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As I bounded outside, I heard a noise and I reacted, twisting to the side.
Pop! Pop!
* * *
Ten minutes earlier
Amelie
The first glass of wine had gone down too easily, the second as well. As I poured a third, I pulled out the chicken breasts that had been purchased the night before to defrost. It seemed like forever since I’d done any cooking.
“What do you think, Sam? Should we have rice or potatoes?”
He cocked his head, giving me the cutest look. “I know. Men and their potatoes. Right?” Laughing, I grabbed my wine, returning to the living room and to the window. As I flicked open the blind, the late afternoon sun created a blind spot, but the deputy’s car was still parked where it had been all along. The day was surprisingly warm, enough so I knew the poor guy had to be getting hot inside the vehicle.
I scanned the surrounding area. “What do you think? Should I get the deputy a bottle of water or a Coke?”
Sam wagged his tail. I returned to the kitchen, putting the wine on the table then grabbing the water from the fridge. “Come on, buddy. We’ll say hi for a few seconds. Okay?”
He trailed behind me. After glancing through the blinds once again, I unlocked the door, opening it cautiously. Sam was quiet, happy as could be.
Until I stepped out on the porch.
Then he issued the kind of growl that made hair on the back of my neck stand up on end. Terror swept through me as I scanned the perimeter, my gut telling me something was terribly wrong. “Let’s go back inside, buddy.” Before I had a chance to grab his collar he took off, heading to the deputy’s car. “Sam. Come back here. Come on.”
Sam jumped up on the driver’s door and I expected to see it open. When I didn’t, my throat started to close. I walked two steps closer then froze.
There was a single bullet hole in the windshield, the deputy shot dead.
I backed away, trying to control my breathing. “Sam. Come, baby. Come now.”
Fortunately, he reacted to my sense of urgency, turning his head and immediately baring his teeth. Then he reacted without hesitation, flying toward me, lunging in the air as I started to turn around.
Pop!
The horrible whimper dragged a scream from my throat. As Sam went down, I lifted my head. The nightmare would never end.
“Well, well, my beautiful Amelie. I didn’t know you were such an animal lover.” Giovanni stood with a grin on his face, lowering his weapon as if knowing he’d won the game.
I gasped for air, the horror of seeing Sam covered in blood yanking on every emotion I’d experienced.
Rage.
Sadness.
Despair.
And love.
“You bastard!” I reacted without thinking, flying toward him and pummeling my fists against his face.
He shoved me aside, but I refused to back down, smashing the water bottle against his head. Without little effort, he backhanded me. I started to tumble to the ground but caught myself, backing away.
“Did you really think you could hide from me, you little bitch? I told you that I’d hunt you down. You’re such a fool.”
“You’re too late. The company already belongs to me. You can’t get your hands on it.” I glanced at Sam, my heart aching, tears forming in my eyes. He’d killed the baby. He’d killed the most beautiful creature in the world.
“You think I don’t know? Do you really think that the attorney your mother hired wasn’t going to break?” He laughed as he walked closer, taking his time to torment me.
