Page 21 of The Arrangement

Anton’s eyes popped open and darkness saturated his vision. The low, constant beeping coming from the security panel on the wall was a heck of a lot noisier when the bedroom was quiet. Not that it mattered because even the softest of noises would wake Anton up now.

He kicked the blankets off his legs before sliding out of the bed with as much stealth as he could manage. Viviana turned in the sheets, but her eyes stayed closed and she continued sleeping.

Fuck, he loved having her in his bed, even if all they were doing was sleeping.

Anton grabbed the handgun from the bedside drawer before crossing the room to observe the movement on the wall panel. Sure enough, the sensors were going crazy, showing excessive activity on the bottom floor.

He pressed the silence button to stop the low beeps, but continued to watch three rooms light up one after the other to signal a presence was inside.

That didn’t feel right to Anton. Clarissa and the bulls understood they had to key in their codes at night if they woke up and needed something. They had been living in the safe house for a while before Viviana arrived, so they weren’t ones to forget procedure. Rocco had a large, metal kennel he stayed in at night, so it couldn’t be him.

The security system should have been beeping far louder than what it was if someone had come from the outside in; however, it was that they managed to get in. And no one should have been able to get in because two bulls were at both entrances. Still, if there was anything Anton knew not to do, it was to underestimate someone’s drive when they wanted something.

Anton glanced over his shoulder at Viviana and his worry grew. The locks between the floors would keep the intruder from coming up, but once he went down the stairs to handle the issue, it would leave the door opened.

It didn’t much matter. He didn’t have a choice.

If somebody had managed to get inside, Anton was going to make fucking sure they didn’t ever leave unless it was in garbage bags.

The gun in his hand snapped loudly as he cocked the hammer.

“Anton?”

“Shit, I’m sorry. Go back to sleep,” he said, turning to face Viviana and keeping the gun hidden. “I’ll be right back. Just have to use the bathroom.”

Viviana rubbed at her eyes and sat up. “No, I heard your gun. What’s wrong?” Anton wished he could lie to her, but the lights on the panel were still blinking brightly on the wall. When her gaze caught the warning from the security, fear welled in her eyes. “Is that …?”

His heart rate picked up at the tremor in her voice.

“Go back to sleep,” he repeated calmly.

“Anton—”

“Don’t, Vine. Trust me. Lay your head down on that pillow, close your eyes, and I will wake you up in the morning like I did yesterday, and the day before.”

Anton understood he was asking a lot in his simple request. Chances were if someone was downstairs and they had managed to get past the bulls and the security measures somehow, it wouldn’t be fun, quiet, or easy when he went down there. He wasn’t afraid. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had come into his home assuming he’d be an easy kill. However, Anton was worried for Viviana and her well-being, emotionally and physically.

“Can you do that for me, please?” Anton asked.

Viviana bit her lip, nodding. “Okay.”

Not wanting to risk the possible intruder having any more time inside the home than he had already been given, Anton grabbed his cell phone off the small desk and left the bedroom. He shut the door behind him, and it wasn’t five seconds later he heard quiet footsteps before the door’s lock clicked.

Smart girl, he thought with a cold smile. But Anton also knew she wouldn’t sleep until he was back in that bed with her.

Dialing the bull who should have been at the front entrance to the house, Anton pressed the phone to his ear and waited.

“Boss?”

“Breach,” he said coolly.

“What? No way, Boss. Joe is in the back and I’m—”

“According to the security panels, someone is downstairs and they got in without setting off the goddamn night alarm. As of now, I can’t hear anything, but when I get in the stairwell I very well might. If someone got into this house on your watch, I will gut you, Rory. Do you fucking understand me?”

“Yeah, Boss, I got you,” Rory answered. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I’ll call Joe … if he’s back there.”

Yeah, Anton wondered that, too. What if someone had taken out one of his guys? It was possible.