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Anastasia closes the door, looking back at me with terror in her eyes. That’s when I realize.
Roman came for me.
More gunshots are fired. Then silence.
“Who is it?” my captor yells at Anastasia.
“My daddy’s here,” I say, but the door bursts open at the same time so I don’t think he hears me.
He grabs me harder, hiding behind me.
Two men with the same build as Roman enter the room. Anastasia is flat against the wall, probably hoping she’ll be able to slide right past them.
“Billie?” the older of the two asks.
“Billie!” Roman pushes the two men out of the way to enter the room. He has a gun raised. “Let her the fuck go.”
“No, man. Not until you agree to let me go. I had nothing to do with this. That bitch over there is who you want,” he insists.
Roman’s eyes never waver.
“I got her.” The younger of the brothers walks over to Anastasia and grabs her arm. “You need to come with me.”
“No. You wait. My father…” She changes to Russian, but I think she’s trying to use her father to get out of whatever trouble she’s in. I doubt that will work.
“Baby girl,” Roman says to me, still keeping his eyes trained on the man bruising my arms with his grip. “Close your eyes, baby. Don’t open them until I tell you to.”
“You’re gonna shoot your woman if you try that.” I’m shaken again.
“Go on, close your eyes.” Roman’s voice is so soft, so smooth, I know he has this under control. I just need to give over and trust him. He’s got this. He’s going to keep me safe.
I close my eyes tight.
A gunshot fires. Alarm bells ring loud in my ear. I can’t hear anything other than the ringing. But the man behind me isn’t holding me anymore. I can cover my ears. It doesn’t do anything to block the sound.
Roman’s grabbing me now, shaking me to look up at him. I drop my hands. His mouth is moving but nothing is coming out.
“I can’t hear you!” I scream.
He nods. His mouth moves some more, but I have no idea what he’s saying. I start to turn, to see where the man went, but Roman grabs my chin and keeps me from seeing.
“I want to go home!” I yell.
He says something else, then lifts me in his arms, pressing my head beneath his chin. He carries me out of the cell, down a narrow hall with single bulbs dangling from the ceiling, then up a set of concrete stairs. Sunlight hits my face with a flurry of snow. Daddy hugs me tighter to him.
“Get… warm… baby…” Some of his words are getting through the ringing, but it’s still hard.
He carries me across a lot. Men are on their knees lined up against the building. I try to see what’s happening, but Daddy keeps moving so I can’t see.
“Blankets!” Roman yells as we reach the car. Someone opens the back door, and he puts me in the seat. My dress is still wet on the bottom, and I’m shivering. “More, get another one!” he demands while bringing a warm blanket over my lap and up around my shoulders.
“I’m dirty.” I look at the smudge of mud I’ve left on the car; I am making a mess of his seat.
“Billie.” He grasps my face, lining up our eyes. “Does anything hurt, baby? Are you hurt somewhere?” It sounds like he’s talking under water, but I can hear him.
I nod. “My skin. It’s so cold, Daddy.” I tug on the blanket, trying to pull it tighter around me. “And my ear.”
“Your ear will be better soon, baby. I’m getting another blanket.” He turns away for a second then returns with another blanket. This one is thicker.
