Chapter 17 - AMBUSH IN THE RAIN
The sedan rolled twice across the slippery asphalt before coming to a violent stop on its roof.
Glass was shattered everywhere.
Smoke poured out from under the twisted hood.
Inside the overturned vehicle, Isabella struggled to breathe.
Her seatbelt held her upside down.
Blood dripped down her forehead into her eyes.
"Marcus..." Isabella choked out, looking over at the driver's side.
Marcus was unconscious, his head slumped heavily against the deflated airbag.
Isabella reached down with trembling fingers and unbuckled her seatbelt.
She crashed hard onto the interior roof of the overturned car.
Pain shot through her ribs.
She dragged herself out through the shattered passenger window onto the cold, wet pavement.
Rain washed over her blood-soaked face.
Heavy boots stomped through the puddles around her.
Isabella raised her head.
Standing in the pouring rain, holding a heavy iron wrench, was Julian.
He was wearing an orange prisoner transport jumpsuit, covered in mud and blood.
He had escaped during his transport.
His face was twisted into a hideous, psychotic smile.
"Did you really think... a few federal marshals could hold me, little sister?" Julian hissed through his teeth.
Isabella tried to crawl backward, but her body was battered and bruised from the crash.
"Julian..." Isabella gasped out, her hand searching the wet asphalt for anything to use as a weapon.
"It's over... the money is already transferred..."
"It's not transferred until Seraphina executes the final confirmation at the bank!" Julian roared, stepping forward and kicking Isabella hard in the ribs.
Isabella shrieked in agony, curling into a ball on the pavement.
"I saw the alert on my phone before I broke out of that transport van!" Julian shouted above the roaring thunder.
"The bank requires a secondary digital confirmation key!"
"A key that is sent directly to YOUR phone!"
Julian crouched down beside Isabella.
He grabbed her by her hair, pulling her head back violently.
He reached into her coat pocket and ripped out her phone.
"Give me your face!" Julian snarled, shoving the phone in front of Isabella's bloodied eyes.
"Unlock it!"
Isabella squeezed her eyes shut tightly.
"No..." she spat through her bloody teeth.
Julian slapped her brutally across the face—the exact same spot where Isabella had slapped Seraphina at the party.
"UNLOCK IT!" Julian screamed.
"Kill me," Isabella whispered, opening her eyes and staring at her brother with absolute defiance.
"Kill me, Julian."
"Because if I survive tonight, I will watch you rot in a cage for the rest of your pathetic life."
Julian's eyes widened in insane rage.
He raised the heavy iron wrench high above his head.
"Then go to hell with your sister!" Julian shrieked.
A sharp, deafening gunshot rang through the storm.
Julian's body jerked violently.
The wrench dropped from his fingers, clattering loudly against the pavement.
Julian fell backward into the rain puddles, clutching his leg in agony.
Isabella looked up through the pouring rain.
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A sleek motorcycle was idling at the edge of the street.
Standing beside it, holding a smoking handgun, was Seraphina.
