I closed my eyes as the deathly figure raised the gun at .
I guess this is what you get when you get involved with criminals.
I’d seen too much, a terrible truth about the man I thought I loved, and now I was going to pay for it...
...with my life.
If only I’d stayed at the club, I thought miserably. Sure, I would have been a hostage to a terrible man, but at least I’d be alive.
For so reason, at that mont, I felt as though I’d failed my parents. I’d found the evidence needed to bring the killer to justice, and what had I done? I’d run for my life.
And I’d failed at even doing that.
I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry, Dad...
Roman’s voice rang out through the night.
"Stringer, no!"
The gun went off.
And then nothing. My eyes snapped open and I checked my body. I’d heard high adrenaline situations could dull pain, but I think I’d know it if I’d been shot.
The sounds of a struggle drew my eyes to the driveway. Roman was standing by the car, lit by its headlights, holding the gun arm of the man who’d fired at . My ears were ringing and I was so filled with panic I could barely make out what they were saying.
“No, String!" That was Roman.
"She can bring us down for good!" the other man bellowed.
"No!" Roman roared like an animal. “She won’t! She deserves to know the truth!"
"You trust her? What the fuck is wrong with you, man!?"
Everything was a blur, and there was still a man with a gun no more than a few feet away from , so I did the only thing I could think of; I got up and kept running.
"Felicity, wait!" Roman called out after .
My legs were barely working and he caught up to almost instantly. His strong arms wrapped around my waist like a vice and pulled to him. I cried out and kicked frantically.
"Stop, Felicity. Stop!" he pleaded. “It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you."
"You — you killed my parents!"
I stamred as a flood of tears fell from my eyes.
"No!" he replied instantly. "I did not, let explain — "
"He shot at !"
"I know, baby," he said, his voice softer. But my body was rebelling against his and I threw my elbows like a fighter desperately trying not to be pinned.
"Let go!" I shouted.
To my surprise, Roman released . I fell to the ground and collapsed into a fetal position, tears streaming from my face. I’d never felt more helpless in my entire life and hated myself for what I’d let myself get into.
I took deep, panicked breaths, but still felt starved for air and was absolutely sure that my heart was about to explode.
"I know you’re afraid, Felicity," Roman said after a mont. “But it’s not what you think."
"I..I saw the picture..." I cried. "My parents..."
Roman knelt down beside and placed a hand on my back. I twisted away but he put it back in a comforting, completely non-threatening way.
"Your parents were killed by Tony Colombo," he said.
Tony Colombo!? What’s he talking about!?
"That photo was taken by one of his hit n," he continued. “It’s part of a case I’ve been helping the police build against him and his family. They brought charges against him last night. That’s why we were at the club celebrating. He’s done for, Felicity. He’s going to jail for the rest of his life."
"I don’t know what you’re saying," I stamred.
Roman moved closer to . I felt the warmth of his body as he reached out and lifted my face to his. When I looked at him, I felt the sa sense of security I’d felt when he first rescued from the strip club.
"The mafia, Felicity," he said. "Your parents were being shaken down by the Colombos. They went to the cops and he had them killed. I’ve spent the last year doing my best to take them down, and last night I finally did."
"So why is he trying to kill ?!" I scread, pointing a finger at the man standing by the idling car.
"That’s Stringer, my number two," Roman explained. "It’s his job to look out for . He thought that if you went to the police with what you saw, pointing the finger at , it would put a dent in the case against the Colombos — raise doubt and give the jury sothing to think about and let
them walk free."
“I — I don’t even..."
"It’s okay, baby," he went on. "You’re okay. No one’s going to hurt you."
His voice was soothing and I felt my heart rate begin to slightly subside.
"How do I know you’re telling the truth?" I asked.
"Why would I lie to you now?" he replied. "If I was a coldhearted bastard I would have just let Stringer shoot you and be done with it."
His eyes were filled with sincerity. I wanted to believe him.
"Yeah...?"
"But I didn’t do that, did I?" he smiled. "I saved you."
One of those cry-giggles leapt out of my chest and I wiped my face with the back of my hand.
“For the second ti!" I blurted out.
"That’s right, angel," he replied, wiping the tears from my cheek. "And that’s what I’ll continue doing for the rest of my life with you."
It was almost too much for to handle. I felt faint and slumped forward into his strong arms. He held there for a long ti while I got myself together.
At so point he waved to Stringer, who got back into the car and drove off the property.
He shot at ...I thought, gulping deep breaths of the night air as I started to cool down.
"You’re okay, baby," Roman whispered. "You’re okay. I’m so sorry about all of this. You shouldn’t have seen that picture. I was waiting until this was all sorted out to tell you."
"It just scared so much.."
"Of course it did," he said soothingly as he ran his fingers through my hair.
"I’m sorry I doubted you — "
“Don’t be,” he assured . “It’s only natural. Co on, let’s get you inside."
Before I could respond, Roman had in his arms and was carrying like a groom might carry his bride down the aisle after the wedding. I tucked my nose between his shoulder and neck and threw my arms around him.
My parents...killed by the mafia.
It all seed too impossible to believe, but as Roman said, he had no reason to lie to . If he was really the one responsible for their deaths, he could have just let Stringer shoot .
Unless his plan was to hold hostage in his house for the rest of my life...
"I’ll show you the evidence we have," Roman said, as though I was thinking out loud. "Just so you can be sure."
"I believe you!" I said quickly, without thinking. It was a purely emotional response and I trusted it.
"Still, I want you to see it for yourself," he said as he carried inside. "So you never have to feel unsure about again."
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