The other man paused for a second. Then as if nothing happened, he jumped over his dead colleague and followed Leander. He had no change in expression.
But…
He was pointing his gun at her no more.
She recognized this poker-faced man. He is Leander's most trusted right-hand man—George Stefano.
Everyone called him Stone-face Steve or just Steve.
For some reason, all her strength got drained all of a sudden. Leander let go of her jaws. Her heart beat sped up as her eyes ended up at Leander's face.
In his eyes, she saw the beast everyone sees.
A chill passed through her spine. Her hand holding the blade trembled. She didn't know why he killed one of his men out of nowhere.
She tried to get the blade out. But this time, she wanted to use the blade on herself. She didn't want to be left alone with this unstable beast after she provoked him.
But she didn't get the chance. She didn't know how he could get down the stairs so fast as if he was not hurting. They've reached the first floor. Everyone in that building gave way to Leander.
"Help!" she screamed at the security at the door. "Help me, please…" She knew they won't help. But she tried.
The security guards turned with their hands up and faced the wall. No one even bothered to look at Leander or show any surprise. They hid their phones and scattered away from the lobby.
Just within a minute, she was inside a tinted Rolls Royce. The car sped through the highway not even stopping at the red lights.
Tinted windows are not allowed for commoners. But the Kastello family had the "celebrity" privilege. And since they had the "first responders" privilege, they didn't have to stop at red lights.
Steve was sitting in the front passenger seat and the driver drove without making a noise. Maybe he realized the situation. They are missing a person after all.
The car was quiet. Viviana was never in a car ride that was this quiet. She couldn't hear the traffic outside and she didn't even hear the sound of the engine of the car. She could hear her eyes blink.
The silence was loud.
"Hospital?" the driver broke the silence.
"Orchid Garden," Leander said and leaned on the seat.
Viviana sat up straight after taking a deep breath. Orchid Garden is where Leander lives. And it is probably where his torture chamber is. Now that there is no chance for escape, her fate is sealed. She is going to get tortured by this beast.
That certain doom in front of her gave her courage. She was done being scared.
She wiped her hands on the white leather seat and rolled her hair to a bun. She didn't mind that Leander's eyes were on her. Her big almond eyes looked restlessly around for anything that would help her. She must find a way to die before she gets taken to wherever Leander tortures his enemies.
*Brrr*
Leander answered his phone. "Yes…"
"…"
"It took you 5 minutes to shut down the broadcast?"
"…"
"Find out who did it. Release a statement that this is all false information. Sue the news organization for slander. And do not let this matter trend on any social media platforms. You have an hour."
The person at the other end was saying something, but Leander ended the call.
Viviana knew the Kastellos had the power to suppress the news. But what's done is done. Evander can never sire a child ever.
And the photo she posted on the internet of Evander with his severed d*ck inside his mouth as he was screaming and choking in his blood… It will go viral soon!
'Do your best, pathetic Lion!'
She smirked.
"A little b- like you…" Leander looked at her and she met with his eyes. He froze with his lips slightly parted.
"You want my help with something?" she asked.
Leander pressed his lips. She heard his knuckles popping. She is getting him annoyed. That's what she wanted too.
He gets enraged, and maybe smacks her face in and kills her in one blow.
But all he did was stare at her.
"Who is Joe?" he asked after staring at her for a good minute.
"Hmm?" Viviana raised her brows. She didn't know which Joe he is asking about. She knows a lot of Joes. "Who?"
"You said Joe is coming for me. Who is Joe?" he asked leaning at her face.
The smirk on her face disappeared as she recalled her past. His smirk widened as he could see that she is affected by his question.
He inched closer to her face.
"So, who is this Joe who is coming for me?"
Leander's deep vibrating voice snapped her out of her trip to memory lane. His warm breath spread on her face, displacing the clump of hair hanging on her cheek.
She scoffed and then she smirked.
Pathetic lion!
"You know what?" she whispered. "You have a handsome face. But your breath stinks. So kindly lean back!"
She could see Steve whimpering in the front seat. His hands quivered. She didn't care why Steve was worried for her. And she couldn't understand why Leander's pupils were dilated.
'Is the blood loss getting him? Will he die too? Wouldn't that be a hoot?'
Leander said nothing more. He leaned back and turned to the front. The entire car was silent as if a storm was about to pass through.
"Steve, she escaped," Leander said after a moment. "She killed Ben, stabbed me, and escaped. We are looking for her."
"Yes, Capo," Steve said. As if his words were not enough, he nodded his head like a chicken pecking grains.
Viviana gulped.
Steve might or might not have understood why Leander is trying to create a new narrative about her. But she did. He wants to get his time with her before he hands her over to his family.
After all, no one who hurt the Street Boss of the Kastello Mafia family will live to tell the tale.
But what kind of torture will she have to endure? Beatings? Pain? R*pe..?
R*pe!!!
Pain is okay… Probably. But she feared getting r*ped.
She knew he won't touch her. When she researched him, she did not find any woman close to him. He avoided women like the plague.
That's why she set Evander, the self-proclaimed Casanova, as her target.
But Leander's men wouldn't necessarily be like him. They would be very interested in her body. She has a very nice body.
Or so she was told.
Apart from real estate, finance, and pharmaceuticals, the Kastello family is in the business of selling adult videos, running brothels, and s*x trafficking.
A beautiful v*rgin woman who is getting forced by a bunch of men, tied up, or in any form, will fetch a good amount of money.
And he probably will sell her as a s*x slave afterward!
Or if he hands her over to Evander, after what she did to him, he will definitely do the same to her. What is the female equivalent of what she did to Evander?
She shuddered.
She didn't want to willingly give herself to the Kastello family to be humiliated.
She was not making this up. She had personally talked to such women who ended up in the "business" because of the Kastello family and women who were pushed to despair or suicide after they were used by the goons working for the Kastello family.
Her determination to die increased a hundredfold. Surely death is better than living as a slave pleasing men.
'But why isn't he getting provoked?'
She decided to up her game. With determined eyes, she looked at him.
"I researched about you. Found out that you are gay. That's why I didn't mark you."