Page 196 of Sins of the Orchid

My eyes darted around, searching.

“Hey, you okay?” Familiar voice. But I couldn’t see him. “Amore, are you okay?”

I blinked my eyes and that’s when I saw the shadow on the steps to the bunker. It was my brother.

“Lorenzo,” I whispered, unsure whether I was hallucinating.

He took my hand and squeezed gently. “Yeah, your favorite brother.”

A strangled laugh escaped me, though there was nothing funny right now.

“I’m so glad to see you,” I murmured. “What are you doing here? In their bunker?”

Oh. My. God.

If he was on the enemy’s side, I’d lose my shit.

“Waiting to rescue you,” he retorted dryly. “You have no idea how much I hate waiting.” He tugged me along, gently nudging me into the bunker. “We have to go in there.”

I was terrified to trust him. To have another betrayal to taste. Lorenzo wouldn’t do that to me. Right? But then I never dreamed Adriano would betray me either.

The moment we hit the bottom step, the metal door closed in behind us with a loud metal clunk, concealing us in darkness. The locking mechanism of the door sounded loud and hard, the wall closing in on us. It was hard to see in the dark, the only light coming from the end of the narrowed hallway.

Blood rushed in my ears, making me dizzy. I desperately tried to focus on the wild beating of my heart and force myself to calm down.

Breathe, Amore. Breathe!

The words from so long ago. Different day. Different panic attack. Santi’s voice pulling me from the fog.

I was stronger. Maybe, just a little bit. But still stronger. I focused on my breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

It was working. I could get through this. Wewouldget through this. Life wouldn’t be so cruel to give Santi to me, a family, just to tear them all away. My family was my heart, without them, I was nothing.

At the bottom of the stairs, a small room waited for us. No windows. One chair. One bed. Nothing else.

“Sit down, Amore.” Lorenzo’s voice was a command. He was no longer an easygoing, flirtatious brother. He was a made man of the Cosa Nostra. He led me towards the bed. I sat down on the edge and placed my hands in my lap. Lowering my eyes, I realized with shock, there was blood on my hands. Just drops. Maybe some of it splashed on me. I turned them over slowly.Blood on my hands.

It started with an orchid and a man that trapped me. Mom’s death bloodied my hands. I was guilty for following George. If I hadn’t, she might have been alive.

This felt like an end. The question was whether it would be mine. Despite Adriano’s betrayal, I didn’t want him dead.

“He’s here,” I rasped to Lorenzo in a breathless whisper. “Adriano is working with them.” My voice broke with the last word, and suddenly, I felt like crying. Like that girl that Santi found on the pavement in front of his father’s restaurant.

I clenched my hands together, my nails digging into my skin. I didn’t want to act like an overly sensitive, soft girl. But it was hard. This was my best friend we were talking about. I loved him. I thought he loved me. Except that it wasn’t the romantic kind of love.

The bunker shook and a yelp escaped me. A humming noise followed, signaling the opening of the door.Click.The door opened.

“I know you are here, Orchid.” A taunt in a familiar voice, sent cold shivers down my spine. “Time to end what we started eight years ago. I’ll make you squeal like your bitch of a mother.”

Suddenly, I felt like that little thirteen-year-old girl, caged like an animal. Left to watch her mother tortured. Cold sweat trickled down my spine, each breath brought on a feeling of nausea.

Death!The man coming for me meant death to me. And his name wasGeorge!

“Where is my little orchid?” The voice shot ice through my heart. He’d tainted Mom’s love for orchids. He’d ruined my childhood.

Frantically my eyes shot to Lorenzo who came to stand by my side. I tried to get to my feet, but my knees shook so bad. I was no good to anyone in this state. Still, I steeled my spine, still in a seated position, and inhaled a deep breath. Or at least I tried.

“Fire one bullet, and I’m throwing a grenade into the bunker.” My chest constricted at hearing the familiar voice. “And throw your weapons onto the ground.”