Oliver scowled, itching to give Lena a good kick and send her flying.
"What a goddamn mess!" he thought.
His crew subtly edged away from Lena, her stench was unbearable.
Lena, having made a fool of herself in front of Oliver, was a mix of panic and embarrassment.
With fury, she barked, "Oliver, this is your only shot!"
Enduring the torment, Oliver regarded Lena with disgust. At that moment, his phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and answered.
After the call, Oliver's face remained stoic. He tossed the cash-filled case aside and addressed the two hitmen, "Here's a million bucks. Take it and get lost."
The hitmen exchanged a glance, the sight of the exposed cash was too tempting. One went to verify the money while the other kept his gun trained on Oliver.
Lena, seeing this, screamed in rage, "What are you doing? After all the money I paid you, you dare betray me?"
The hitman sneered, "How much did you give us? How much is he offering? If you were in our shoes, what would you choose?"
His words left Lena speechless. The hitman checking the cash shouted, "Dorian, the money's legit."
With that, they took off, abandoning Lena's cause. But they barely made it a few steps before each took a blade to the knees and collapsed to the ground.
As they tried to raise their weapons, Oliver shot them in the wrists, rendering them helpless. Into Oliver's view stepped a familiar figure.
"Josie!" Oliver exclaimed with joy.
Josefina collected the hitmen's guns and, with a smile, said to Oliver, "Search 'em."
Whatever Josefina said, Oliver did.
As for Lena, she stood there, dumbstruck, shouting in disbelief, "Josefina, how are you here?"
Josefina's blade flew, and Lena knelt before her.
He cupped her face and gave her a sizzling kiss, shamelessly quipping, "Turnabout is fair play."
Lena was seething!
She was ready to go toe-to-toe with Josefina!
"God, the nerve!" she thought.
"Lena, now that you're our prisoner, do you really think he'll come to rescue you?" Oliver taunted.
"He won't come for her. She's a pawn that's been played," Oliver stated matter-of-factly.
Lena shook her head in disbelief, kneeling in a pitiful yet hauntingly beautiful state, her eyes bloodshot as she yelled, "You're talking nonsense, I don't believe you!"
"Let's make a bet, Lena," Josefina proposed. "If he comes for you, you're free to go. How about that?"
Lena looked at Josefina incredulously, "And if I lose? What do you want from me if I lose?"

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Miss Josefina: Nobody's Princess