Chapter 71

“Luis!” I whispered as I walked into the completely dark warehouse.

Escaping the house was not as hard as I thought it would be because the security was not as tight in the Leaving through the garden door which led straight to the path which led to the subway was a piece of cCinderella—I knew that that exact same door was heavily protected after midnight.

The best thing about the safe house would have to be that no one really spoke to me unless spoken to—say was that I was going to take a nap and I was good to go.

“Luis?” I called out again and opened my phone flashlight. When I heard footsteps coming my way I tooand looked around. What if it was a trap?

“Serena?” I heard Luis’s voice, as he ran towards me and hugged me. I knelt to look at him and brushed side. “Serena, you really came!”

“I did, now let’s go!” I wrapped my arm around him and began walking until I suddenly stopped in my stme Beau’s phone,” I ordered him, as a startled Luis handed it over.

It had suddenly occurred to me that the moment someone would track Beau’s phone, we would’ve beenabsolutely did not want that. Without any hesitation, I threw the phone against the wall and watched as into pieces.

“I was only able to pack a few things with me.” Luis opened his bag and showed me the clothes inside. Itenough for a few days.

“Good, now let’s get out of here,” I told Luis and wrapped a scarf around his shoulder, the same way I hamyself. The last thing I wanted was for someone to recognize either one of us. “Where are we going?” Luheld my hand to hold me back. “You can’t bring me to uncle Lucio, if he finds me he’ll…”

“I know—I will hide you and I will protect you, but we have to go now,” I told him and pulled him out of We walked at a fast pace and made our way to the subway station. Taking a car would’ve been a lot easiein the driveway of the safe house would’ve been a bit impossible.

“Hide!” Luis gulped and pulled me behind a corner. My eyes followed his and landed on the person whoin a very long time, Vincenzo.

Seeing him for the first time after knowing what kind of monster he had become, made me gulp—

and kwhere Beau was didn’t make it all that better.

He brought his hand through his hair and paced back and forth with a worried look on his face. Luis is alwere the words he had once told me.

If it weren’t for Christian I wouldn’t have known that he had an elder brother who his father had disowneVincenzo was not to blame for being a monster. “Do you want to go back to your brother?” I asked Luis, my hand and shook his head.

“No, I’m scared.” His voice trembled. I was just as scared as him and was well aware of what Vincenzo mhe would’ve seen me. Even though I was ready to fight for his life, I was pretty sure it was not the other wafter learning that my baby and I got to live in peace—while his mom couldn’t.

My eyes shifted to the subway train which had just arrived before they looked back at Luis. “We run at thgot it?” I asked him as he nodded his head. “1, 2…3!”

I took his hands in mine and ran into the crowded train before I pulled him down so Vincenzo couldn’t shad the same troubled look on his face, and I felt bad just thinking about how stressed out he must’ve fechanged, he’s not the same person anymore.” Luis sighed and stared at his brother as the train sped awa“It’s not your fault you know…the thing which happened with his mom—it’s not your fault.” Luis looked big dark brown eyes. His eyes yelled innocence, and I wanted to believe the wise eleven-year-old, but mashared the same mother as Vincenzo, he would’ve understood where he was coming from.

Vincenzo was being brainwashed by his father, and was just doing what he thought was right—but that da monster. “Where is Beau?”

“Fabio said he was going to learn him a lesson. He sometimes teaches Vincenzo a lesson too…so he wontrembled as I held onto his hand. “Luis, what lesson?”

“He l-locks us up in the basement, tells us that we need to heal ourselves.” Luis’s voice cracked.

Fabio waknew the situation was serious and that he had always been a real threat, but hearing about it from his odifferent. “Does he also does it to y—“

“No…Vincenzo wouldn’t let him.” Luis spoke. It had suddenly occurred to me that the reason why Vincenworried about losing Luis had to do with a combination of both. Fear and love.

“Luis…where is your mom?” I wondered and observed the sad expression on his face. In the time we hadwas so invested in doing fun stuff and felt guilty for never showing more interest in their lives.

All I caredChristian while all the puzzle pieces were right in front of me. “Fabio told me that mom doesn’t want me“Do you always call your dad by his name—“

“I hate him.” I watched how tears left Luis’ eyes. “I hate him, I can’t stand him!” He cried as all which coueyes was hatred. I had so many questions and all I wanted to know was whether or not Beau would reallyalso had a conscience and knew that Luis needed rest—and that’s why I held him tightly without saying entire ride.

With my arms wrapped around his body, we had made our way to the safe house, and I was grateful for enough to turn off the camera system for a few hours. I had predicted that I would’ve been sick of stayindiscovered how to control it, but what I did not know was that I was going to use it for this.

“Go!” I pushed Luis through the garden door and walked in front of him to see if anyone would be in hishim upstairs was not as hard as I thought it would be—and reminded me that these people must’ve eithexhausted or just really bad at their jobs.

“You can stay here and rest,” I told Louis and threw all my crap from my bed. He sat down on the bed as my tablets and handed it to him. “The code is 0505, take it.”

He held out his two hands and accepted it with a grateful smile on his face. “Thank you, Serena.”

“No problem.” I smiled back. I felt stupid for not thinking this through, but no one could help me. I didnplan. I had basically kidnapped an eleven-year-old without having a solid plan.

“Luis, you have to stay quiet—no one can know that you’re in here. Okay?” I asked him and held his hanLuis nodded his head.

It had suddenly kicked in that he had only packed a few things, and definitely needed more. But how wasit?

What would I be doing with clothes for an eleven-year-old?

How would I even find clothes for an eleven-year-old boy?

Maybe I should ask someone for help, but then again…who would be willing to help me?

Faith, Luna, and Olivia were out of the question. They had already put their lives in danger by just keepinand that was more than enough.

Mia and Stella? They were Lamberti’s and probably wouldn’t let Luis breathe.

Johnny? Even though he had a change of mind, the same Johnny who was always sweet and gentle had that he did not want anything to do with a Garcia—and the same could be said about Gio, which also maunavailable.

Luca? He was a Lamberti and an airhead, so it wasn’t even an option.

The Alfonzo’s? Their hatred for the Garcia’s was even bigger than the Lamberti’s and I did not think evenwilling to go that far for me.

Marc? He was the Lamberti’s puppet.

Enzo? Even though he was desperate for my trust, he was more-so desperate for his family’s trust and wme out again.

Christian? Out of question, he would order me to bring him back. Anything to keep the baby safe.

I was screwed either way. I started something which I could not finish.

If I were to trust Christian’s words, we had to hold on for one more week, and then this would all be ove“Luis, did you eat anything—are you hungry?” I asked, expecting him to say something back, but he didn

“Hey, Luis—how about you take a sh—“ I turned my head towards him, but Luis was already fast asleep opoor thing must’ve been exhausted if he was able to sleep in this state. I had so many unanswered questdesperate to find out what had exactly happened with my twin brother—but Luis needed rest.

“Or just go to sleep, that’s fine.” I sighed and carefully removed his shoes and jacket before I threw a blabody.

My main priority was to get Luis more clothes, but I had yet to figure out which idiot I was going to use fWho would be willing to go that far for me?