The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 54

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 54: Into the Lion’s Den


The warehouse loomed ahead, its rusted metal walls barely visible under the flickering streetlights. Lucas tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched. Beside him, Emelly traced the coordinates on her phone for the third time, her fingers trembling just slightly. “This is definitely the place,” she murmured. “But something feels off.” Lucas didn’t answer. His migraine had been creeping back since they left the office, a dull throb behind his temples that only Emelly’s presence had kept at bay. But now, with the weight of Leo’s trap pressing down on them, even her nearness wasn’t enough to silence it completely. Bruno’s voice crackled through the earpiece Lucas wore. “I’m in position. No sign of Serritary yet, but there are at least six guards patrolling the perimeter.”


Lucas exhaled sharply. “Hold your position. We stick to the plan.” Emelly shot him a look. “The plan where we walk straight into Leo’s trap and hope we’re smarter than him?” “The plan where we control the trap,” Lucas corrected. His fingers brushed hers, a silent reassurance. “You still have the decoy flash drive?” She patted her pocket. “Fake data, just like we discussed. But if Leo realizes it’s a bluff—” “He won’t.” Lucas cut her off, though the doubt lingered in his own mind. Leo was always two steps ahead. The car rolled to a stop a block away. David, who had insisted on driving despite Lucas’s protests, turned in his seat. “I’ll be here for extraction. If anything goes wrong—” “It won’t,” Lucas said, though the words tasted hollow. Emelly unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door. “Let’s go save Serritary before Bruno does something reckless.”


The warehouse was eerily silent, the only sound the distant drip of water from a leaking pipe. Emelly kept close to Lucas, her pulse hammering as they moved through the shadows. Then, a voice cut through the darkness. “Took you long enough.” Leo Brown stepped into the dim light, his smirk razor-sharp. Behind him, two guards dragged a struggling Serritary forward. Her usually immaculate hair was tangled, her wrists bound, but her glare was as fiery as ever. Bruno’s sharp inhale echoed in Lucas’s earpiece. “Let her go,” Lucas demanded, stepping forward. “You have what you want.” He held up the decoy flash drive. Leo’s laugh was cold. “Oh, Lucas.


Do you really think I’d believe you’d hand over the real one so easily?” Emelly crossed her arms. “Then why bother with this whole charade?” Leo’s gaze slid to her, amused. “Because I wanted to see how far you’d go for each other.” He snapped his fingers, and more guards emerged from the shadows, surrounding them. “Now, the real game begins.” --- Bruno couldn’t wait any longer. The second he saw Serritary’s defiant stance falter—just for a fraction of a second—he moved. He lunged from his hiding spot, tackling the nearest guard. Chaos erupted. Lucas cursed under his breath. “So much for subtlety.”


Emelly grabbed his arm. “Distraction works too!” They dove into the fray. Emelly, despite her petite frame, was quick—she ducked under a guard’s swing and jabbed her elbow into his ribs. Lucas, meanwhile, fought with brutal efficiency, his movements sharp despite the migraine clawing at his focus. Leo watched from a distance, his smirk never fading. Then, a gunshot rang out. Everything froze. Serritary gasped as Leo pressed a pistol to her temple. “Enough.” His voice was deadly calm. “Drop the flash drive, or I drop her.” Bruno’s face drained of color. Lucas hesitated—then tossed the decoy at Leo’s feet. Leo kicked it aside. “The real one, Lucas.” Emelly’s mind raced. They were out of time. Out of options. Unless… She met Lucas’s eyes and saw the same realization there. Time for Plan B.