AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sarita.”
Sarah froze at the sound of the voice, the name called through the door.
“Have your friend open the door for us, Sarita. I promise, there is no danger. Come, sweetheart. Let Pa-pa see your pretty face.”
Her gaze swung to the door as she felt emotions—fear, hope, longing—pouring through her. She shook her head, feeling the tears that built behind her eyes at that voice.
It wasn’t Pa-pa. It couldn’t be. He was dead. Uncle Martin had cried when he learned the news that Pa-pa was dead.
“No.” She shook her head and stared back up at Ethan in terror now. “It’s a trick. He’s dead. Uncle Martin knew he was dead. It’s not him.”
“Coop, it’s cool, man. They’re not armed,” Jake called out. “Let’s get this shit over with so I can go back to work, okay?”
“You get ready to run!” Ethan shoved his finger at her as he pushed her to the one called Casey. “Casey, if anything happens to her…”
“I’m dead meat and turned to sausage.” Casey nodded his shaggy head as he gripped her arm and pulled her back to the landing.
Sarah felt her chest erupting with pain, with fear. Her hands gripped Ethan’s arm, fear cascading through her as she felt herself shuddering, torn apart from the inside out.
“Sarita, little one. Pa-pa wants only to see his little angel. Would you deny me this?” the voice called from the other side of the door.
Sarah felt the tears that fell from her eyes. It sounded so much like Pa-pa. Her breathing hitched, the pain spearing through her heart like a double-edged sword.
“No. He’s dead,” she whispered, staring up at her lover, beseeching. “We have to leave, Ethan. Please.”
He touched her cheek with his fingertips. “I love you. Stay with Casey and let’s see what we have here.”
“No.” She reached out as he pulled back from her, fighting to follow him as Casey’s arm snagged around her waist and pulled her back.
“Don’t get him killed, girl,” Casey snapped quietly. “Let him do what he has to. Cooper doesn’t run. None of us do. We stand and fight, or we’re better off dead.”
No. No. She couldn’t do this. She knew what her father’s enemies were like, the cruelties, the absolute lack of mercy. She could feel the scars on her flesh like a fresh brand now, searing her with the memory of how they used a child to force her pa-pa to do as they wanted. Until he had secretly gone to the authorities, turned himself in, and made a deal that destroyed him as well as the other crime families that had struck against him.
Her pa-pa had saved her. But she had suffered for his crimes. A part of her hated what he had been before he died, but another part of her ached for the father she had known. Loving. Strong. So kind.
At least, to those he loved. To those he didn’t love, he had been a monster, not unlike those who had kidnapped her.
“Don’t distract him, girl,” Casey snarled at her ear as he pushed her behind him and Ethan, while Turk and Iron placed themselves at the door.
Ethan moved to the side while Turk and Iron flattened themselves against the wall on each side of the door.
“Ethan. Man. The bar is going to hell without me,” Jake called out.
Ethan frowned. Every damned thing Jake was saying was a clear sign that their visitors were unarmed and unthreatening.
He moved to the table, and hit the electronic code to unlock and unbar the door. He stood back, lifting his weapon to his shoulder, bracing it, his finger caressing the trigger.
“Jake?”
“Yeah, Coop?”
“You go back to the bar. If these boys are so nice and friendly, they don’t need you anymore, do they?”
Cooper glanced at the monitors and watched as Jake rolled his shoulders.
Jake stood in front of the other three at the landing of the stairs.
“Come on, Cooper,” Jake’s voice was irritated now. A sure sign he believed whatever crap these yahoos were giving him.
