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“Stay down,” the woman demands. Her back is against the wall as she watches out the window. The woman, probably a bit older than me, with reddish hair, has a furrow on her face, but her mouth twitches, almost as if she's enjoying this display of pure chaos and danger. At least she looks like she knows what she's doing, even if her attire makes her look like a well-paid sex worker. Her skirt is shorter than I would even dare, and the tube top barely covers her chest and toned stomach.
I cower on the floor. “Who’s the woman?” she asks.
Words won't come. She sighs. "Miss, I'm undercover LAPD. Detective Margarette Parker." The name makes me perk up immediately. I've heard Miranda and Mack both talk about Detective Parker, someone who is supposedly up to date with my family's misdoings.
“My… my friend Sam. That guy attacked us.” The woman squares her shoulders, and her jaw tightens.
“Do not come out of this room. You understand?” I nod, and Detective Parker stretches her neck before swinging the door open.
I scramble to her spot at the window as the woman stomps over to where Sam is straddled over a bleeding Don. Detective Parker pulls a gun from under her short skirt. Where the hell was that thing hiding?
"LAPD, step away, hands high motherfucker!"
Don doesn't waste a second. He's on his feet, his nose pouring blood, and screams as he launches at Detective Parker. Sam scrambles up and backs away, but Detective Parker seems nonplussed—almost bored—as she sidesteps him. He spins around and cocks an arm to throw a punch. A smirk on her lips, Detective Parker swoops up her elbow, and in one motion, has Don pinned against the wall.
I burst out of the room and run straight to Sam, throwing my arms around her and squeezing as hard as I can.
“Miss, I told you to stay in the room," Detective Parker says. But I can already hear the approaching sirens and ignore her.
“Why did you do that, Sam?” I say as I sob on my friend’s shoulder.
“I’m not gonna answer that, weirdo.” Sam pries my arms away and looks me up and down. “Did he hurt you?”
I shake my head, though my back is throbbing. “Til?” Sam asks, her tone accusing.
“My back,” I admit. Sam is already guiding me to the stairs as new uniformed police officers race up.
“She needs an ambulance.” One of the officers is already squawking into his radio to call for it. Detective Parker lords over Don, watching with a smile as he's handcuffed. The sight does wonders for my morale and I glare at him. He doesn't meet my gaze, and if I didn't already know that he was a complete unsavable asshole, I would think he almost looks sorry. Probably about being caught.
“But Tommy?” I ask, the name sticking in my throat like cement.
“Greg and Mack are already on it. We pulled up just as Tommy and that guy were leaving. We could see he was bleeding. Greg dropped me off and followed the car.”
My heart leaps with hope. Mack and Greg are big guys, and both well-trained. Mack was in the Marines, and Greg was an FBI agent. Maybe, Tommy will be okay. Even as I think it, I push the thought away. Hoping feels dangerous.
“I can’t….” I shake my head. Sam wraps me in a hug again.
“I know, babe. You won’t have to. I’m sure Tommy will meet us at the hospital,” Sam says.
I nod against her shoulder and notice some bruising already starting on Sam’s neck. “You’re hurt,” I murmur.
Sam scoffs. “Trust me, it’s nothing. Greg has left me way worse off,” she says. I recoil, and Sam laughs. “No, nothing bad. He likes to teach me self-defense. After what happened with my ex… I swore I would never be that helpless again. Plus, wrestling with him is…” she blushes a little and leans forward. “Kinky.”
I smile, but it feels hollow. If everything works out, and that’s a giant if, I’ll have to give my friend a very hard time about that information. The ambulance has just rolled up, and Sam leads me down the stairs with Detective Parker in our shadow. I don't need to ask if she's coming along, I know this drill. We won't be left alone until the detective has my story.
As I climb inside, the only thought running through my mind is where Tommy is and if Greg will find him in time.
Chapter forty-four
Tommy
Ricardo drives in silence, and I sit in the passenger seat. I don’t know when the shaking began, but it works through my entire body. At every stoplight, the entire car jitters with my movement. Ricardo says nothing, just keeps on driving until he turns down a dirt road. After a mile or two, he stops and puts the car in park.
“If you struggle or beg, I’ll go back to her.” He says it without any energy in his voice, and I briefly wonder if the guy has the guts to actually kill me. “Get out.”
My hands fumble with the door handle before I finally get it open. Ricardo is out as well, his pistol held out but not really pointing in my direction. I close the car door and move forward.
“I’m not gonna say I’m sorry, but I do wish there was another way.”
