Page 33 of His Playground (Owning Vegas #2)

Chapter Thirty-Two

H earing from Carlo has put my mind at ease for a minute. But now I’m back to being a ball of anxiety. I don’t need to ask him where he is or what he’s doing. I know. I just hope he gets the information he needs to put an end to this madness.

My gaze lands on Jazzy. She’s so tiny and innocent.

She doesn’t deserve to be put in danger.

Carlo wants me to show her how to get into the panic rooms he has around the penthouse.

There are three. He made a point to show me where they were located when we were dating. In case I ever needed to hide.

“Hey, Jazzy, did you know your daddy has secret rooms in this apartment?” I ask her. I hope I can keep my voice light, make it some kind of game. The last thing I want to do is scare her.

“He does? Where?” She looks around. We’re in Carlo’s bedroom. Our bedroom.

I point to the closet. “There’s one in there. Want to see it?”

“Yep.” Jazzy jumps off the bed and runs into the closet. I follow her. “There’s nothing but clothes in here,” she says, scrunching up her face.

I walk to the back and gesture to the rack that lines the far wall. “See this shoe?” I ask her.

“Uh-huh.” Jazzy nods.

“Grab it,” I say.

She tries to lift it but the shoe doesn’t move from the shelf. What it does do is open the hidden door. Jazzy’s eyes light up. “It’s real?” she says in awe, walking into the panic room. “What do you do in here?”

“This is one of the rooms you can come to if you’re ever scared. You can close the door and no one outside can get in,” I tell her.

“Like when I have nightmares?” she asks me.

“Sort of. If your dad or I can’t help you, you can come to these rooms,” I explain.

“Okay. Where’re the others?” She spins as she looks around.

I hold out a hand. “Come on, I’ll show you, but these rooms are a secret, remember? Only Bianchis get to know about them.”

“Top secret,” she whispers.

“Exactly.” Just as I open the bedroom door, I hear the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. I tug it closed again, pick up Jazzy, and run right back to the closet. “I need you to stay in here,” I tell her.

“By myself? Don’t leave me alone, Antonia,” she pleads.

“I’ll be right back to get you, okay?” I tell her.

“Antonia?” Charlotte hisses. I didn’t hear her come into the bedroom.

“Over here,” I call back.

“But she’s going to see the secret room,” Jazzy says.

“It’s okay. Aunt Charlotte will stay with you until I come back.

” When Charlotte walks into the closet, I reach for her.

“Wait here with Jazzy.” I then shove her inside the room and shut the door.

There is a way to open it from the inside, but I didn’t show Jazzy that part.

And unless you know what you’re looking for, I don’t think they’ll figure it out.

Running back into the bedroom, I pull out the handgun that Carlo always keeps in the nightstand and position myself on the opposite side of the bed. And I wait with the barrel aimed at the door. Just like Brian taught me.

Just like Brian taught me…

Shit. If this is my father, if he’s somehow managed to get up into this apartment, he’s going to know I’ll be here.

I move and sit with my back against the wall directly opposite the door. After a few minutes of not hearing anything, I stand on shaky legs. I’ve trained for these scenarios. Never have I actually had to act on that training, though.

Opening the door just a crack, I peek into the hallway. I don’t hear anything, so I step out, my gun raised. Do I really have what it takes to shoot someone? I guess we’re about to find out. But when Jazzy’s face pops into my head, I know I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.

I tiptoe my way down the hallway, stopping in the foyer.

The sight before me has my mouth gaping open.

Lailani is leaning over a suit-clad body on the floor, digging through its pockets while pools of blood continue to spread out around her.

I slowly turn my head to the left and see two more suit-clad bodies, also surrounded in blood.

“What happened? And what are you doing?” I ask her. I don’t lower my gun, though. I have no idea what’s going on.

Did she shoot these guys? Who are they? When I take a step closer, I have my answer.

“I’m looking for ID. We need to know who these guys are,” she says.

“They’re soldiers. My father’s soldiers.” I sigh, recognizing the man she’s still leaning over.

“Where is Jazzy?” Lailani presses.

“Why?” I question her.

“Because we need to get out of here, Antonia. We don’t know how many more of them are out there.”

“Who are you?” I ask her as much as I’m asking myself.

“I work for Emmanuel,” she says.

“What?”

“Call him if you don’t believe me. But we need to go,” she urges.

Movement to my left catches me by surprise. Evie. My eyes roam up and down her body. “Are you okay?” I ask her.

She nods her head.

“Did you know she works for Emmanuel?” I say.

Evie shakes her head, her eyes wide.

I’m about to pull my phone out of my pocket and call Carlo, when I hear Emmanuel’s voice on Lailani’s speakerphone.

“We’ve been compromised. It’s handled but I’m getting them out,” she says.

“Where’s Evie?” he replies.

“Here, safe,” Lailani answers.

“Jazzy?”

Lailani looks to me. “She’s okay. We all are,” I tell him.

“Lai, get them to the compound. Now.” Emmanuel keeps his voice calm, but there’s an undertone of anger… Fear? I don’t know what.

“Go get Jazzy. And where is Charlotte?” Leilani asks while pocketing her phone.

“She’s in the panic room with Jazzy. I pushed her in there and shut the door,” I explain.

“Good.” She nods. “Let’s get them.”

After letting Jazzy and Charlotte out of the room, I pick up Jazzy. My body is still weak from the tainted food, but I don’t want her to see anything. “Jazzy, sweetheart, close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to, okay?”

“Okay.” She nods.

“Good girl.” I hold her close to my body.

By the time we make it back out to the foyer, Lailani is holding the elevator door open while Evie has the phone to her ear. And then another phone starts ringing.

“It’s me,” Charlotte says.

“We need to go.” Lailani ushers us inside and presses the button for the underground garage.

When the doors open again, we’re surrounded by men. Five of whom go directly to Evie. “Miss, boss wants you to come with us,” one says.

“I bet he does.” Evie rolls her eyes, her phone tucked back into her pocket. I suspect she was talking to Emmanuel. “I’m staying with them.”

“You’re all coming with us,” the man explains.

We’re led to a lineup of ten SUVs. It’s overkill, but I’m not going to complain if it keeps Jazzy safe.

Once we’re in the back of one of the cars—Charlotte, Lailani, and Evie all piled in with us—I stroke Jazzy’s hair. “You can open your eyes now,” I tell her.

“Where are we going?” she asks, looking around the SUV’s interior.

“To Tío E’s house. He has a surprise waiting for you,” Lailani says.

“A surprise? Is it paper again?” Jazzy scrunches her nose. Last time Emmanuel gave her a surprise, it was a piece of paper, a trust fund. She’s too young to understand the value of that gift.

“I’m not sure,” Lailani says. “He didn’t tell me.”

“Okay.” Jazzy shrugs.

Thirty minutes later, we are pulling through a set of large iron gates, guards lining each side with rifles behind their backs. Something you’d notice only if you were used to seeing men with rifles.

Odd that they’re hiding them.

As soon as we step out of the car, we’re rushed inside the house.

“Miss Evie, welcome back. I have a bottle of your favorite wine on the table in the conservatory along with a tray of your preferred snacks.” A woman in a maid’s uniform greets us.

Charlotte and I turn and look at her. Evie, that is. “Thank you, Maria.” She smiles at the woman before mouthing to Charlotte, “Don’t ask.”

“Oh, you can bet your sweet ass I’m asking,” Charlotte replies.

“Now, you must be Miss Jazzy. I’ve heard all about you, and your Tío E requested that a plate of banana pancakes be waiting for you upon your arrival. I have those on the table too,” Maria says.

“Pancakes, yes! That’s a good surprise.” Jazzy smiles.

“Call if you or your friends need anything else, Miss Evie,” Maria adds before disappearing through a door.

“Miss Evie?” Charlotte whispers.

“Not now,” Evie hisses. “Come on, I don’t know about you girls, but I need some wine.”

We follow her through the house, more like a maze that she seems to navigate with ease.

“I’ll, ah, catch up with you. I have something I need to do,” Lailani says. I don’t have time to respond to her before she disappears too.

“It’s always the quiet ones,” Charlotte mutters under her breath.

“Did you know?” I ask her.

“Not the slightest clue,” she replies.