Amapola Part 4

"What are you going to do with me?"

"I’ll give you a chance to run. No more games. I never keep anyone locked up for long. I kill them in the first week, but I didn’t with you, and maybe that was my mistake. I should have killed you and your father."

"Leave my father out of this. I’m the one constantly defying you, so take your anger out on me."

"Don’t be foolish, girl. I let you defy me. Haven’t you realized that yet? I find your arrogance amusing, your idea that you can stand up to me. But you can’t, Amapola. You don’t have the strength to fight me, and I’m about to prove it. Enough of this cat-and-mouse game. We’ll play like adults now. You’re the prey, and I’m the hunter. If I catch you, you’ll be my prisoner until your last breath. But if you reach the gates, you’ll have your long-desired freedom."

"That’s not fair, I don’t know this place, and your men can always catch me," I say, knowing that in a race between him and me, I don’t stand a chance.

"I never said it would be fair. But come on, I like challenges. Nothing easy appeals to me, so I’ll give you some advantages."

"What advantages?" I ask confidently.

"None of my men will come near you. It’ll be just us two, and I’ll give you a five-minute head start. Look there." He turns my shoulders, pressing my back against his chest, lowering his head to speak softly in my ear as he points ahead. "Follow that path, and you’ll reach the exit gate." His deep, low voice sends shivers down my spine, and I involuntarily sigh. "I’ll open the gates when, or if, you reach them. Your freedom will be guaranteed," he adds and abruptly pulls away.

I nearly fall from the sudden distance, but I try to control the trembling in my body. I look his way, and with a smirk on his lips, he grabs his phone to call his security. He really hadn’t said it would be fair, I just didn’t think it would be like this.

"Yes, sir," the same man who captured me approaches.

"I want all the men at the back of the mansion. No one is to approach the garden or the gate for the next fifteen minutes. Remove even the guard at the gate. You’ll stay in the watchtower, and if Miss Amapola gets near the gate, I want you to open it and let her leave."

"Sir, opening the gates with no guard is very dangerous," the man says, and I start to worry.

"It wasn’t a request, Matteu. It was an order. I’ll be at the front of the compound. Just do as I said, immediately." He gives the man no chance to argue.

I could sense Matteu's unease with his boss’s orders. Could it really be as risky as it seemed while they were talking? Despite my fear, I tried not to dwell on it. I had my chance, and I would take it and deal with the consequences, whatever they might be.

"Run, Amapola. You have a five-minute head start." I hear his voice, and as if a trigger had been pulled, I start running desperately.

To be honest, I’m not used to running, so I did the best I could. My lungs were burning from the effort, and I knew I could collapse any second, but no, I couldn’t let that happen. This was my chance; I couldn’t let my physical exhaustion get the best of me. My mind had to be stronger. I was grateful for all the food I ate that day; it was giving me extra energy.

I knew it would take time to reach the main gate. I hadn’t been paying full attention when we entered, but even by car, it took a while. I believe I’ve been running for about ten minutes when, glancing back briefly, I see a shadow closing in on me. I knew he’d be catching up soon. I saw the gate in the distance, and I also noticed he was slowing down. He was giving me a chance to escape; I could feel that’s what was happening. So, I looked back one last time, knowing it would be the last time I’d see him, and as the massive iron gates started to move slowly, opening a path, my freedom was within reach, and I ran even faster.

But then, I felt his presence closing in rapidly. I don’t know how he covered the distance between us so quickly. In the same moment that I was running, desperately, toward my freedom, I felt his hands reach me and shove me forcefully to the side, straight into the thick trees nearby.

Still confused by what was happening as I stumbled, I saw him pull a gun from his back and aim—not at me—but at a silver car speeding toward us. I hadn’t even seen it, but he had. Once again, he saved my life, even though I had just taken his. He fell to the ground after the deafening sound of gunshots being fired continuously. Salvatore had been hit.

The guard in the tower fired at the car, and they quickly reversed down the same path they came from, getting hit by several rounds, likely from a submachine gun.

Still in shock from the scare, I stumbled to my feet and looked at the gate. My freedom was so close. Then, I looked at Salvatore, lying on the ground. I walked toward him, blood pouring onto the gravel, but his eyes were open. They looked at me, cold as ever, but sad like I’d never seen before.

"Go, my Amah. I’m giving you your freedom. I’m letting you go," he said weakly, and I did what I had to do.

"HELP! HELP... Someone help me, please!" Already kneeling beside him, with his head in my lap, I begged for someone to come quickly. He had saved my life so many times; I had to save his too.

"Don’t be scared, mia bella. I’m fine. Everything will be fine," he said with an impressive calm, trying to comfort me when I should’ve been doing that for him.

A black car screeched to a halt beside us, and three men, along with the one from the tower, rushed to help. I really didn’t have the strength to lift him, especially as I was consumed by panic.

"We’re heading to the hospital now, boss," Matteu informed, supporting his shoulder and placing him in the back seat.

"I’m going with you," I stated.

"No. You stay," Matteu said, glaring at me. I knew he blamed me for what happened. Everyone did, honestly. Even I knew it was my stubbornness that caused all this, but I wouldn’t leave him.

"It wasn’t a request, Matteu. It was an order." I replied and pushed past the guard, determined not to leave my fallen angel. As I leaned into the vehicle, my hand was grabbed by the security guard, pulling me back.

"Let her," Salvatore intervened, a smile on his lips.

I entered the car, satisfied, and laid his head in my lap. He understood my position. He gave me freedom, but I chose to stay with him. What would happen from here on, I didn’t know, but I hoped I wouldn’t regret it.