Leaving

Coming out of the shower, Mario approaches me, smiling and trying to kiss me, but I push him with all my strength. He looks shocked and marches towards me, smacking me across the face. 

"Don't ever-" Before he can finish a sentence, I raise my dagger in the air and bring it forcefully down his neck. Mario gasps as blood pours from my cut. I don't remove the dagger; I slide it down. 

"Bitch," He hisses, blood splattering from his mouth. I sit on the edge of the bed, enjoying as he thrashes on the ground, trying to get help, but it's futile; he's getting weak. 

A sense of comfort washes over me, knowing that he is suffering. It is not nearly enough. This bastard deserves excellent suffering. 

I get up from the edge and wallop him across his face. Anger bubbles in me, and I hit and kicked him over and over again. He groans and begs me to stop in a weak voice, but all I feel is pain. 

" Stop," he says in a weak voice. 

I need to escape; if his men find him like this, they'll surely kill me. 

I grab a bag and pack all my jewelry since I need the safe's code, which I don't have.

I grab some cash from his wallet, put on jeans and a tank, and throw on a hoodie. 

Mario is still grunting in pain and covered in his blood. 

"You deserve this, you bastard," I sneer, checking his pockets for the bracelet. I find it. It's a pretty one with different creatures; I only recognize a dragon and a wolf. The others are strange. It has encryption on it, too. 

Getting one of Mario's phones, I dial Troy's number. 

"Boss," 

"It's me, come to my room. Mario is dead, I think," 

In less than five minutes, he's here. Troy frowns, looking at his boss, but I only smirk. 

"Are you alright?" 

"Yes," I hug him. "We have to leave this place," He pulls away and cups my face. 

"I can't leave. I need to keep you safe, and the only way to do that is for me to stay here," 

Tears well in my eyes, and I shake my head. I can't survive out there on my own. 

"I'm not strong enough," I cry. 

"You are a tenacious woman, Ava, that's why I know you will leave," 

 

 He kisses my forehead and looks into my eyes. 

"You will be okay, say it," 

"I... I... will be okay," he says, making me repeat the words until I believe them: I shall live and have a beautiful life. I will survive. 

"But where do I go?" I ask. Troy gave me a compass and a map and showed me secret routes out of the Estate. I hope to remember all this information. 

"Okay, let go, you two," Mikael has appeared at the door. He scowls, looks at Mario, and hits him with his leg. 

"You didn't kill him, human," He hisses. 

 I glance at Troy, who nods, and I follow Mikael to the balcony. 

"Ava, you'll go to Crescent City; you'll be safe there," Mikael informs me. 

"Where is that? I don't know anyone there," 

"Even better! It's the last place on earth the Cartel will look, and it is not your average city," he winks, and I roll my eyes. 

The boys helped me climb down carefully without a hassle, and then Troy. I didn't see Mikael climb down, but he just appeared in front of me as if he teleported. 

"How did you get down so fast," 

"Just like my city, I'm not average, Mario's woman," 

"I'm not that monster's woman!" I refute. 

"Whose woman are you, then? Don't tell me you want me," he amusedly says. I groan and go to Troy, who is looking around the area—my gaze darts to the cottage.

"Where is my bracelet?" Mikael asks, 

"I didn't get it," I lie. Mikael is beside me in a flash, smiling creepily at me. 

"Don't lie to me." The way his eyes change scares me, so I remove it and give it to him.

"Good girl," 

"You owe me," I remind. 

"Ask away," 

"I want to help those girls in the cottage escape," The girls in that cottage have been through enough torture and needed their freedom, too. 

Mikael rolls his eyes, assessing the cottage. 

"Ah, weakling human," He exhales. He can not refuse me.

"Why are you helping us," I ask. Mikael doesn't look like the type to do things out of the kindness of his heart. 

"I hate Mario," He answers, going to the cottage. That makes sense. 

"Clear," Troy whispers, taking out two guards and getting their guns.

"Stay here," Troy says and runs to the area around Mikael. I scream as a man's body lands at my feet. I run to them and sigh. Troy again finds a place for me to hide while they care for the guards. 

After a few minutes, the boys return and break down the cottage door. 

I go inside, and my heart clutches at the sight of the girls; they are holding each other and crying. 

"It's okay, we are here to help," I tell them with a smile. They don't trust me.

"let's go," Comes Troy's voice. The girls look hesitant. 

Mikael pulls out a gun, scaring them. 

"We are fucking trying to help! Now, get the fuck up," He orders, the girls whimper and stand up, coming behind me. 

"Enough, Mikael, you're scaring them," I say. 

We leave the Estate after dodging patrolling men. It's a good thing Mikael and Troy are here to guide us. In an hour, Troy returns before they can notice he is missing. 

I give him a long hug before letting him go. 

"I'll find you okay. Do you care for yourself for now," he says, cupping my cheeks. 

"You too, T," I sniff, tears filling my eyes.  

"Enough with the sentiments," Mikael groans, pulling us apart.

Slowly, I follow behind Mikael while the girls follow me. I glance back at Troy and wave. He smiles sadly before turning to walk back.

See you soon, my friend.