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I move a couple of steps away to give them a moment alone together. I think they both need to come to terms with everything that's happened, not just today but in the last few weeks. They need time to heal.
My gaze shifts away from them, landing on Officer Carter. He stands over Guerrero with a gun in his hands and another still in the sand by his feet. His green eyes are locked on Guerrero, watching him carefully.
With raindrops sending blood down his mangled face in rivulets, Guerrero should look more frightening than ever, but he doesn't. He looks…pathetic. He isn't powerful as he lies in the sand. He's just a sad little man who's lucky to still be breathing. Somehow, despite the beating he took, he's still conscious.
The compulsion to tell him that he'll never beat Roman rises swiftly.
"You never get to hurt him again," I tell him quietly, stepping closer so he hears me.
His eyes are nearly swollen shut, but they move in my direction.
"When you're old and gray, rotting in prison, I hope you remember that Roman beat you. He'll always beat people like you because he's one of the best people in this world. You're just a monster."
He stares at me, his breath rattling in his chest, and says nothing.
I watch him for another long minute, memorizing his bloody face. I want to remember this day when I'm old and gray. I want to remember that, on this day, Roman came for me, just like he promised he would. He found me and Tahani, and he fought for us, just like he swore he would. He beat Guerrero because that's who Roman is…that's who he will always be. He's bright and shining, and all that's good in the world, and he doesn't lose to people like Jose Guerrero.
When Guerrero closes his eyes, I look up at Officer Carter to find him watching me, his expression caught between amusement and concern.
"Thank you," I tell him, meaning those words to the bottom of my soul. He didn't have to get in that SUV with us, but he did it anyway. He didn't hesitate to risk his life for me and Tahani. I'll never forget that.
Impulsively, I reach out and hug him.
Surprised, he stands rigid for a minute, and then he hugs me back before quickly moving away.
"You're welcome, darlin'," he says. He sounds a little taken aback, which makes me smile. I don't think he's used to being hugged. But he's sweet for letting me do it anyway.
Someday, some lucky woman is going to knock his world out of orbit. I have a feeling she's going to be one of the lucky ones. He's a lot like Roman…big and protective, a bit scary, but also really sweet.
Thinking about Roman makes me ache to feel his arms around me again. I take a step away from Carter to return to Roman's side, only to frown when Carter makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat. My eyes rise to meet his just in time to see his widen, horror sliding through his expression. He reaches out toward me.
"No!" Roman yells from behind me, terror in his voice.
A loud crack erupts around me, and then pain slams into me, flinging me off my feet. I hit the ground so hard that my teeth clack together. All my breath leaves my lungs in a rush.
Agony rips through me, leaving me gasping.
My gaze lands on Guerrero. A gun falls from his hands as another loud crack rings out. A hole appears in his forehead, blackening around the edges.
I blink, trying to make sense of what just happened.
"Mila!" Roman roars. My gaze lands on the gun in his hands and then on the terror stamped across his gorgeous face.
Realization hits like a lightning strike.
Guerrero just shot me.
"Roman," I whisper, reaching toward him. The world spins around me, going black around the edges. I whimper, terrified.
The horrified look on Roman's face is the last thing I see.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Roman
"Mila!" I roar, racing toward her crumpled body on trembling legs. My heart pounds a frenetic, painful rhythm, threatening to crack in half at the sight of her lying in the sand, not moving. Her blood mixes with rain, darkening the sand around her.
Fuck.
