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The words hit me like a punch to the chest. No. The thought of anything happening to Andrei makes my heart stutter. Cold fear floods my veins. Nothing can happen to him. I haven’t even told him I love him yet.

He drags me out of the restroom and down a narrow service hallway. I want to scream for help but he has one of his hands firmly over my mouth. I try biting down on it but I can’t seem to.

At the end of the corridor, he shoves open a heavy metal door. Cold night air slams into me, as we step outside into a dark, narrow alley tucked behind the restaurant. Dumpsters lined along one edge, the faint stench of garbage hanging in the air.

A black car waits a few feet away, engine running. “Move it!” he snaps.

The back door of the car swings open. The man removes his hand from my mouth and tries to shove me inside. I let out a loud scream. “Help!”

This earns me a hard slap across the cheek. “Shut the fuck up!” He screams at me as he keeps trying to get me into the car.

Is this it? Will I ever see Andrei again? My daughter? Tears well in my eyes, blurring my vision as dread claws up my throat.

“Where are you taking me? Please don’t do this, whatever you’ve been paid, my husband will triple it, please…” I fight him, digging my heels into the pavement, twisting my body away from the open door.

From the front seat, the driver leans out, his voice impatient.

“Get the bitch in the car! We don’t have much time left.”

The man yanking me forward lets out a frustrated growl. I see the anger flash across his face, the way his arm lifts slightly, like he’s about to hit me again and I brace myself for it.

It never comes as gunshot cracks through the night. The sound is deafening, splitting the air like thunder.

I shriek, my whole body locking up as terror floods my veins. I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing myself for the pain, certain the bullet has hit me.

But the pain never comes. Instead, the man’s grip on my arm suddenly loosens.His body jerks, and then collapses to the ground with a heavy thud.

Another gunshot rings out. I slump to the ground beside the car, curling into a tight ball and pressing my hands tightly over my ears.

Slowly, trembling, I turn my head. The man who had been dragging me is lying on the ground, motionless. His eyes are wide open, frozen in shock, staring at nothing.

He’s dead. I have no idea who is shooting… but in that moment, I’m overwhelmingly grateful for whoever it is. Now I just need to find a way to get back to Andrei.

“Rosie!”

Andrei? I push myself to my feet the second I hear his voice.

“Rosie!”

Relief crashes over me so hard my knees almost give out. And then I see him.

Andrei stands at the mouth of the alley, gun still raised in his hand, chest heaving, eyes wild with fury.

I run and throw myself straight into his arms. We collide with a force that knocks the breath from my lungs, but I don’t care. I wrap my arms tightly around him, holding on like if I let go, he might disappear.

I bury my face in his chest, breathing him in. “I’m so happy you’re here,” I whisper, my voice breaking.

He lets out a long sigh, then wraps his arms around me tightly in an instant, pulling me close to him as if fearing I might disappear from his sight again.

“Are you okay?”

A sob tears out of my chest.

“I’ve got you baby,” he murmurs. “I’m here.”

He leans back slightly, his hands moving over my arms, my shoulders, my face. “Baby are you hurt?”

“I’m okay,” I manage between tears. “I’m just… I’m just happy you’re here.” I bury my face in his chest again and cry harder.