[ON GOING] All Of Me 18+ Only (Book 3 of Lastor series) #Wattys2020

Chapter 18

The emergency exit burst open and smoke bombs were thrown out. My guards closed in on me as a squad of men in riot gear appeared through the thick cloud that filled the foyer, surrounding us and yelling at us to get down on the floor. I suddenly felt so exhausted.

"Stop," I said, placing a hand on Leonardo's shoulder as he kept yelling back at the men. "I don't want you to die. Stand down."

"Miss Lastor-"

I pushed through their shoulders and stepped out of their wall, raising my arms in surrender. "There's no point. Just stand down." I looked back to them. "You're already getting fired for insubordination. Don't die too."

After a brief hesitation, Leonardo dropped his weapon and raised his arms. The others followed suit. I faced front, getting on my knees. Two men advanced and grabbed me, slamming me face down against the floor, the feeling of their hands touching me bringing out a sudden wave of panic. My guards reacted before I could stop them, disregarding the men pushing down on them as they rushed to me. The hands touching me disappeared but just as quickly, my guards were ripped away from me again. Watching them get pushed and beaten down even though they weren't fighting, triggered my fury once more.

My walls. What are they doing to my walls?

I moved without thought and without really seeing. Somehow, a knife found its way into my hand again and I was stabbing. Slashing. Tearing. Screaming. How dare they break my walls. How dare they touch what's mine.

A blow to my ribs brought me back to my senses and I found myself wrapped around one of the men as he laid on top of me, driving his elbow into my side while gripping my knife as I tried to pierce it through his throat. I released my grip and slid my limbs off his body before pushing him off me, crawling away from him. I took in the gore I had unwittingly created as men laid dying and bleeding on the floor, the sight making my breathing grow frantic. Those who remained standing were staring at me, the feel of their gazes making my body itch. I pulled my knees to my chest, tucking my head against them. I wanted to run away. To hide. To go home.

"Miss Lastor," I heard someone call. I lifted my head, finding Ben standing over me. "I'm sorry."

He reached for me and I whimpered. "No."

"Don't touch her!" a series of voices yelled out in unison.

I snapped my head to where it came from, finding my guards being held down inside the penthouse. I slid on a puddle of blood as I scrambled to stand but I got back up again, going to where they were.

"Hey," I called softly, curling my hands into fists. "Why are you hurting them?" I took them in, my walls, their faces bearing fresh bruises and blood staining their suits. "Don't you know? They're mine." I looked at the men holding them, slowly approaching them. "Give them back. Now."

"Release them," I heard Ben order behind me.

The men released them and they quickly took their positions, surrounding me. I took a breath of relief at having my walls returned and I regained a semblance of stability at no longer being exposed. No one can touch me as long as they were here.

"Miss Lastor," Ben called again.

"I'll go," I mumbled, staring down at my bare feet, blood staining them. "Just stop before I kill someone."

"Clear out. Take the injured," he ordered. "Miss Lastor, you need to wash off."

"Okay," I replied, grasping the back of Leonardo's jacket and pulling him towards the direction of the kitchen.

I pushed him forward, stepping out of his shadow when we reached the kitchen. Boiling pots were sitting atop every burner on the stove, each one holding varied spices and foul meat that drove my senses into haywire at being in their proximity. I turned them all off and went to the sink, removing the bloodied gauze wrapped around my hands before leaning down to wash them along with my face. I stripped off my shirt, lightly dabbing a wad of kitchen towels on the blood staining my torso and wiping my feet clean. Rick was going to be pissed at me again when I come home with new bruises.