushioned by something soft when I think it should crack against the ground. I try to lift my head, but it's forced back to the ground as the sound of shouting meets my ears.
More gunshots ring out.
"Stay down," Enzo says, his body covering mine. He's rigid against me as the crowd bands together like a herd trying to get out of the club.
My vision goes blurry and the mix of noises has me covering my ears with my hands, blocking it out.
I'm not sure how long it is before I feel Enzo shaking my shoulders before pulling me to my feet. I look up at him, seeing his mouth move but not hearing anything. He jerks my hands away from my ears. "The police are on their way. I need to get you out of here," he says before grabbing my wrists and jerking me toward the exit.
My eyes land on a man on the club floor, a bullet between his eyes, his body lifeless.
Bile rises in my throat.
Enzo pulls me harder, faster, until we're out in the cool air. He shoves me into the car without any of the usual proceedings or care before he's cranking the car up and we're speeding away from the club. I'm barely even aware of the trek back to the mansion until we're pulling up and Enzo is ushering me toward the door where I can barely make out a form in the dark.
As we get closer, I realize it's Giovanni. His arms are crossed over his chest, his face hard. "What happened?" he asks, his eyes on Enzo.
Enzo’s back is straight as a rod. "I don't know, I got Winter out of there as quick as I could."
I glance back and forth between them, my lips moving before snapping closed.
"What is it?" Giovanni asks, his gaze snapping to me. "I assume you know something and that you're not just auditioning to play the role of a fish."
My skin flushes, a mix of anger and embarrassment. I press my lips together tightly. He inclines his head to the side. "There were two men in the club arguing," I tell him quickly. "I saw them before the shooting started."
A muscle twitches in his jaw before he looks at Enzo. "Did you see it?"
"No," Enzo says as his brows pull together. "I must have missed it."
"We'll roll the cameras back then," Giovanni says. "Vito is already on his way there to handle the police. Join him and question the rest of the employees."
"Yes, sir" Enzo's eyes move to me. "I'll go as soon as I escort Winter to her room-"
"No," Giovanni cuts him off. "Go now." His gaze moves to me. "I'll deal with Winter." He says it like a parent discipling their kid and I quickly regret wishing Enzo wasn't around. Because at this moment, I'd take him over Giovanni. No, in any moment.
Because the way Giovanni is looking at me, it's almost like he wants to put a bullet in me just for breathing, for existing.
I glance at Enzo, but his gaze is on Giovanni and he only gives a nod before turning and making his way back to the car. It isn't long before he's speeding out of the compound.
Taking a deep swallow, I raise my gaze to Giovanni and find him already looking at me. For a man whose club just got shot up, he doesn't exactly look worried. Just cold and pissed off as per usual.
He inclines his head slightly before turning, "Come," he says and I know he expects me to follow behind him like an obedient puppy.
Pressing my lips together, I follow him, my heart racing in my chest. I close the door behind me and the lock automatically clicks in place before a green light flashes. Glancing up, I find Giovanni already at the bottom of the stairs. He goes up them quickly and I have to almost run to catch up to him. My ankle twists I wince, not used to heels even after walking in them for hours.
When he gets to the top, he turns in the opposite direction of my room and I pause, looking after him.
Does he not know which room is mine?
I've never seen him on this level, actually I've never seen him out of the dinning hall. So maybe he doesn't know which room is mine exactly. I purse my lips, trying to decide whether or not I want to bring it up. "Umm," I stutter out, pausing when his hard gaze snaps to mine. It feels like his eyes are peeing right through me. "I... I... my room isn't that way." I point a finger but under his gaze, I get nervous and I end up pointing in both directions.
A muscle twitches in his jaw. "I know where your room is," he says, before continuing in the opposite direction.
Well.
I follow him and he pushes open the last door on the end of the hall open, walking inside. Following him, I'm surprised when the lights flick on and there's a wall full of books surrounding us. I spin around, looking at them all. There's so many and my fingers itch to get my hands on them. I've never been huge on books, though I enjoy some, but considering I have nothing else to do...