“According to my research, as she gets closer to her due date, she can grow more tired,” Liam says, rubbing circles against the back of her hand with his thumb as he continues. “We should also ensure she has the right lotions at the house. Her skin will tend to be dryer. Oh, and we need to keep an eye on any swelling.”
Pregnancy Encyclopedia Liam’s lips part to rattle off more information when I notice movement out of the corner of my eye.
“What’s that?” Reign asks, grabbing my attention. Looking up from Emma’s sleeping form, I watch as Reign points at a car that seems to be darting in and out of lanes on the busy road.
Thomas is already barking orders, and the convoy closes in, switching around to hide which car we’re in. “Hold on,” he orders, and Sebastian pulls Emma tighter to him as Liam grips her hand just as one of the SUVs in front of us is rammed from the side.
I lean over and pull my Nimravus Tanto aluminum-handled blade from my ankle holster. My fingers itch to sink it into the heart of Senator Baker, who I know ordered this.
“Baker’s days on this earth are over,” Rowan growls, voicing my suspicion.
August lifts his shirt, revealing his gun, but I shake my head. “Last resort,” I mumble. Emma’s still sleeping, and I desperately want to be home before she knows what’s happening here.
My head whirls at the screeching of breaks. A silver Lincoln Towncar drives up next to the vehicle Fernando is driving and fires a shot, but Fernando slows and whips right, nearly running the car off the road into a guardrail, but the driver maneuvers the wheel enough to stay on the road.
The back window of Fernando’s SUV rolls down, and the familiar barrel of an AR-15 appears, letting off four successive shots. The driver from the other car loses control, driving head-on into the guardrail before flipping the silver sedan upside down.
“Thomas, get us the fuck out of here,” Rowan snaps.
“What the hell is going on,” Emma’s sleepy voice becomes alert instantly.
Whipping around, I see the knife I gave her in her hand, and my chest swells with pride.
“It’s under control,” Reign assures her.
Emma’s nostrils flare. “That’s not what I asked,” she retorts, looking around. Emma’s body tenses, but we’re already turning off the main road.
“Let’s talk once we’re inside. Right now, I need you safely in the house,” Thomas demands.
Emma huffs, but she doesn’t argue.
The tight set of my shoulders slightly loosens when it looks like the cars following us are being held off as we race away.
We drove for another few minutes before turning into our driveway. We’re out of the car and inside before I truly relax.
The relief lasts long enough to get Emma upstairs. I press a kiss on her forehead and promise to be back shortly. She doesn’t put up an argument, which under any other circumstance I’d question, but rage lights my nerve endings, and I need to release it into the flesh of someone.
I race down the stairs and barge into the security room.
“How the fuck did that happen?” I shout, slamming the door.
Thomas roars, “We don’t know yet, but once we find out, there won’t be a place for the people responsible to hide.”
Good.
I’ve only seen Thomas this visibly pissed a handful of times, all of which never boded well for the person on the receiving end. Between his barking orders, while Elias, Fernando, and Reign look seconds away from imploding, we’re all eager to get our hands on whoever this is.
Liam’s running through the footage, tracking the route the attackers came from. He brings up a still image, and I clench my molars so hard I think they’ll crack.
“Grady,” I hiss and begin pacing.
“Stuck the chip in your arm, Grady?” Rowan inquires.
Nodding, I ask, “Did the fucker survive?”
“His body isn’t with any of the remains, and the footage shows one car fleeing the scene before the shooting began.”
“Fucking coward,” I shout, clenching my fists. He needs to be dealt with. “I want his head on a spike,” I seethe, heading for the door. I need out of this room.
Holding the doorknob, I turn and command, “Find him.
EMMA
“Can you please refrain from giving me a heart attack for at least one week, woman?” Shay exclaims, bursting into my room.
“Are you still certain your future is in forensic science? My money is still on you finally seeing you belong in Hollywood,” I retort, trying to lighten the mood. The look on her face screams,
‘Don’t try me, Satan, not today.’
Shay crosses her arms, narrowing her brown eyes at me as she walks further into my room. “Don’t start that again. You know damn well I have every right to be worried.”
“I’m okay, Shay.”
“Are you sure?” she probes. “Because what I’ve gathered from all the security running around the house, the situation today was far from okay.”
Sitting up, I meet my best friend’s gaze. “I was asleep for about ninety-five percent of it. Like only woke up when we were a few minutes from home.”
Her head falls back as she roars in laughter. “Only you, Emma Bradford, would sleep through a car chase that ends in gunfire.”
Shay’s shoulders shake as she tries to catch her breath. She’s near wheezing when she stops laughing.
“I’m glad I could amuse you,” I mutter, hiding my laughter.
Clearing her throat, Shay schools her features. “Seriously though, Riri, I’m going to need you to chill, or I’m putting you under house arrest.”
“No threats necessary. I have no plans to seek out another shoot-out.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.