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TWENTY-FIVE

Dante

I planned for this. I guide her in the direction I came to a camp I’d set up to scout the situation, grabbing some soap and a trash bag. Inaya holds the soap while I quickly strip, then I help her do the same. We have to get rid of these clothes and blood so we can disappear again. I know where I can take her, but we have to get out of the country first.

Her naked belly makes the part I’m trying to ignore more obvious. It’s not protruding greatly, but I’ve seen her body a lot in the last few months, so the difference is easy to spot. Inaya is still in shock, her mind and body trying to process what almost happened. She shakes her head when I pull her toward the water, but it’s the only way.

“Trust me,” I tell her as I guide her inside, then turn to her once we get too deep for her comfort. “Wrap your legs around me.”

Her body shivers, but she does as I say. It’s crazy how different our interactions are from when we met. She went from being a pawn in a revenge plot to someone I care about. I just don’t know what to do with that information and a baby complicates things greatly.

Working fast, I wash the blood from her body, only guided by moonlight. I hold her and lean forward so she can dip her hair in the water. I wash it as well as I can until she takes over to ensure she gets her dad’s blood out of her hair. Once she’s done. I move her closer so she can stand on her own and I quickly scrub my body. We need to get further away from the house. I’m not sure if he has more men coming soon or if some kind of law enforcement patrols the area.

Inaya is finished drying herself when I surface again, and I dry off while she slips into the clothes I bought for her. She’s going to hate the next part, but it’s necessary for a clean getaway. I pack up the camp and put the items in the backseat. Opening the trunk of the SUV, I give her a blanket and a pillow.

“Get under this and hide. I have to go back into the house.” She cries and shakes her head, although she doesn’t speak. “I must get one of the phones to order a cleaner. He has the best on his phone. They won’t answer me anymore.”

“No.”

It’s the only thing she says but time is of the essence. There is another plan, but it takes more time. A plan I would have never considered if I didn’t care because caring is the only motivation to go against my instincts.

“I’ll drop you off at the place I’m staying then I’ll come back. How’s that?”

Her no doesn’t come as fast but her eyes water. “It’s not about me, Dante. I don’t want you in any more danger. What if more men come?”

I grab her cheeks and look her in the eyes. “You have to trust that I know what I’m doing.”

I ignore how her concern makes me feel. I’m just not used to it. Our lips meet in a soft kiss, and I step back.

“Hide so I can make this go away.”

Inaya stares at me for a few more seconds, then nods. Holding her hand, I place the keys in her palm. “In case you need to leave without me.” I wrap her fingers around the set of keys while making sure she’s paying attention. “If things go wrong, don’t second guess it. I want you to leave me.”

She doesn’t say anything as I get dressed, but she doesn’t need to speak. The stubborn glint in her eyes tells me that she’d do the exact opposite of what I ask. I slip on some gloves and booties to cover my hands and shoes, then I begin walking backwards so she can get the hint. She does and hides like I told her.

I sneak back toward the house the same way I came. I remain in stealth mode because I cannot afford to mess up now. I was so worried about her that I didn’t confirm my kills like I normally would have. Pausing in the woods, I get very low when I hear a car in the distance. After a few minutes pass, it doesn’t get closer, nor do I see it near the cabin.

The darkness helps shield me, but I can tell I left a mess. I crouch when I get to the first guy I killed and dig through his pockets until I get to his phone. His thumb unlocks it, and I send the code to order a cleanup at this cabin. I take everyone's phones and identification for symmetry as I work my way back through the cabin. I double check for cameras or anything else that can identify me, then move to the dead men who guarded the room where Father held Inaya.

After I take their phones and IDs, I push the door open with my foot and step back in case there are any surprises waiting for me. The metallic scent of blood permeates the space, but I’m used to the scents of death and destruction, but a trail of blood going to the right is out of the ordinary. We didn’t make that trail. I don’t immediately follow the trail since it can be a set-up of some sort. Instead, I check the room I’m in, first going and taking the phone and any other identification from the doctor, as I ignore the sinking feeling inside of me.

Instincts tell me I’m not in immediate danger, but I need to move faster. I go around the other side to where I left Father, only to find his blood but not his body. The trail makes sense now. Quickly, I move in the direction of the trail, finding a room I haven’t seen before behind what I thought was a wall. More blood and discarded medical supplies clutter the space. Cautiously, I move to the door on the other side, my muscles are tight, ready to fight Father if necessary.

The trail goes cold in an empty garage.

“Fuck,” I curse to myself as I run back in the opposite direction.

I say a prayer for the first time since I was a child that he didn’t get to Inaya again. He’s hurt badly, but he’s vengeful and she’s pregnant. I start to run at full speed once I’m outside, ignoring all the phones clinking against my body. With every step, I hold on to the fear of hearing a gunshot in the distance.

I’m panting hard when I get to the SUV. It doesn’t look disturbed, but I take caution anyway. Moving closer, I search the perimeter of the vehicle. Nothing. I check the undercarriage for trackers or bombs, then knock once it all passes my inspection.

“Inaya? It’s me, Dante.” I see her wet curls before her eyes, and I can’t help the smile that hits my face. “Come on, baby. Let’s go.”

The grin she gives me makes me happy and sad. Happy to see her again. But sad that I’ll need to tell her that we’ll still be hunted. He’d have to go deep to heal and if Father survives the night, I’ll have to square off with him, but I know I’ll never catch him this vulnerable again. If only that doctor stayed down a little longer. I wouldn’t have had to stop my attempt to slit his throat. I should have just stabbed him in the neck.

Keeping my mind on the mission, I stop at an incineration plant and break in while Inaya waits in the car. It doesn’t take me long to send the clothes, IDs, and phones up in flames. I’ll ditch this car in the next province, and we’ll leave Canada.

She sleeps quietly in the passenger seat as I drive in the night. I seem calm on the outside, but I’m raging on the inside. I was so close to ending his reign of terror, but I still haven’t broken the news about Father to Inaya. My mind races with all the possibilities and outcomes and for the first time since I’ve been a teenager, I have one thought in my head.

I can’t do this alone.

With another glance at Inaya, I know I’ve chosen to do the right thing.

The next morning, we board a plane to one of the places I didn’t think I’d need to visit again, but it’s the best shot I have. Inaya works the seat belt around her little belly as I make a phone call. The phone rings in my ear via Bluetooth as I wait for an answer.

“Hello?” Andrea Tesio answers.

He may have provided the information that put this whole thing into action, but I know that he and Theodore are the only people close to allies I have. The old part of me hesitates, but once Inaya smiles up at me again, I feel it’s necessary to speak.

“Form a team.”

I hang up, because that was the closest I could get to asking for help.