You Can't Back Out

You Can't Back Out
Cole's POV

I bit gently into the butter croissants while my eyes stayed on the door, waiting patiently for Luca Tinirello to walk in. I tapped my sneakers continuously on the floor. My fingers trembled as I licked off a slick of butter that stained them.
He’d said we must meet this afternoon. The word ‘must’ was texted in bold capital letters, which meant I had no choice but to come see him. I wondered what he wanted to say to me. But hell, I had plenty to say to him—plenty.
Obviously, he’d been playing me like a fool all this while. He knew Rachel's biological mother was Uncle Draco's wife. He had her in captivity all this while, and he never thought to share that information with me.
My eyes picked up his polished loafers first and then drifted up to that almost nondescript, easygoing face and the trickle of golden blond hair on his head, now cut low. He could pass for anything, but certainly not a Mafia man.
He didn't look like a Mafia, but he sure talks and schemes like one. I knew that firsthand because the bastard was fucking playing me.
My fingers tightened around the plastic coffee cup. It almost crumbled between my fingers as I raised it to my lips. The warm and slightly bitter taste burned my tongue as I watched him walk down to my table.
He didn't come alone. A boy was following closely behind him, hands buried in his pockets. My gaze shifted to him—observing his tall, lanky frame. I had seen him before. Where?
Then my eyes snapped wide on him. He was the one who led the group that carried out the fake kidnapping on Rachel. I remembered explaining to him the secret route out of the woods after I saw Uncle Logan leave through the route some days before. Luca had never brought anyone to our meeting before. Why bring him today?
But I shouldn't be bothered about that. I had to find out if Luca was playing me for a fool. If all I had found out about Rachel and Mariah for the two days that Mariah had returned was all true.
“Hello,” he said as he dropped carefully into the empty seat at my table. His boy dragged a chair from a nearby table and dropped down slowly on it. 
I sat up right, dropping the coffee cup on the table, my fingers still tightened around it. I narrowed my gaze on Luca so he could feel the full extent of my glare. “Why didn't you tell me about Mariah? Why didn't you tell me that you had Rachel's mother in your custody all this while?”
“That's because you didn't ask, and especially because it has nothing to do with our deal.” He answered, his lips stretching in a wide grin. He leaned back on the chair, carrying himself with pride.
“It has. Mariah's presence would have helped me get Rachel quicker. Uncle Draco would be busy with his wife, and I’ll have the chance to reclaim her.” I challenged him, an edge to my voice.
“Don't yell at him.” The boy he’d brought with him snapped at me, his face tight, his eyes drilling holes through me.
I shifted to him, my upper lip raised in a huge smirk. I eyed him. “And who are you? I have no business with you, boy.” I snarled, and I returned my gaze to Luca. He still sat relaxed and proud on the chair, his arms folded across his chest. I grunted, sweeping him with my eyes. This alliance was as good as over. I wouldn't remain his fool again.
I sat up further and slapped the metal table in a dramatic fit. The sharp cry of the table piercing the air brought half the room snapping to us. But I didn't damn care.
“This alliance is over. I don't want to see you again. Don’t ever text me again.” I snarled. 
I moved to rise up to my feet and leave, but a sudden cold steel, the shape of a gun's muzzle, pressed against my belly.
Fine tremors rippled through the whole of me instantly, washing down my spine—colder. I shuddered as I turned sharply to the boy, just as he snapped at me. “Sit,” his voice was low, yet it had a force of authority that echoed harder in my ears, drilling like an electric force through my whole being.
I dropped back to my seat, settling all my weight onto it once again. And the gun pressed harder into my stomach.
I dropped my eyes downward carefully to stare at it. He snapped again. “Look ahead.”
Like an obedient slave, I snapped my head fast up to Luca Tinirello. His lips stretched in a slow, polite smile, as if he was trying to placate a kid. His body sagging further onto the seat.
My fingers curled on my lap underneath the table as I watched him. He finally drew closer, throwing his long arms on the table. He leaned on them, staring straight at me. “You see, Cole. This alliance doesn't end until I say it does. I started it, and only I can end it.”
My lips parted to respond, but the gun's cold muzzle bit harder into my stomach, and I pressed my lips shut. I glared at the boy, then at Luca Tinirello, my fingers folding tight into thick fists under the table. My eyes tightened on him. I would make sure he pays heavily for this humiliation.
“Now, you are going to help Caleb here get into your estate through the very front door.” He pushed one of his fingers on the table to the boy. “Rachel knows him. You have to make sure she doesn't see him as you take him to Briella's room. He knows what to do to that bitch. You will then take him to the basement after. He has to take care of my men that your uncles took captive from my safe house.”
Take care. I could swear to it. That meant to kill. That was what was going to happen to Briella too. I thrust my chest out, leaning onto the table too, unmindful of the gun now. He wasn’t going to kill me here anyway. And since he needed my help, he wouldn't abduct me.
My features crumpled into a hard smile. Now I had the upper hand. Now I could make him pay for this humiliation. “Okay.” I answered.
He stared at me for a long time. His eyes probed every inch of me. He dropped back onto his seat, shifting on it slightly until he found comfort. Then suddenly, from nowhere, he chuckled.
“I can read right through you, boy. You are just like your uncle Draco. Plain stupid. You plan to betray me, calling Draco and Logan onto Caleb when you take him with you to the estate." He paused. "But I want you to remember, you were a part of this, Cole. I still have all our text messages. All I have to do is send them to Draco and Logan. And I trust Draco. He’ll save me the stress of killing you because he’ll be killing you himself. Logan might be contented with just beating you to a pulp, but Draco—that bastard will pull the fucking trigger on your head.” 
He was going to use our messages against me. I snapped back as a rush of heat claimed my veins. It pumped fast to my heart, and instantly, my heart began to thrash wildly in protest. I pressed my palm on my chest, yet I couldn't seem to calm my wild heart. 
He wasn't wrong. Uncle Draco would fucking kill me if he found I had been a spy for the enemy.
My fist shook beneath the table. “You promised not to tell anyone about this.” I snarled, bearing my teeth at him. “You fucking promised not to.”
“And you didn't say you were going to back out from our deal midway. If you prove not to be useful to me, it is only right I make sure you aren't useful to anyone else.” he said, his voice flat. His expression was as placid as an empty paper—the bastard.
“Now, do we have a deal?” He said, thrusting his hand to me for a handshake. A grin stretched his lips again.
I stared at his hands, my jaw clenching tighter and tighter with each moment, until the point every inch of the lower half of my face ached.
“Take his hand,” the boy snapped at me again. He pressed the gun’s muzzle deeper into my stomach to convince me, making me start on my seat.
I glared at him as I brought my hands to the table and took Luca's hands.
“Get up, let's go, then,” the boy said, withdrawing his gun into his belt. There was a look in his eyes that chilled me through. I snapped to my feet immediately.
“Cooperate with him, Cole, or you’ll be having a bullet in your gut from either him or Draco. And tell me…” He threw his hands dramatically in the air. “...What does a pretty boy want with a bullet in his gut?” He chuckled. He leaned forward and dragged the rest of my croissants to himself. “And don't forget the ledger. I still need it,” he said, pointing it out like an afterthought. He grabbed one of my croissants and bit gently into it.
I didn't get the chance to stare at him with enough hate when the boy pushed me forward to lead the way to the door. 
The bitter aroma of coffee and the sweet, buttery aroma of the pastries dying slowly with each throw of my feet towards the door. But I wasn't thinking about that. I was thinking about how I was going to get myself out of this fucking mess. This was going to continue. Luca was going to keep threatening me and using me until he couldn't anymore…
I bowed my head low when we got outside, dropping my eyes lower as the afternoon sun beat down on us. As hot as the heat raging inside of me.
He pushed me forward again, and this time, I turned back to give him a hard glare. He just forced a grin at me, then he pushed me again down the sidewalks and towards my car, which was parked on the street.
The traffic went on around us as we got into the car, and he snapped at me to drive. My fingers trembled on the ignition key as I turned it, and the engine boomed to life. Then I sent the car into the road.
We arrived at the estate in less than thirty minutes. I drove slowly down the cobblestone driveway. I flashed a few smiles at the guards so they wouldn't stop me for bringing in a visitor. The boy grinned at them too.
When we dropped down in the garage, the boy walked fast to my side. He jammed the gun’s muzzle to my back so hard, I winced, and I moved forward from the sting of the cold steel. He leaned to my ears, his presence behind me, creeping me out. His voice was low and ominous as he said. “Now that we are in your house, don't try anything funny. You heard Luca. I’ll make sure I shoot you down first the instant I realize your people are on to me. Are we clear?” He demanded in a sharp, hard voice.
I hesitated for a moment. But I could see there was no changing this, at least for now. "We—" I paused "—are,” I agreed, my voice strained with grudge and reluctance.
“Good,” he prodded me forward with the gun towards the mansion.
“Where is Briella's room?” he asked when we reached the cell. I hesitated for a moment. I couldn't let him kill Briella. I couldn't let him kill anyone.
He jammed the gun into my back again, pressing the cold steel harder against my back. I winced at the pain again.
“Talk,” he snapped again, his deep, cold voice drilling through me like an electric charge. I started on the stairs as cold heat burned through every inch of me. The gun pressed tighter against me. Fuck, I grunted, and I described the room to him.
“Good boy,” he taunted. I could hear him mocking me behind my back as he prodded me upstairs with the gun.
I climbed upstairs at his orders. I didn't know when it happened, but when I turned back to him at the top floor. He wasn't behind me anymore.
A sudden dizziness hits me, causing my vision to blur for a moment. I was a fool. How could I have let him trick me into this damn alliance? My legs suddenly grew heavy under me. I staggered for a moment until I snatched fast at the stairs railing for support. The coldness of the steel stung my palm as I clamped my hands hard around it. He must have gone to kill Briella. The bastard must have…
Gunshots split the air, echoing loudly around the whole house. I started, throwing my gaze blankly to the air for a moment. Briella, I yelled. Somehow I forced some strength into my legs, running fast down the stairs from the fucking top floor.
My heart exploded against my chest numerous times as I ran, ricocheting through my ears so that every other sound became muted. I heard nothing, not even the noise of my running footsteps down the stairs, down the hallway, and not even the squeals of the door as I pushed it open.
Briella snapped up from the bed to me. “Thank God you came, Cole,” she sighed. “Can you help me convince Logan to let me stay?” She rambled hurriedly, half-running towards me at the door.
She was nearer to the door when my eye snapped to the window at a soft thud. It was Luca's boy, dropping in through the window.
“Get down, Briella,” I screamed, lunging for her.
The gunshot rang before I could get to her, ringing through the whole of my head. Blood splattered on my face. I stood frozen, every inch of me numb, paralyzed. I couldn't move but watched her drop instantly to the floor. A thunderous thud shook the whole room, jarring through my numb body. Blood was leaking from her skull as she lay lifeless on the floor. Her face growing whiter, her eyes glassy, slowly being devoid of life.