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The unmistakable sound of glass breaking and raining down onto the floor hits me right in the midsection, making my stomach cramp worse than it did before I went to bed.
Somebody wasjustin here.
My first instinct is to react, but is that wise?
Kordin.He should be the one to handle this.
Shaking the mattress, I whisper, “Kordin, wake up. I think somebody’s in the house.”Hopefully out of it now.I can only assume that’s why the intruder broke a window. If he’s already been through the house—including my fucking bedroom—then he should be done.
When Kordin doesn’t respond, I tug the comforter down, hissing, “Kordin—”
Gone. He’s gone. Again. And in his place is a pillow.Also again.
Why does he even bother? It’s not like I’m some out-of-touch mother who’d actually fall for the old pillow-as-a-body trick while my rebellious teen sneaks out to go fuck around. I’m his wife of eight years, and I’m so tired of this shit I could fucking scream.
I don’t though. I never do.
If Kordin’s not in bed, did he actually leave or is he still in the house somewhere?
Did he see the intruder? Engage with him? Them? Because it’s possible there are multiple intruders. I’m only picking up one man’s scent but that doesn’t mean he’s acting alone. Only that he’s stupid enough to wear cologne while breaking and entering.
God, what kind of animals am I dealing with here?
After removing the compress from my head, I quickly but quietly kneel down beside the foot of the bed, and watching the doorway, stick my arm between the mattress and frame to grab my .32 along with the magazine beside it. At only eight ounces, the lightweight pistol still feels heavy in my palm as I load it and consider my next move.
I don’t want to shoot anybody, but I will if I have to, especially if I’m outnumbered.
With numb legs, I get to my feet and leave the safety of my bedroom, the pistol pressed to the back of my thigh, my index finger alongside its trigger.
Once I’m in the hall, I hear footsteps in the kitchen. They’re light but still audible if I hold my breath.
One, pause, two, pause, three, pause, four, pause.
Maybe only some of them are audible. They’re definitely getting further away like the person is leaving…while hobbling?Are they hobbling?
“Lenox,” Kordin groans from the other end of the hall, near, if not in, his office.
His office.
The kitchen goes silent, making my chest constrict. Why aren’t they leaving? They got what they needed, didn’t they?
I glance where Kordin’s voice came from, only seeing a vase in the foyer on its side.
Did they get what they needed?
Shivers rack my body so hard my teeth chatter. In bed, I was burning up, but now, I’m freezing. It could be from my period or… I don’t even want to think about what else it could mean. Not right now.
Regardless of the cause, I know I’m weaker than I used to be. Physically.
Mentally, I’m the same, and mental strength is what counts most. A strong person can only defeat weaker opponents, but a wise person can defeat anybody.
That’s what I choose to focus on because I have to be smart here.
Suddenly, another series of steps and pauses, this time much faster, grows louder, bringing the intruder closer to my location.
No, no, no. Please go. Just go.
Keeping the gun hidden, I tuck my free arm under my breasts, my left hand between my rib cage and right armpit. It controls some of my convulsing as well as gives me somewhere to prop my elbow in case I need to aim and shoot.
