Garden of Roses ✔️

Chapter 11

Zara

          The drive back to the bunker is silent and extremely awkward. Carlo and Lorenzo sit in the front, with Carlo driving and Lorenzo staring through the passenger window the whole time. The third man is sitting beside me in the back.

After the first half an hour, the third man finally breaks the silence.

"Hi, we haven't officially met. I'm Marco, I'm the one who stabbed you with the syringe and sedated you," he says as he chuckles nervously and stretches his hand my way. "Sorry about that by the way."

I look at his face, then his hand, and then back at his face. He soon gives up and lowers his hand.

"What the fuck Marco, don't try to be friendly with the enemy," Carlo shouts from the driver's seat.

"Sorry," Marco replies and turns his head away from me to look through the window. That was all of the communication that went on during our whole ride to the bunker. I thank God when we finally arrive and I jump out of the car as soon as we stop.

Carlo and Lorenzo both take their guns out and I look at them with wide eyes. Are they going to kill me now? Dante told them not to. Did he change his mind and texted them different orders during our ride here?

"Relax, this is so we can make sure you stick to your word," Carlo explains, reacting to my probably mortified facial expression. "Now walk."

I turn in the direction of the bunker's secret entrance and start walking. As we approach the destination, the ground starts to lift slowly, revealing the garage underneath. They must've been watching the perimeter closely this time and saw us coming.

We see the guns peek first, and then Luca, Bianca, Gabi, Alex, and two more men come out of the garage, each of them carrying two guns. Carlo and Marco raise their guns in their direction, while Lorenzo grabs me by the waist and points the gun at my head.

"One sudden move and she's dead," Lorenzo announces as my people turn their eyes to me, waiting for my orders.

I could probably take Lorenzo down myself, but that would only cause everyone to start shooting at each other so I decide against it. If I order them to shoot, my people would kill them and we would be free. But are they fast enough to take all three of them down before any of them receive a bullet themselves? Probably not. Someone would die, and I wasn't willing to risk it. Besides, if I did that, Dante would come after me and wouldn't hesitate to kill me this time. Not even Camilla could save me from his rage if I double-crossed him and killed his closest men.

"Put your guns down," I command, accepting that trying to kill them is not an option. They all look at me surprised, making me have to repeat myself.

"I said, put them down."

They listen this time and let their guns fall to the ground. As they do that, I feel Lorenzo's grip on my waist loosen, and he moves his gun away from my head.

"There, now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Carlo lowers his gun, and Marco follows his lead.

"It's you," Carlo exclaims, only now making eye contact with Gabi. "The girl from the party. If I knew who you were, I would've killed you right there instead of asking you to fucking dance." He spits the last two words as he looks at her up and down. Gabi's cheeks immediately turn pink and her fists clench as Alex steps in front of her, shielding her petite body from Carlo's deadly glare.

"Don't even speak to her, you prick," he growls at Carlo and the two of them enter a staring contest.

"Okay, enough. All of you. We need to talk," I interrupt as I look at my people, making eye contact with each of them. They all fall silent as they look at me in anticipation.