HIDDEN WIFE : CHAPTER 11 – 20

CHAPTER 20

Duncan squinted his eyes as he focused them on the license plate and tried to catch one of the car’s licensed number, then he clenched his jaw and did a sharp intake of breath.

“It’s him! He’s trying to force me” he muttered.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

“Him? Who’s he?” I asked.

“Ferrari” he answered.

Isn’t Ferrari his ex boss? Why is he sending his men after Duncan? Is it because Duncan left his gang?

Yeah, that must be the reason.

“What should we do, sir? Should we stop and f!ght?” Lucas asked.

“Are you ¢razy?!” I exclaimed frighteningly. “What stop and f!ght? Do you know how many they are?”

Duncan wanted to say something, but we suddenly jerked forward as one of the cars bumped into ours from behind, which made me bite the tip of my tongue and tears brimmed my eyes.

“My heartbeat, are you ok?” he asked me.

I rolled my eyeballs mentally, of course I’m not ok.

It’s very clear to me now, I finally understand why he didn’t wanna bring me into his world, it’s full of dangers and I’m sure gonna be living on tenterhooks everyday from now onwards.

“Lucas, drive faster” I urged Lucas.

“Mr Baldwin, where should we go? Your home or…”

“Home” I interrupted.

“Mr Baldwin?” Lucas looked through his rearview mirror as if he’s waiting for Duncan’s approval.

One of the cars soon came neck to neck with us, it violently collided against ours from my side, the window ¢rashed and I hugged Duncan in fear as I released a frightened shriek and he quickly wrapped his arms around me protectively.

The rival’s ¢ar ¢ollided against ours again, our car almost somersavlt this time, but Lucas somehow brought it back to balance -he’s a good and experienced driver.

Of course he’s experienced, he must be familiar with scenes like this -my subconscious mind said.

At once I heard a gvnshot, then series of gvnshots followed and I couldn’t hold back my fear anymore, I ducked and closed my eyes then started s¢reaming and howling agonizingly as if I’ve been sh®t, in fact, it’s in my head that I was just sh®t but I frowned in confusion when I realized I wasn’t feeling any pa!ns.

I opened my eyes and saw Duncan holding a p!stol, he’s aimed it towards the rival’s car and was sh®oting at them, he’d sh®ot a few times and duck to dodge a bvllet.

“Yo.. you..” I couldn’t speak.

“Lucas, change of plans, let’s go to our base in Alabama” he ordered Lucas.

By now it’s turned into a real gvn ba.ttle and I watched as bvllets are flying everywhere, both from Duncan, Lucas and the rivals. I could hardly hear human voices, only gvnshots and sounds of tyres bursting, I don’t know if it’s our tyres because our car didn’t stop.

I wanted to take a peek even though I was scared, but Duncan wouldn’t let me, he held me down and continued sho®ting back at his rivals.

“Fk, I’ve been sh®t!” Lucas hissed.

I took a peek but couldn’t see where he was sh®t, I guess where he was sh®t isn’t in my line of sight.

“BIoody stop sh®oting back and focus on driving!” Duncan growled frustratingly.

“Yes, sir” Lucas replied and focused on driving.

He stepped on the gas, increasing his speed way above the speed limit and left the rivals’ cars behind, but strangely enough there wasn’t much distance between us and the rivals, they were following very closely and wouldn’t stop shooting at us.

“Why aren’t we going home? Why are we going to Alabama?” I asked which I recalled Duncan’s words from earlier.

“The staffs at home are all innocent people, going home will drag them into this mess and they might lose their heads for what knew nothing about” he explained.

Mrs Jackson and Jeb flashed across my mind immediately he said that, he’s right, going home at this point is useless and very dangerous.

“They are catching up, we….”

“Duck!” Duncan shouted and pvshed me down, then hugged me and used himself as a shield to cover.

He grunted and held me tighter as he clenched his jaw, the veins on his neck and forehead bulged out as if he’s in pain.

“Do-don’t raise your head for now” he spluttered. “If it’s possible sleep, ok?”

“I can’t sleep”

“Then stay down and don’t raise your head” he said.

He raised his head slightly and turned around to shoot back at them, that’s when I realized he’s been shot -there’s a hole in his back and I believe the bvllet is inside.

It wasn’t long before they caught up with us again, this time wasn’t any way out for us.

Four cars suddenly stopped in front of us and almost caused an accident for us because Lucas was on a very high speed, but he was very fast in stepping on the brake, hence bringing our car to an abrupt stop, thankfully the brakes didn’t fail him.

He was about taking a U-turn, but another four cars also parked behind us and blocked our way, leaving us no way out.

“What’s going on?” I asked as if it’s not obvious enough.

Another gvn battle is about to begin, and from the look of things I could tell it’s gonna be a fiercer ba.ttle this time -some people are gonna d!e.

“Du-duncan” I stuttered.

He hugged me possibly closer to himself, he planted a lingering and comforting kiss on my forehead, then wiped my sweaty forehead.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you” whispered.

I nodded and looked out the window, it’s so dark outside, the cars’s headlights were the only source of light and we’re trapped in the middle of nowhere.

“Mr Baldwin, I’ve called for backup, they’ll be here soon” Lucas said.

Backup? When is the backup gonna reach here? What if the backup is too late? Don’t tell me they don’t have a plan B.

“We have plan B” Duncan answered me, I guess I voiced out my thoughts.

“What’s the plan B?” I asked.

“We’ll f!ght our way out” he gestured at his gun. “But I’ll run out of bullets soon” he added.

I facepalm myself and sighed deeply, it seemed as if I can’t breathe anymore, I began ga$ping for more oxygen but I still couldn’t get enough.

“We’re gonna d!e here, we’re gonna d!e here, we’re gonna d!e here” I chanted quietly.

Since when did I become a coward? Or was my bravery was just a facade, maybe I was never really brave but pretending to be, because I had no one to lean on over the years, my weakness is showing now that I have my husband by my side.

“We’re not gonna die, I’m here” he assured me again.

My eyes subconsciously moved to his injured back, it’s still slowly gvshing out bIood.

“I won’t let you fight with them, not when you’re already shot and bleeding” I said firmly yet worriedly. “And the bvllet is still inside”

He smiled, but grunt quietly.

“I’m fine, I’m used to this”

I frowned at his words.

“It’s just a small injury” he said.

“How’s getting sh®t a small injury?”

He reached forward and ¢aressed my cheek softly.

“I’m just gonna stall them until my boys get here, ok?”

“But you’re bIeeding heavily and… ”

“My heartbeat, calm down” he cut me off. “I need to protect you or I’ll blame myself forever if something happen to you, I’ll hurt even more if you sustain any injury right now”

I know it’s not the time, but I couldn’t help but blush at his words.

“Beside Lucas is here to help me too”

I looked at Lucas who’s watching the rivals in front of us.
I was about saying something, but I heard a sudden gvnshot and Duncan grunted in pain and held his right shoulder that started bIeeding heavily too and the gvn battle begin again.

He pushed the door open and jumped out, he pulled me out but quickly stood in front of me protectively and started sho®ting back at them randomly.

Lucas quickly jumped out of the car and joined Duncan in firing at the rivals, his left hand was bIeeding heavily too -that was where they had sh®t him earlier.

“Sht!” Duncan cvrsed and staggered back slightly, but quickly kept his balance.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing, just stay behind me” he replied.

My searched his body until they landed on his thigh, it’s bIeeding heavily, even heavier than his back and shoulder.

I wanted to do something, I wanted to help but I’m completely helpless and can’t even save myself right now.

Suddenly blinding lights shone in everyone’s eyes as cars approached us, which stopped everyone’s action for a split second and I grabbed Duncan’s shirt tighter.

“Back up is here, Mr Baldwin!” Lucas informed Duncan.

Guys started jumping from the cars, and were firing at the rivals, soon some men formed a circle around us and blocked us from the rivals.

“Sorry we’re late, sir” a very, very familiar voice apologized.

I quickly turned around to confirm if I heard correctly or if it’s just an illusion, but my jaw dropped and my mouth fell open as I locked gaze with the owner of that familiar voice.

“Fatima?!” I exclaimed in total shock and confusion.

Fatima is part of Duncan’s gang? Isn’t she supposed to be my innocent friend? How come she’s a gangster? And she’s even working for Duncan? Does that mean our friendship isn’t real?

She quickly looked away from me and kept a straight face, then bowed respectfully when Duncan glared at her.

“We’ll talk later” Duncan and averted his glared towards the rivals. “Get one of them alive, I need to know who sent them”

“Yes, sir” she replied. “The getaway car is ready, it’s gonna take you and Mrs Baldwin to your mansion in Alabama, I have also informed the gang’s doctor and she’s waiting for you there”

“Hm”

Fatima bowed at Duncan once more, she glanced at me very briefly before joining the others in the gun battle.

Duncan turned back to me and smiled, exposing his bIoody teeth.

“Quick, follow me” he said.

He grabbed my hand and we ran towards the getaway car, no, we leaped there because his thigh was shot. Lucas helped Duncan and I get into the car, then rounded the car and got into the passenger’ seat.

“Drive” he told the driver after getting in.

Duncan turned to me, he’s breathing heavily by now and his face has turned pale.

“Are you ok?” he asked weakly.

I nodded.

“Yeah”

He smiled, but coughed out bIood.

“That’s.. that’s good” he said.

He rested his head on my laps.

“I’m tired, let me catch some sleep” he whispered.

“No, no, no, don’t…” I quickly grabbed his hands. “.. don’t sleep, don’t sleep, get your wounds treated first”

But he didn’t listen to me or he didn’t even hear me and his eyes closed. I leaned down and listened to his heartbeat, but I couldn’t hear anything and my eyes grew wide as fear gripped me at once.

“Drive faster, my husband is dying!!” I yelled at the driver.