AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I'm dispatching officers to you now, ma'am. Are you somewhere safe?"
"I-I'm in the bedroom. I have his gun." Another tremor rips through me when I realize that I have his gun. I don't know how that didn't register before, but it didn't. He's downstairs alone, and he left his gun with me. He's defenseless because he wanted to protect me. That realization cracks me wide open, fracturing me apart.
"Please hurry," I sob, more tears pouring down my face.
The dispatcher keeps talking, but I'm so fucking scared for Roman, I don't hear her.
"Please let him be okay," I whimper, chanting the prayer over and over.
Please, God, just let him be okay.
Chapter Nineteen
Roman
My heart is in my throat as I make my way downstairs, pure terror for Mila pounding through me with each heavy beat. I'm naked, unarmed, and very fucking possibly outnumbered, but the only thing I can think about is the terrified little blonde I left in my bed. Leaving her in there alone damn near brought me to my knees. If something happens and they get past me to her…I can't let that happen.
I won't let that happen.
I'm going to fucking murder whoever Guerrero sent, and then I'm going to find him and kill him slowly. I will hunt him to the ends of the fucking earth if that's what it takes. Anything to keep the woman upstairs safe.
Please, God, just let me keep her safe.
I make it to the bottom of the stairs and pause. The lights are still on in the kitchen, illuminating part of the living room. A shadow moves back and forth across the floor. I hold my breath and listen, straining to hear every little sound over the beating of my own heart.
A faint shuffling sound comes from inside the kitchen. At random intervals, a quiet thump sounds over the shuffling. I don't know what the fuck it is, but I'm almost certain there's only one motherfucker in the house with us.
I can take one. Even naked and unarmed, I can take one. I've taken on a hell of a lot more with a hell of a lot less at stake. For Mila, I'll do whatever the fuck I have to do. I need to do it quickly, though, because I highly doubt they sent only one man after me.
Finn called this morning to let me know that Los Angeles is on the brink of a full-fledged cartel war, exactly like I fucking feared. Guerrero's people ambushed and killed two members of a rival cartel last night. The motherfucker is planning on taking out anyone who poses a threat to his new drug.
If they're here to kill me, there are bound to be others lurking around somewhere. I can handle myself, but I'm not about to tempt fate. I need to deal with this son of a bitch and get to the garage. My other guns are locked up in the gun safe I had installed when I bought the condo.
When the shadow moves across the floor again, elongating as if they're closer to the overhead light in the kitchen than the dark living room, I quickly slip from the bottom step to the wall across from me. I keep my back pressed up against it, moving quietly until I'm right outside the kitchen door, ready to grab the motherfucker standing in my kitchen as soon as he moves again.
I hear another thump inside, followed by a soft curse.
"Where the fuck is my phone?"
My heart stalls and then starts beating again at the sound of that voice.
What the fuck?
I step into the doorway.
Tahani's dark head is bent over the island as she rifles through the purse set on top. She's dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, with heels on her feet. The toe of one heel thumps at random, impatient intervals against the side of the hardwood.
Relief hits me so hard at the sight of her, my knees threaten to buckle.
"Tahani," I bark.
She screams, scattering shit everywhere as her hands fly up, flinging the contents of her bag all over the kitchen. She spins around to face me and then screams again, slapping her hands over her face.
"What the fuck?" she yells. "You're naked. Why are you naked? Oh my God! I need brain bleach."
"Fuck," I snap as soon as the words are out of her mouth. "Stay right there."
I practically run into the laundry room and grab a pair of sweats. My heart beats hard, adrenaline still pumping through me. I'm too fucking amped up to be embarrassed that my daughter just saw my dick.
