“Thank you. I can’t think of anything else I might need.”
“Okay. Get some rest.” Liam turned his attention to Glover. “Call me if anything changes or there’s an issue.”
“I will.”
Liam kept one eye on the rearview mirror as he drove toward his house. Were they being followed? He was pretty certain the SUV behind him had been there since they left the hospital.
He signaled left and turned onto a random side street. The SUV followed. He continued a couple blocks and signaled to turn. Followed again. He tried a few more evasive turns, and finally the SUV disappeared.
Just to be on the safe side, he took a different route back to his house. He pulled into the driveway and parked.
They climbed from the SUV. Something was off. He studied the house. The porch light was on, and everything was exactly as he’d left it. “Girls, wait.”
The girls stopped at the bottom of the porch steps.
He looked up and down the street. There weren’t any unknown vehicles or anything else suspicious.
It could just be the stress of the last few days playing with his mind. He unholstered his weapon and held it down by his side.
The girls gasped.
“It’s okay. I just want to check everything out.” He climbed the stairs and unlocked the door. “I want you two to stay right here. Don’t go anywhere.”
They nodded.
He opened the door and flicked on the light. Blossom stood at the door, tail wagging. “Grab the dog.”
Blossom ran past him.
He turned his attention to the interior. Nothing was out of place. He kept his weapon at the low ready position, finger off the trigger as he made slow, steady steps. He cleared the kitchen and turned his attention to the hallway. Next, he cleared Sophia’s bedroom, then moved on to the bathroom.
A click came from his right. The unmistakable click of a gun misfiring.
Liam spun and raised his weapon just as a figure dressed in black from head to toe jumped from his bedroom and knocked him to the ground. The gun fell from his hand into the dark hallway.
The attacker straddled Liam’s torso and delivered a blow to his face followed by another. Pain splintered his head.
“You should have left things alone,” the attacker growled as he wrapped his hands around Liam’s neck.
Liam’s training kicked in. He trapped the attacker’s hands while he planted his feet on the ground before bucking his hips, knocking the guy off-balance.
He rolled over on top of the man and delivered a few blows of his own. The attacker swung an elbow, connecting with Liam’s ribs. Pain shot through his chest. The man twisted free from Liam’s grasp.
He pulled his hand up, a metallic object extending forward.
A knife.
Liam wasn’t fast enough. The knife sliced across his chest, followed by searing pain.
“Uncle Liam?” Sophia’s panicked voice sounded too close.
“Get out of here!” he yelled at his niece. “Sophia, run!”
The man lunged with the knife again. This time, Liam dodged the attack and slammed his forearm on the man’s arm. The knife fell from his grip. Liam gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain. He was the only thing standing between Isabella and Sophia and death. Death would not win tonight.
Liam bent low and tackled the man’s waist, sending them sprawling on the floor. He grappled with the man, but his hands kept slipping in his own blood.
Lord, let me get the upper hand and keep my family safe.
