“Don’t be scared?” I asked incredulously. “Jesus, there are at least twenty of them—”
“Listen to me.” He shut me up because there wasn’t time. “Grab an automatic rifle from the closet. They’re all loaded.”
“I don’t know how to use a gun. You never showed me—”
“You can do it, baby. Press it against your shoulder, not your collarbone.”
Now I was getting really scared. “Am I really going to have to shoot these guys?”
“It’s just in case.”
Oh my god, I couldn’t believe this was happening. The loud gong sounded again, making me jump and scream.
He didn’t react. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. I called Balto—”
“I don’t want him to risk his life for me.” He was going to be a father. If something happened to him…
“I called Damien too.”
No, not my brother.
“But I will get there first. I will take care of this. I promise.”
“Oh my god…oh my god.”
“Baby, come on.” He gave me tough love. “Stay in our room, aim that gun, and blow anyone to hell that comes for you.”
“Okay…”
“I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay.”
“I love you.” He barked it out like he was saying it to one of his men, not his woman.
“I love you too.”
Click.
I put my phone in my pocket then grabbed one of the rifles from the drawer.
Shit, it was heavy.
I found the safety and clicked it off then held the rifle with both arms, keeping the butt of the gun against my shoulder. Then I waited, listened to the gong every forty-five seconds like clockwork. This wasn’t the same as when Heath snuck up on me at the car. He was just one guy, so I had a chance. Right now, there were twenty men trying to break down a solid steel door to get to me.
To do nothing good.
So, yeah…I was pretty fucking scared.
Then the sound changed, like the two doors had flown open and slammed against the walls.
“Shit, that’s not good…”
Shouts from the men came from downstairs, loud grunts like they’d put down the big cylinder they’d used to break down the doors and get inside. Then footsteps sounded as they ran up the stairs.
“Shit...shit…shit.” Where the fuck was Heath?
A man spoke into the house, his voice deep, taunting. “Come on out, baby. Give daddy a big kiss.”
My finger rested against the trigger, seeing the men reach the top of the stairs and step into the house.
My house.
I stepped out of sight of the doorway so they wouldn’t see me right away.
When there was no response from me, the taunts continued. “That’s fine. I love hide-and-seek anyway.”
Footsteps sounded outside the bedroom as men came down the hallway, heading right toward me like they knew exactly where Heath’s bedroom was located—and that’s where I’d be hiding.
My heart was beating so fast.
Time slowed down because I knew this could be my last few moments of life.
But I wasn’t going to go down easy.
Every minute counted, and Heath could arrive at any second. Or Balto. Or my brother. So, what I did now could really make a difference.
I went full Scarface on their asses. “Say hello to my little friend, assholes.” I stepped into the doorway, right where six of them stood, peeking into the other doors like I was there. I pulled the trigger and didn’t let go.
The power of the gun nearly made me stumble back. But I kept my feet planted hard against the wood and didn’t let go of the trigger, the machine gun firing off rounds into the guys, making them drop like flies to the ground.
Smoke rose from the barrel of my gun.
I couldn’t believe I’d just done that.
“I’m not gonna lie.” The taunting voice returned, without a face. “That was pretty impressive.”
I squeezed the trigger, pointing at no one in particular. But I was out of bullets.
“Yeah, that’s what I counted on too.”
I threw the gun on the floor and returned to the closet to grab another.
His footsteps sounded. “Baby, look at your daddy.”
I opened a drawer and found a pistol.
He fired his gun, making the glass on top of the cabinet shatter.
I stilled, breathing hard as I stood there, unable to look my attacker in the face. I felt like I was in the basement again, powerless. My face started to hurt because those old injuries suddenly felt brand-new.
“Look at me.”
I refused.
“Look at me—or I’m going to start by shooting you in the foot, then the hand, and then I’m gonna shove this barrel up your ass and pull the trigger.”
Why did I blow through all those bullets when I didn’t need to?
I slowly turned to him, forcing myself not to react when I saw his face.
His disgusting face.
With dark eyes, a scar down one eye, and maniacal look of victory on his face, he was pure evil.
I’d rather die than let him touch me.
“Get over here.” He lowered his gun and nodded.