Chapter 8 - THE BETRAYALGabriel ordered everyone inside the estate locked down.
No phones.
No exits.
No one trusted anyone.
Chloe stayed beside Beatrice.
Lena was moved to a secure room.
Gabriel stood alone in the library.
Chloe entered.
“Why did Leo warn me about you?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
“Then tell me what you remember.”
Gabriel was silent.
Finally, he said:
“I remember Leo bleeding.”
Chloe stiffened.
“He looked at me.”
“What did he say?”
“I don't know.”
“You were there.”
“I was twenty. My father told me not to ask questions.”
“And you listened.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel's honesty hurt more than a lie.
“You let him die.”
“I was a coward.”
Chloe stared at him.
Then she noticed something behind his collar.
A tiny scar.
She remembered it.
Leo had told her once that a man had saved him from a stabbing.
She whispered:
“You.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“What?”
“You saved him once.”
Gabriel lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because every time I tried, I remembered the last thing he told me.”
“What?”
Gabriel swallowed.
“He made me promise to stay away from you.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
A gunshot exploded outside.
Gabriel grabbed Chloe.
They hit the floor.
Another shot.
Then screaming.
Gabriel drew his weapon.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Chloe.”
“I've had enough people tell me where to stand.”
She followed him.
They reached the corridor.
Two guards were dead.
Lena's room was open.
Empty.
Beatrice was standing beside the staircase.
Her hands were moving frantically.
Gabriel looked at her.
“What happened?”
Beatrice signed:
Luca.
Gabriel froze.
“Luca took Lena?”
Beatrice shook her head.
Then signed:
Luca didn't come alone.
A man stepped from the shadows.
Gabriel raised his gun.
“Drop it.”
The stranger smiled.
Chloe knew him.
He was Marco.
The restaurant manager.
Marco raised both hands.
“Gabriel…”
Gabriel stared.
“You?”
Marco looked at Chloe.
“I'm sorry.”
May you like
Then he pointed a gun at her.
“I was ordered to bring her alive.”
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