23
Aurielo
“Run. Hide!” I shoot orders at Ashton.
He stares at me blankly.
The kid has no idea the danger that he’s in, and Karina is nowhere in sight.
I can defend myself, but the kid, my son, I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to him. And without a doubt, I know Karina will hate me.
“Hide around back. Look for your mom, but you must be quiet. These are scary men.” I hope it’s enough of a warning for him to take shelter.
The first SUV is in sight, and behind it, two more barrel down the road to the cottage.
Dorian’s men.
They have to be. Who else would come all this way to track me down?
There must have been surveillance on the cottage.
It’s no secret my grandfather, the head of the Rinaldi family, owned the cottage and that it was passed on to me.
Why are they here?
What do they want?
Is this revenge because I ended things with Etta Bianchi?
The black SUV pulls up to an abrupt halt, slamming on the brakes.
Dorian steps out. He’s tall with thinning hair and old enough to be my father.
His belly protrudes past his belt, the jacket unbutton because it’s probably too tight to fit.
“Well, well, well. Look who we have here,” Dorian says.
I press my lips tight. The longer I stall, the more time for Karina to return and find Ashton.
Where the hell is she?
Didn’t she notice the three SUVs racing toward the cottage?
The doors slam as his minions pile out from the adjacent vehicles.
Six men in total.
I could take them, but not without risking Ashton and Karina.
Did Ashton listen to me? Is he hiding?
I can’t chance glancing back over my shoulder. I don’t want anyone to suspect that I’m here with anyone else.
If the property were under surveillance, then they’d know that I brought my family with me.
Family.
The words burn inside of me, ripping me apart.