The elevator doors closed with a quiet hiss, and I was yanked forward by his iron grip. Louis, that’s what one of his men had called, but he never confirmed his real identity to me even if I had asked for the nth time already.
Not that it matters right now. I wanted to scream or to fight back, and even escape but I knew better. If I made a wrong move, I wouldn’t make it out of this alive.
Louis stood beside me. His men flanked him, their eyes scanning me with cold detachment. One of them pressed the button for the ground floor.
“Boss,” one of the men said, “the helicopter’s out. The police are everywhere. We need to blend in with the crowd and head to the car waiting downstairs.”
Louis nodded as if he didn’t care. “Yeah. Just as planned. I’ve spent years building a spotless reputation. No one will ever tie me to this.”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed, though it sounded hollow even to my own ears. “Not if you have a witness,” I said, turning my gaze to him.
His head snapped toward me, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. “A witness, huh?” He smirked. “Come on, Miss Blair Gallo. You wouldn’t risk your family’s reputation, would you?”
I froze, his words slicing through me like a blade. My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to remain calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.
“Don’t play games with me,” Louis replied, leaning closer. His voice dropped to a near-whisper. I could feel his breath on my skin and it sent shivers. “Do you really think I don’t know who you are? The daughter of Europe’s wealthiest family. Blair Gallo.”
My heart sank. He knew? How… the secret I’d hidden for years, the one even Xander didn’t know, was now in the hands of a mafia boss. A mafia boss—right, I couldn’t help but laugh. Of course, a mafia boss could get that information illegally!
I stiffened, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “How did you know?” That was a stupid question but I just couldn’t find any words to say now. I’m trapped! He can kidnap me and ask for ransom. Isn’t that what happens in movies?
He chuckled. “Let’s just say I’ve had my eye on you for a long time,” he said smoothly. “I’m your stalker, Miss Blair. And, if I’m honest, I’m a little obsessed.”
His words sent a chill down my spine, but I refused to let him see my fear. Fear would only fuel him. Instead, I crossed my arms, lifting my chin slightly. “Why are you doing this? What’s your endgame here?”
Louis leaned against the elevator wall. “Endgame? Well, I just want to build a better world,” he said simply.
I scoffed. “A better world? You’re a mafia boss! If you want a better world, come on, be a police officer or a lawmaker.”
He chuckled, mocking. “And do you think they make the world a better place? Those police officers? Lawmakers? You probably don’t realize but they’re a lot worse. They’re unjust, only protecting what they deemed necessary for their own good.”
I felt the bitterness in him as if he had experienced something worse to become like this.
“Do you have any idea how many people lost their lives because of his scams? The man ruined families, destroyed lives. He got what was coming to him,” he added.
“And that justifies murder?” I snapped. “You don’t get to play judge and executioner!”
He laughed, the sound cold and devoid of humor. “There’s no such thing as justice in this world,” he said. “You should know that by now. Especially in our field.”
Before I could reply, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to chaos.
The lobby was a frenzy of movement and noise. Police officers shouted orders, and guests ran in every direction, some screaming, others crying. The bodies of several security guards were sprawled on the floor, blood pooling beneath them. But it seems like they hadn’t recovered Alexus' body yet.
Louis’s grip on my arm tightened as he led me through the chaos, his men close behind. My heart raced, my mind spinning as I searched for an escape.
Then I saw him.
Xander.
He stood near Elise, his arm around her shoulders. Her face was pale. But when Xander’s gaze locked onto mine, his expression changed—confusion flickering across his face.
Elise followed his gaze, and the moment she saw me, her face twisted in fury. She pointed at me, her voice shrill and cutting through the noise.
“Her!” she screamed. “I know. It must be her, police! Look at her! She must be the one who did it! She hates us! She has a motive!”
The room fell silent as every head turned toward me.
