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Jasmine
“My luck is finally changing.” I hear a woman’s sinister tone from the hallway outside the apartment.
After I heard a loud bang, I jumped to my feet and raced to the door. Zeke’s always said to keep it locked and the alarm on, even with the officer outside in the hall. I stop myself from yanking it open and am about to call out to see if Officer Granger is there, when I hear that woman’s voice again. “Look who I found outside,” she says. “I’ve been waiting for Zeke to make an appearance, but you’ll do.” She shouts from the hall, “You either let me in, or I’ll kill your friend right here. I just killed a cop. I have no qualms about putting a bullet in her head.”
“Don’t do it,” Chloe cries, then yelps in pain.
“Shut up! Do you hear me? Just shut the fuck up, or your blood will be splattered all over the floor too,” the woman threatens. Is it Paris? It has to be.
Oh my God, did Paris kill Officer Granger? Beside me, Sabrina clasps my hand. She’s shaking. My heart is pounding in my ears. And now Paris has got poor Chloe, and I have to do something!
Sabrina’s about to speak, but I clamp my hand over her mouth. I point to the closet, indicating for her to get in. She shakes her head wildly. I mouth the words,It’s our only chance. Thankfully, Sabrina doesn’t fight me and does as I ask. I don’t have time to wait for Zeke; Chloe’s life is at stake. I’m the one Paris wants anyway. With a trembling hand, I turn off the alarm and open the door. Paris is holding a gun to Chloe’s head. She pushes her toward me, forcing herself in through the doorway while I stumble back, trying to catch Chloe before she trips and falls into me.
I quickly regain my footing and pull Chloe behind me to shield her from Paris and the gun she’s waving around.
“You really are the sister from hell,” Paris says, confirming my suspicion of her identity. Her eyes are crazed, her blonde ponytail thrashing as she rants. “You’ve turned my life into a shitshow. I had it all planned. Dad was dying, and Mom would give me anything I asked for. I would have been the sole heir of our family fortune. Then all of a sudden, this bitch comes out of nowhere, calls my father, and tells him there’s another kid. What the hell is up with that!”
“That’s not my fault. I don’t want anything to do with the money. I told the lawyer that.” I try to reason with her, but it’s impossible to reason with a crazy woman holding a gun pointed straight at your chest.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” she asks with a sneer. “Five million and you don’t want it? I’m not naïve. Money makes the world go around.”
“He was your father,” Chloe says over my shoulder.
“He was, and he knew he was dying, and instead of spending those last months with us, all he did was obsess about a daughter he never knew. I ceased to exist. I begged him to let it go. Dad didn’t have your name, and I made sure he never got it. I thought it was over. Connor took care of getting rid of Constance, and Dad would finally give it up,” Paris says.
“But he didn’t,” I whisper.
“No. Then when I found out he was changing his will, I lost my mind. I confronted him and told him thatIwas his daughter. Dad blathered on about obligations and responsibility toyou. You!” She laughs hysterically. “Who the fuck are you to take my father from me? And now you want to take what’s rightfully mine? Not a chance.”
“I don’t want the money,” I repeat. “I have parents.Myparents. They’re my family. They love me, and I love them. Please don’t do this.”
“I begged my father, and he ignored me. Since he only had months, I had Connor help his death along. I didn’t count on dear old dad changing his will before that.” She takes a stance, planting her feet firmly, aiming the gun right at me.
I shove Chloe farther back and whisper, “Run. You have to run.” Instead of letting go, she clings tighter. Quietly, the closet door opens and Sabrina appears with a tennis racket in her hand. With a solid whack, she smacks it into Paris’s back, knocking her forward, throwing her off-balance.
I pounce on top of her to keep her down. Chloe kicks the gun away from her reach at the same time as the door is thrown open. I glance up to see Zeke standing there, his face full of worry, taking in the sight of me sprawled on top of Paris, Sabrina still holding the racket, and Chloe pointing at the gun.
Zeke drops his crutches and hauls me to my feet, pulling me tightly to his chest, his arms locked around me like bands of steel. Officer Rawlins, who was right behind him, yanks Paris to her feet and cuffs her.
“The threat is contained, sir,” Officer Rawlins announces. “I’m going to check on Granger. The EMTs are transporting him, and I’m going with them.”
I’m too busy reveling in the security of Zeke’s warmth to notice that Caleb, Alex, and Damian have joined us.
“I hit her with the tennis racket,” Sabrina says lamely. Alex is by her side in seconds, kissing her sweetly.
“Mi amor, you’re a badass,” he teases.
Damian wraps his arm around Chloe. “You okay, baby?”
“I am now,” Chloe says in a hushed tone, hanging on to his shoulders.
I’m not. I finally let it all out. Sobbing into Zeke’s shirt, I completely lose it.
It’s much later when Zeke and I get word that Officer Granger is out of surgery and is going to make a full recovery. Caleb took off after he made sure we were all okay to be with his fellow officer.
TWENTY
Meeting the Parents
