Page 239 of Hate to Love You

“I know I said you can come to these meetings with me, but for this one, Foxy, I need you to stay in the car.”

“Roman,” I sigh, shaking my head at him. “I don’t like the idea of you going alone.”

“It’ll only take a couple of minutes,” he says, reasoning with me. “And I won’t go alone. I’ll have Caesar.”

“A dog is not a human, Roman,” I say firmly.

“Nah, he’s better. And I mean it, Foxy. Stay. In. The. Car.” His finger pointing at me with each word he says.

I roll my eyes as I cross my arms. “Fine. I’ll stay in the car.” I slouch down in the chair as I kick my legs into the footwell.

He crouches down in front of me, with a smirk.

“Good girl,” he purrs, and instantly my core clenches.

Jerk.

He knows what that does to me, and I don’t appreciate the manipulation tactic.

“Come boy,” his eyes dart to Caesar in the back. “We have work to do.”

Obediently he jumps into the driver’s seat, but he pauses suddenly as if hesitating. He turns towards me, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth as he cocks his head to the side.

I can’t be certain, but it’s like he can sense my reluctance and anxiety. My gut is telling me that something bad is coming. I clutch my necklace between my fingers, rubbing it and feeling its grooves slowly calm me.

“Caesar!” Roman commands.

He jumps from the car, and Roman slams the door shut. I watch him walk into that hazardous building like he owns the place, with Caesar trotting behind him, his tail swinging wildly.

My ears twitch as they strain to listen for any noise, dread settling heavily in my stomach. Straightening my spine I lean forward, trying to clear the static ringing in my ears.

My eyes have been locked on the door he entered since he left, waiting anxiously for him to appear.

After a little while, I finally glance at the clock, he’s been in there for ten minutes, but it feels like he’s been in there for hours.

With numb fingers, I shakily reach forward for the radio, but before I turn it on, I suddenly hear muffled bangs coming from the building and my head whips around.

From the corner of my eye, I watch as Oleg and Cal run forward, with their guns raised.

I didn’t even realize they were here with us.

But squinting through the dust I finally see what they are staring at and my heart stops.

My eyes widen as I throw open the door and jump out of the car.

“Roman!” I shout.

I freeze, staring at him. My eyes scan across his face to the raw pain I see all over it.

“Boss!” Cal yells. “What happened?!”

Everyone around us is yelling, Oleg runs forward grabbing Roman, only to be shrugged off.

“I’m not hit! Fucking go get them! Now!” He yells, storming forward. “Don’t let them get away!”

“Go go go!” Cal shouts, leading three more men into the broken down building.

It’s only then that I notice Roman’s shirt is covered in blood and his jacket…is wrapped around Caesar.