Yours

Chapter 12

Scarlett's P.O.V

"What happened?" Antoni asked.

"With what?" I asked, my stomach turning in knots.

"Don't play dumb. Two of my guards were killed last night. You really trying to tell me you didn't know anything about that?" he asked as he looked at me sternly.

"Well, that would be the truth because I don't know anything about that. I didn't leave my room at all last night," I replied.

"Right, sure you didn't," he said as he approached me.

"I didn't. Check the cameras at the motel if you don't believe me," I replied.

"Well how convenient they weren't working last night," he snapped as he examined the watch.

"I'll have one of my men wipe the cameras for last night so Antoni won't find out," Alex said as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Thanks," I replied with a soft smile.

"Scarlett,"

"Yea?"

"Be careful," he replied.

"You too," I said as I exited the car.

"Look, all I heard were a few gunshots and commotion outside. But that's normal for the part of town you stuck me and I wasn't about to go investigate. Plus, I'm a heavy sleeper, so once I fell asleep I was out like a light," I replied.

"Did you tell Tristan anything? Ask him to get you out? I swear to god, if you're lying to me," he warned as he roughly grabbed my chin.

"I'm not lying to you," I replied.

"Bring the kids in," he said into his walkie-talkie.

"What are you doing?" I asked as Axle and Amara were brought into his office.

"Mommy!" they both said excitedly as the ran towards me, only for Antoni to grab them both roughly by the shoulder and hold them close to him.

"If I find out you're lying to me, I have no problem sending you and your spawns back to Cade for him to deal with you properly," he seethed.

"Antoni, I promise, I don't know anything about what happened last night," I said. "Leave my kids out of this," I added.

"I don't like liars, Scarlett. Just keep that in mind. Now go," he said as he released Axle and Amara and nodded towards the door. Taking Axle and Amara's hands, we walked towards the door. "Oh, and your husband's in town. So don't try anything funny," he said with a smirk as my blood ran cold.

I send the kids to our room and go to the bathroom, sinking to the floor. Here, I'm hidden away, but the fear is a living, breathing entity, lurking in the shadows of my thoughts. It's the fear of his footsteps trailing closer, the dread of his voice piercing the silence, the terror of his rage igniting like a storm.

"I'm free" I remind myself. But freedom feels more like a fragile illusion than a reality. His threats linger like ghosts, haunting my every move. I look over my shoulder at every turn, expecting him to materialize out of thin air, ready to reclaim what he believes is his.

The fear of his wrath finding me, and most importantly Axle and Amara, like a relentless predator hunting its prey, keeps me awake at night. Every unfamiliar face sends a shiver down my spine, each loud noise makes my heart leap into my throat. Paranoia becomes a constant companion, whispering that he's closing in, that I'm never truly safe.

And now, he's here. So close it makes my skin crawl. As far as I know, he thinks me and the kids, as well as Antoni, are dead. But who's to say Antoni didn't lie and was waiting for something like last night to happen before he shipped us back to Cade.