Page 90 of Saved By the Boss

His voice trails off, and I nod, gripping his shoulder tightly.

“You did enough,” I say firmly. “We’ll take it from here.”

Patrick steps forward, his expression unreadable as he looks down at Ron.

“Get him to a hospital ASAP,” he orders one of his men.

The man nods, lifting Ron carefully and carrying him out of the room.

Patrick turns to me, his eyes sharp and determined. “Are you ready for this?” he asks quietly.

I meet his gaze, my jaw tight. “I’m not leaving without her.”

27

Jade

Fabian’s gaze drills into me like he’s trying to pull the truth out of my soul with his eyes alone. His calm, collected demeanor is gone now, replaced by something darker, more raw and sinister. I can feel the tension in the room tightening like a noose, and I know whatever I say next could seal my fate and Tawny’s. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat like a countdown I can’t stop.

I have to get us out of this. I have to save her, to save myself, to save my baby.

“I’m not going to tell anyone what I saw,” I say, my voice trembling but determined. “I was never going to, I swear. It’s been two years and I haven’t said one word. I just want to live in peace.”

Fabian laughs, a cold, hollow sound that sends a shiver down my spine. He starts to pace, his polished shoes clicking against the concrete floor.

“If you were planning on staying quiet, why did you run? You could have just gone on living your life with your family. People who run are usually guilty of something.”

“I couldn’t stay there anymore. I couldn’t just go on walking past the spot where it happened every day. I couldn’t live the rest of my life feeling like I was being watched all the damn time,” I admit. “That’s why I left.” “I take a lot of risks in my lifequerida, but this is a risk I cannot afford to take.”

He takes his gun and rubs it against my face, sending cold shivers down my spine and causing my stomach to lurch.

“Please Fabian, I’m pregnant,” I plead, as if someone like him would care about that. But it’s my final trump card, my Hail Mary that he might not kill me. “I want this baby to live, I want to raise it and be a good mother. I swear on his or her life that I’m never going to say anything to anyone. I’m not going to risk my child’s life like that.”

“But you already did,” he sneers, his void deathly calm. “You sent an email to your little friend here.”

I swallow hard, glancing at Tawny. She’s trying to stay calm, but I can see the fear etched into every line of her face. My chest tightens. This is my mess. She shouldn’t even be here. I look back at Fabian, my resolve hardening.

“I’d only just sent it to her when you grabbed me. She was probably already here.”

I look over to her, willing her to agree as if we have some kind of telepathy. Thankfully, she nods, croaking her agreement.

“I don’t know about any email,” she says earnestly. “Take my phone and my computer if you want, I don’t care. Please, I won’ttell anyone either.”

“Both of you, shut the fuck up!” Fabian screams, his face a steely mask. Maybe I should heed his words, but I’m not quite ready to concede yet. I’ll plead for our lives until the moment I die.

“Fabian you have my word, on my child’s life that I will not speak about this ever to anyone.”

“Suppose I believe you. What about her?” he points to Tawny.

“You have my word too,” she says. “I swear it.”

He seems to consider for a moment before shaking his head. “I have a better idea. How about I just kill her to remind you of what will happen if you do talk?” he says, pointing his gun at my friend. Tawny lets out a small gasp beside me, and I grit my teeth, forcing myself to stay calm. I meet her eyes and shake my head slightly, trying to convey that she needs to stay calm.

“You don’t have to do that,” I say to him. “Give me her computer. I’ll delete the email. She hasn’t read it anyway. And I’ll go again. I’ll leave this place and never look back and never contact her again. She doesn’t know anything, and she never will. You’ll never hear anything from either of us.”

“You’re really testing my patience, girl,” he snarls. “Normally, I don’t kill mothers. Call it a personal rule. But for you, I’ll make an exception.”

I feel my heart pounding in my ears, but I force myself to stay calm. Fabian is losing control, and that might be my only advantage. As he looms over me, shouting obscenities, I see an opening, a tiny, fleeting chance.

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