His Tesoro: An Arranged Marriage Age Gap Mafia Romance (Empire of Royals Book 1)
His Tesoro: Chapter 62

We waited until the front door slammed shut behind Matteo before jumping into action. Angelo helped me out of bed and into my wheelchair before he slipped on the backpack we’d packed with essentials. Noodle’s harness was already on, and Angelo grabbed his leash as we hurried to the opposite side of the apartment to the fire escape.

Angelo threw the window open. “That will have set off the alarm. We need to move quickly.”

I stood from my chair, locking my knees to keep from falling. The room spun around me, and I leaned on Noodle to keep myself steady. Angelo squeezed his massive frame through the window and then reached for me, dragging me into the cool night air.

“Come on, Noodle.” I tugged on his leash. Noodle gave me an expression that told me he was very unsure about this plan. Angelo leaned forward and grabbed hold of Noodle’s harness, pulling him through.

“Maybe you should carry Noodle instead of me,” I said, eyeing the treacherous metal stairs.

“You first. I’ll come back for him if needed,” Angelo grunted.

The loud sound of an approaching helicopter made speaking impossible as Angelo quickly climbed the stairs, holding me to his broad chest. We reached the roof just as the helicopter was landing on the pad. I bounced in Angelo’s arms as he ran towards it. His hand covered my head when we neared the helicopter door where Leona was standing, a feral smile on her face.

Angelo lifted me up and Leona grabbed my arm, pulling me inside. I cried out when a sharp pain burst from my shoulder—she had dislocated it.

“Shit, Sofiya, are you okay?” Angelo asked.

“Go get Noodle,” I shouted. Angelo turned back to the fire escape just as a gunshot sounded from the other side of the roof.

Matteo was running towards us, fury in his face. His guards weren’t far behind them, and all had guns drawn, pointing at the helicopter propellers.

“We have to go,” Leona shouted.

I looked back at the fire escape just in time to see Noodle’s head pop over the roof’s edge as he struggled to pull himself over. Angelo cursed and jumped into the helicopter. Before the door was even shut, we were in the air. I screamed, trying to get to my dog, my best friend, but the ground disappeared from under us.

Angelo pulled me into a seat and buckled me in, careful to avoid my shoulder. He grabbed my face with both hands. My tears soaked his skin.

“I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t hear over the sound of the helicopter, but I read the words on his lips.

I held my hand over my chest, my heart shattering. My sweet Noodle. I had abandoned him.

Angelo sat down in the seat beside me, and Leona was across from us. She handed us each a headset. Angelo put mine on for me. Instantly, the noise around me dulled and I could hear Leona’s staticky voice.

“Well, that was exciting. I had a feeling I should stay in New York, like something exciting was about to happen.”

My world had just been ripped apart and here Leona was, acting like we were on some sort of fun field trip. “Sit back and relax,” she continued. “We’ll be in Boston in no time. Ronan is going to be so excited to meet you.”