Page 250 of Hate to Love You

“Why would I be in any danger with Abigail?”

Paulie clears his throat, his lips tightening into a thin line, before he takes a breath.

“I heard that she…might’ve,” he gulps reluctantly. “Killed some of the men. So, I was worried that she was going to…”

His voice trails off as I shift in my seat, my face heating as I tug at the bottom of my sleeve.

Oh no. The men know now.

Roman had told me how important it was that we keep this as quiet as possible, until he could deal with Polina. But somehow, they’d found out.

I feel Roman’s hand tighten around my ankle, and I flex my foot, as I clear my throat, hoping to draw Roman’s attention to my discomfort.

He lifts my legs as he slides up off the couch, and stands to his full height, his frame towering over Paulie.

He steps toward him slowly.

“You heard that, huh?” He whispers darkly. “And who exactly did you hear that from?”

“I…I don’t remember,” Paulie stammers, his eyes wide. “It was just a rumor.”

“And you think that your Don couldn’t deal with a singular woman?”

“No! That’s not it at all, Boss!” He states, his face reddening. “I was just worried and—”

“Roman,” I interject. “Relax. He was just doing his job…”

“Quiet, Abigail,” Roman snaps at me, without removing his murderous gaze from Paulie.

Excuse me?!

The vein in my temple throbs, and my skin heats as my own demons now flood the room.

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that, Roman!” I snap, jumping up from the couch. “You do not get to dismiss me that way.”

However, Roman still doesn’t look at me, nor does he make any indication he’s listening to me at all.

I can almost hear his thoughts out loud. I know his concern is about the rumor spreading that I have killed his men, and I can hear his resolve even before he pulls the gun from his holster.

The resounding click of the safety disengaging echoes through the room, louder than the movie playing on the television. He raises the gun slowly, aiming it straight at the sweating mess of the man standing in front of him.

A man who did absolutely nothing wrong.

No. This isn’t right.

I slide past him, stepping between the barrel of the gun and Paulie.

“Abigial, what the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m not going to let you kill him,” I say firmly. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You can’t just step in front of a fucking gun, Abigail!” Roman barks. “Especially not my fucking gun!”

“I will do whatever I please,” I growl, narrowing my eyes at him. “But you will not shoot this man for doing his job.”

“That is not your decision to make,” he snaps. “Move out of the way.”

“No. If you want to shoot him, then you will have to shoot me.”