Page 28 of Throttle

14

SIENNA

Iexit the courtroom to find Throttle next to a large window, his arms folded across his chest. His gaze zeros in on me and I saunter over to him. Noticing the tension in my expression, he turns to me and takes my face in his hands.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine.” I nuzzle my cheek against his chest, breathing in his cologne.

“I’d feel a lot better if I had my fucking gun on me. I saw how Tony was eyeing you in there, and I’d be happy to shoot that look off his face.”

I lean back so I can see him, a smile teasing my lips. “I’m pretty sure that’s not allowed in here.”

“It should be,” he snaps, his jaw clenched as he dreams up ways to make Tony suffer.

The conversation with my client replays in my head and my mood turns somber. “He’s going to kill me,” I whisper solemnly.

Throttle’s eyes darken, and the muscle in his neck twitches. “I dare him to fucking try. Him or anybody else, for that fucking matter.”

“He made it clear that it was only a matter of time before his men get to me.” The panic I tried desperately to suppress starts to rise to the surface again. I begin to pace but Throttle halts me, grabbing my shoulders and turning me back to him.

“Listen to me, Princess. Nothing is going to happen to you. Those fucking pussies can try again and again, but they’ll fail every time. You think I’d let some motherfucker take you from me? Not as long as I’m breathing. I’d burn the whole fucking world down if I had to, just to keep you safe.”

I know he means it, and I’m grateful that he does. Pulling Throttle toward me, I kiss his soft lips, relishing the way he tastes like his favorite vanilla mint gum. Right here is where I’m the safest. And I’m not going anywhere.

“I trust you… Daddy.”

A slow grin spreads across his face as he leans forward to kiss me again.

Throttle glances around once we’re outside, looking for potential threats. We’re halfway down the front steps of the courthouse when gunshots ring out in the still afternoon air.

“Shit,” he curses. His hand moves to his side but stops when he remembers he’s unarmed. I know he regrets having to leave his gun in the truck, but regrets are a luxury for later, when we’re safe. Right now, we need to get the hell out of here.

Throttle tugs me forward, yelling for me to run while using his body as a shield. He urges me to keep moving while his head swivels in every direction. People scatter around us, crying out in a roar of panic as guilt washes over me. They’re innocent; they’ve done nothing wrong. It’s my fault they’re caught in the crossfire.

Bullets continue to fly through the crowd, and I watch as bodies fall one by one. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive. I just know I see a lot of blood. People clutch their wounds, trying to run away, while others lie still on the ground, either pretending to be dead or perhaps they already are. I can’t turn my eyes away from the horrifying scene but I wish I could, so the images won’t haunt my memories forever.

This is insane.

Throttle groans and my head whirls toward him as fear tingles beneath the surface of my skin. “Oh, god! Are you okay?” My words tumble out quickly.

“I’m fine. We need to move faster. Stay low.” He groans again, and I know in my gut that he is definitely not fine. But I don’t say anything because he’s right. We need to go now.

From the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of Breaker firing back from behind a parked car. He looks angry, his gaze more serious than I’ve ever seen it. He’s shooting at some unknown target I can’t make out. I breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of him and pray that he gets home unharmed.

We make it to Throttle’s truck, jumping inside quickly as he starts the engine and pulls away from the curb. His foot is heavy on the gas, the vehicle roaring loudly as we speed away. I close my eyes, trying to catch my breath, when I hear his staggered exhale. My heart drops as I turn and see him gripping his left shoulder.

“You’re hurt!”

“I’m fine. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” He wouldn’t be bleeding if he were fine.

“Don’t make a big deal? When did you get shot?”

He huffs a laugh. “Doesn’t matter, beautiful. I’ll take thirty bullets if it keeps you alive.”

“This is all my fault.” My voice cracks, and I can see the pain on his face.

Throttle’s eyes flicker from the road to me. “Sienna, it’s okay. This isn’t going to kill me.” His words are strained but he gives me a watery smile anyway.

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