Page 40 of Yours Suddenly

“You okay back there?” the Uber driver says as he drives us through a road with houses still in development. “What’s wr—?”

A car speeds past us in a blur and next thing, the Uber driver slams on his brakes. I place my arms in front of me so I don't crash into the front passenger seat.

“What the—?” I look through the windshield and see a black Maserati blocking our path.

Roman's car.

“What the hell?” the Uber driver says. Roman comes out of the car wearing a black vest and sweatpants, looking absolutely furious.

The Uber driver opens his window. “Hey man, what the f—?”

“I’d shut the fuck up and give my wife back to me if I were you.”

The Uber driver immediately shuts off at the cold fury in my husband’s voice as he opens the backseat door.

I don't want the driver to get in trouble. “I'm so sorry,” I say to him. “I'll leave a big tip.”

The Uber driver doesn’t respond. My foot hasn’t even touched the ground before Roman pulls me hard into his arms.

As soon as the Uber driver speeds away, not wanting to be involved with any of this bullshit for a second longer, I pull away from Roman as hard as he pulled me to him.

“Let go of me!”

“It's lucky the Smiths called me right away saying they left you at the gas station, or else I wouldn't have fucking found you!” His voice sounds hoarse. “What the fuck are you doing? Where are you going?”

Before I can say anything, he snatches my phone from my hand. He glances at the screen. “You were going to the airportagain?” Disbelief and hurt are in his voice. “Alexandra, what the fuck?”

“Oh, don't give me that fucking bullshit!” I yell at him. “I fucking heard you!”

“What?”

I grab my phone back and walk away from him, attempting to get another Uber. The pure shock on his face just made me so angry that I can’t engage with him.

“Alexandra, listen—” he starts.

“No, I don't want to listen to anything you have to say, okay? I don't want – Iheardwhat you said. I'm not the love of your life.” My voice cracks. “I'm so tired of this. Of everything. What did I do to deserve this?”

He steps forward, and I can tell he wants to pull me in his arms, but I step away.

“Alexandra —”

It all happens so fast.

Suddenly, three black cars materialize out of the shadows and surround us.

“Fuck!” Roman pulls me close to him and before I can even blink or gasp, he pulls out a gun from his pocket. I'd seen the bulge in his sweatpants when he approached the Uber, but I thought it was something else!

With one swipe of his arm, he pushes me behind him and begins to shoot just as the others unload their barrels.

I scream as the sound assaults my ears, as Roman drags me to the side roughly and then to the ground.

POP POP POP POP POP!

It all probably lasts for about five seconds, but it feels like an eternity as I cower, my life flashing before me…

Then silence.

Roman, his big body shielding me as I lie on the asphalt on my stomach, gets up and kneels next to me. Frantically, he says, “Are you okay? Are you shot? Talk to me.”

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