“Go home and get some sleep.” I don’t tell her that I’ll make sure she’s safe, since I’m going to follow her to her apartment in my truck and sleep outside it tonight like usual.
Thankfully, she nods and then slips into the back of the taxi. I shut the door without another word, hating that it means the end of speaking to her tonight or probably any other time. I had my chance, and I blew it.
Actually, the gunman blew it for me. Now, I have to have words with my cousins and beg for more time before they kill the woman I’m obsessed with.
7
Kirsten
Someone shot at me, could have killed me tonight…and I don’t have anyone to call and tell.
The guard was right. There’s no point in calling the police now to report it, and I don’t want to deal with the public knowing someone tried to kill me.
It could’ve been random, though.
But I doubt it.
I could’ve died right there in that alley while Natalie was fooling around with some guy, if not for the guard pushing me down.
The way he dove and covered me, it reminds me of how Creed Ferraro did the same thing in the SWAT team’s body cam footage of the club raid.
Why that stood out to me, I’m not sure. I guess I just didn’t expect the boss of all mob bosses in the city to protect someone rather than himself without a second thought. It was like instinct for him to protect the woman. A woman who matchesthe description of his wife he married a few days later, even though I couldn’t find a single witness report of the woman.
Nobody has ever risked themselves for me before, which makes me feel indebted to the guard.
My whole life has been spent going to law school and prosecuting criminals because I wanted to keep people safe, but I don’t know if I could’ve done what he did in the heat of the moment like that.
I froze up and was unable to think or move. I felt like a fool.
And now I know first-hand how the victims I talk to every day feel. Being that vulnerable, that close to dead, was scary.
I should report the shooting and see if there’s surveillance video of the gunman because I have no doubt it was someone sent by the Ferraros.
Will they try again or give up now that he failed?
Reaching into the drawer beside my bed that I’ve spent the day in, I pull out my handgun and check to make sure it’s loaded.
I have a feeling I’m going to need it.
Then I cave and grab my phone to call Bryan, the only person who’d give a shit about the shooting. He doesn’t answer, though, and it goes to voicemail. I end the call rather than leave a message, unsure what I’d even say.
If I told him what happened, he’d probably insist on coming over, staying by my side, and put himself in danger.
I can’t let him do that. Not just because he could get hurt, but because I don’t want him to get hurt for me, since I don’t love him and know I never will.
Tristan
“Tell Creed I need to see him,” I inform the two guards in black standing watch outside the Park Avenue penthouse door. It’s early as shit but I don’t care. I haven’t slept any and know I won’t until we have this meeting.
“He’s still asleep. Come back later,” Mario huffs.
“I’m his fucking blood, and I need to speak to him now!” Did Creed tell the guards not to let me in because he knew I’d be pissed about his failed hit on the DA?
Mario and Julian look at each other, and then Mario rolls his eyes before placing a call on his phone. He winces when Creed answers. “Yes, sir, I know it’s early, but Tristan is demanding to see you right now.” The guy waits and then nods. “Yes, sir. He said to send him in, but you’re to wait in the living room.”
“Where else would I wait?” I huff as he unlocks and opens the door for me. I’m too worked up to sit down, though. I’ve had so much coffee, I want to peel my skin off. But I couldn’t sleep after everything was ruined last night and Kirsten was almost killed. So, I sat outside her building until the sun came up, wide awake.
About two minutes later, Creed strolls into the open space wearing his pajama pants and no shirt. “What is it?”
