62 - THE CHASE

Aria’s PoV

I tapped Kyle incessantly the moment I spotted Mr. Venzo while he still the butter up Jessica with the robotic smile.

“Kyle, there’s – ” Kyle must’ve heard the distress and panic in my voice because he turned swiftly towards the direction I was pointing and I saw his eyes widen a small fraction, but still he maintained his composure.

He smiled sweetly at Jessica and swiped out his business card, handing it to her
“Keep in touch” then he grabbed my hands and pulled me out of the way. Mr. Venzo watched us curiously with a sly smirk plastered on his chubby face, and immediately the two men that flanked him began coming after us just as Kyle picked up the pace in our quick walk.

“They’re coming after us” I said to Kyle trying to keep my voice neutral even though there was pure panic was rising in my stomach, and my palms becoming sweaty that they were falling out Kyle’s hold and he held unto them tighter.

“Stay close Aria” he said to me, shooting me a look that locked my gaze for only a second. His look only meant one thing – trust me!

I did, I trusted him even as we raced down the long flight of marble tiled shoes that felt too slippery for my high heeled shoes – I kicked them off immediately and my barefoot shivered at the coldness of the floor but I barely had any time to register it. The men was closing in on us, and Kyle led me through some intricately hidden corners to create some distance between us and I wondered how he was so familiar with the building. Soon enough, we burst out through one of the numerous backdoors this building seemed to have into the parking lot and there was Kyle’s car just parked across from where we stood. I could hear the quick shuffle of the men behind followed by panting and heavy breaths that was already filling the narrow corridor that we shuffled past. Without waiting anytime, we ran out into the heat of the sun and Kyle let go of my hand so I could run to the other side of the car which I did and we jumped in the same time. The ignition roared to life just before they reached out and Kyle zoomed out of the parking lot unto the busy streets of LA.
Immediately I released the breathe that I had been holding since I spotted Mr. Venzo and I drew out a panicky breath “What the hell was that?”

“You escaped him, he’s not taking it lightly” Kyle said back to me, his eyes fixed on the road as he stepped on the gas instantly propelling us forward with a speed that sending off emergency sirens in my brain. I thought it was over, I could swear that we had escaped them and I could finally breathe and try to process how I was going to get new shoes for the day when I heard the mechanic roar of a car’s engine behind us and I turned around to find two Mustangs chasing after us.

“Shit!” Kyle cursed, stepping further on the gas. My heart picked up again.

“Hold tight” he called out to me. Hold tight? Hold tight unto where? Kyle raced past the cars on the street and instantly taking a sharp bend that caused me to lurch forward, almost facepalming the dashboard.

“I told you to hold tight!” Kyle roared

“I’m fucking scared” I yelled back at him, and he looked at me only briefly as if to study to my face but still his foot on the gas didn’t falter one bit

“I got you” he said, it was his signature word to use to keep my heart at peace and for some reason I felt an ounce of calmness envelope me but only an ounce and only because he had saved me countless times it was impossible not to trust. So I laid back on the chair, my fists balled on my lap and my eyes sharp and wide towards the road as he took dangerous turns and curves, sliding between vehicles to distract the men chasing us and the from the looks of it, they weren’t that far away.

“Hold on tight for me Aria” he said again with an eerily calm voice, stil sounding like butter and easing my worries away. I straight ahead, my anxiety peaking as I watched the countdown of the traffic light from green to red, and I feared we weren’t going to make but immediately, Kyle zoomed past just the second it was about to hit green and he took the sharp bend immediately, racing past and maintaining his speed.
My heart stayed tucked in inside my mouth as I turned back to find out we had lost them and I released my breath in shaky bits.

“We lost them” I said to Kyle and even him seemed to release an anxious breath as he relaxed his foot on the gas.

“That was close” his face stretched into a tiny smile but there was nothing to smile about, was this my life now? Running away from the mafia? I turned to Kyle and istantly he sensed the worry in my eyes and his brows furrowed in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” he voiced out and I scoffed.

“What’s wrong?” I questioned back “What’s wrong is that my life is at risk Kyle, how long is this going to go on for? To keep running and running, what if you’re not there? What happens to me?”

“Aria – ” Kyle called, turning to me swiftly before taking his eyes back to the road “I’ll always be there – always Aria”
I stayed quiet, trying not to totally believe his words even when I knew it was impossible because if there was one thing I knew how to do, it was to trust Kyle completely.

“I want to show you something” he said and I looked at him

“What?”

“A little patience lady”

I scoffed again “I still have adrenaline pumping into my veins, patience is not my strongest suit right now”

Kyle chuckled “Trust me?”