Chapter 301: Blood Has Spilled
Click!
Lola held her breath, cautiously raising her trembling hands. Her gulp echoed in her ears, her heart heavy with cautiousness.
"Vito?" she guessed, but the person didn’t answer. The silence was enough. Whoever he was, he had been sent by someone else—not Vito. And whatever he wanted, she could only hope it wasn’t her life.
"Whatever you need, just get it," she proposed, keeping her voice low and clear enough to be heard. "If you want money, I’ll double whatever they paid you. You don’t have to do this... please."
When she thought the person wouldn’t respond, his deep voice echoed:
"Blood has spilled, and yours is next."
His finger caressed the trigger while Lola lowered her head slightly. Taking a deep, careful breath, she reopened her eyes.
BANG!
She moved her elbow up, hitting the gun and causing it to fly away from his grip. Caught off guard, the bullet ricocheted into the ceiling. As the dust fell from above, Lola didn’t waste a second and grabbed his arm, twisted it to her side, and pulled him as she launched a knee kick into his abdomen.
"Ugh—"
The man grabbed her leg, trying to suppress the twisting ache in his gut. He clenched his fists tightly and swung at her, only to see her bend backward with agility. Her leg remained in his grip, but she jumped with her other foot, delivering a powerful kick into his abdomen.
Clang!
The kick was too strong; the man loosened his hold and hunched over, stumbling backward. Before he knew it, his back hit the wall. Lola didn’t hesitate and ran to him. When he looked up, all he saw was a woman in just a towel leaping at him, leg stretched. In the next second, her heel connected with his jaw.
THUD!
His body landed on the floor with a grunt, his back sliding against the wall. Blood dripped from his mouth; his jaw felt dislocated, but he remained conscious. He scrunched his nose in dismay until something glinted in the corner of his eyes. Looking closer, he spotted his pistol lying on the floor.
Meanwhile, Lola panted, watching his back on the floor. He was still conscious, which meant he could still fight. Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught his movement simultaneously as he glanced at her briefly.
"No—" She jumped just as the man rolled over, hand outstretched to grab the pistol. Without hesitation, he opened fire at her.
Lola tilted her head, the bullet grazing strands of her wet hair. Adrenaline pumped through her body as she grabbed the gun from the man’s hands. He wouldn’t let go, and the two struggled, each gripping the weapon tightly.
BANG!
The gun fired with a loud bang. Lola jolted as blood splattered her face and shoulders. She froze for a moment, her wide eyes shaking, and her breath hitching as his hand finally loosened. Lola clenched her teeth, hissing as she turned away from his wrecked face.
Suddenly, she heard noises from outside the bedroom. Lola glanced at the locked door, breathing deep and heavy. Her mind raced, but she didn’t dwell on who these people were. All she could think was how grateful she was that the children weren’t around—and that Slater wasn’t either. Otherwise, she could only expect the worst.
Or... did they know no one would be here tonight except me?
Lola got up from the man’s body and approached the door. She leaned against it, pressing her ear to the surface to listen. All she could hear was the faint sound of boots.
There are a few of them.
She drew a deep breath and walked cautiously away from the door. It was locked—so even if someone tried to break it down, she’d have enough time.
Lola headed straight to the bathroom. She opened the shower, letting it run. Her bloody footprints left a trail as she locked the door. She hurriedly picked up her phone and hid in the corner near the closet.
"Shit," she breathed, wiping her fingers on the towel wrapped around her. She tried tapping the screen again, but with the blood on it, it didn’t work as fast as it should.
After wiping the screen and trying again, the phone barely responded. She panicked, tapping impatiently to call Atlas. He was on his way home, and the last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt.
Unfortunately, the phone kept ringing.
"Answer—damn it," she muttered, pausing as she heard a faint knock on the door. Lola glanced toward it, gulping, then returned her focus to getting the phone to work.
Before the ring ended, the call finally connected. But just as she was about to speak, a round of gunfire riddled the door.
"At—"
Lola winced, covering her ear with one hand as her shoulders jumped instinctively. Bullets riddled the door, sending smoke and the strong scent of gunpowder into the room until the gunfire stopped.
One man stepped forward, peeking inside. All he saw was their comrade sprawled on the floor, his head blown up.
"She’s still alive," he said, looking back at the men behind him. The group nodded, rifles ready, watching the first man use the handle of his rifle to break the knob. In seconds, the knob snapped, and the bullet-riddled door creaked open.
Slowly, they walked inside, weapons raised, their guard at maximum. A few glanced at their fallen comrade, but none stopped. They walked over him, scanning the dark room.
The leader glanced at the shower door, hearing the water running. He signaled the men to approach, checking the lock. It was locked. The group exchanged glances and nodded, silently understanding the plan.
Meanwhile, Lola ended the call and peeked at the approaching men. Her heart hammered, but not with fear. It was a familiar rush she’d felt before; something that made her focus razor-sharp.
Whoever sent these guys... really wants me dead.
Lola drew another deep breath and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, a glint flickered in her gaze.