Page 13 of He Doesn't Deserve You

“What is it?”

“765903.”

“Okay, and the note?”

Roman put a hand on her back pocket, “Got it right here.”

“What are you going to tell Ava? She might be scared. She only met you once, two years ago. I doubt she even remembers you.”

“I’m just going to take her from her bed. She probably won’t even wake up. If she does, I’ll tell her you sent me to get her. Now, stop worrying. You’re stressing me out,” Roman replied, trying to sound reassuring.

Emily walked Roman to the door and hugged him. “Be careful,” she whispered.

As she released him, her arm brushed against something hard, causing her to pause momentarily. Moving his jacket aside, she revealed a gun tucked into the back of his pants. Her eyes widened in shock. “You’re taking a gun?”

“It’s just for protection,” he said calmly. “I don’t plan on using it.”

“I don’t like it. Someone could get hurt. Could you please leave it here?” she implored, her eyes pleading with him.

He grasped the doorknob and turned it. “Go to bed, Em. I’ll be back before you know it,” he reassured her, stepping out into the night.

She stepped onto the porch and remained there until Roman’s car disappeared down the driveway. Once he was gone, she returned inside, closing and locking the door behind her. There was no way she could go to bed now—sleep seemed impossible. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, her mind racing with thoughts of who might want to do her harm and also needed money.

At that moment, the thought of Olivia crossed her mind.She hates you, she thought.If she had probed them, one of the twins could have let slip about your weekend getaway.She headed to Roman’s office to add Olivia’s name to the whiteboard. Turning on the light, she approached the board and noticed that Roman had made some notes under Sydney’s name. The first entry read “Susan Beckman/restraining order’. Below that was listed ‘criminal record’; the final note was Sydney’s husband’s name, ‘Mark’, with a question mark.

All of this was news to Emily. She was shocked that Sydney had kept so much hidden from her and couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets she might be keeping.

Meanwhile, Roman turned off his car lights and parked it down the block from Sydney’s house. He got out and began padding towards his destination. The neighborhood was silent, not a soul in sight. Upon reaching the house’s front gate, he positioned himself behind some bushes, got down on one knee, and started to observe the house. He thought about what Emily had told him. A soft glow from a nightlight showed in Ava’s window, and Emily and Gabriel’s room was in total darkness. The twins’ rooms were at the back of the house, so he needed to check them before moving. Knowing there were no outside cameras, he quickly scaled the fence and swiftly made his way to the rear of the house. Both of the twins’ rooms were dark—it was go time.

He slipped a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on, then pulled his baseball cap lower to conceal more of his face. Using the key, he unlocked the door and carefully eased it open, conscious of staying silent. Once inside, he moved directly to the security system and entered the code. He waited for the words “Alarm disarmed” to flash across the screen before tiptoeing to the back stairs. He moved with cat-like stealth and crept up each step without making a sound.

Seconds later, unbeknownst to Roman, Hunter sneaked back into the house after drinking and hanging out with friends. He reactivated the alarm and started making his way up the front stairs. Just as Roman reached the top step, Hunter reached the middle and caught sight of a shadowy figure, letting out a scream that woke everyone in the house.

Left with no other choice, Roman had to abandon the mission and get out of there. He turned and descended the stairs at record speed just as all the lights flicked on. He barreled through the back door, adrenaline pushing him forward. His feet barely seemed to touch the ground as he cut through the yard, his body hunched, his face turned away from the house lights. The piercing wail of the alarm shattered the stillness of the night.

Roman sprinted to his car, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He jumped inside and sped out of the neighborhood, headlights off to blendinto the darkness, hoping to avoid detection in case the police arrived soon. One thought seared through his mind: Emily would not be happy.

The moment Roman’s key turned in the lock, the door swung open, and Emily extended her arms. “Hey, baby, Mommy...” Her words faltered as her smile vanished. “Where’s Ava?”

Stepping into the house, Roman muttered, “There’s been a complication.” The pain and disappointment across her face felt like a dagger to his heart.

“What kind of complication?” Emily asked, trailing Roman into the kitchen.

Roman yanked open the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. “One of the twins came home,” he said, popping the top with a sharp crack. “When he saw me, he screamed and woke the entire house up. I thought you said the boys had a 10 p.m. curfew?”

“They do,” Emily replied, her voice steady and unsurprised. “They should’ve been in bed. They have school in the morning.”

Roman took a long swig, the beer’s bitterness matching his mood. “Well, one of them is sneaking around at night.”

“Was it Hunter? I bet it was Hunter. That boy is defiant—no wonder he can’t get up in the morning. Do you think anyone recognized you?” she asked, her concern evident.

Roman shook his head. “No, I got out of there before anyone could get a good look at me.”

Rubbing her temples, Emily sighed. “What are we going to do now? I’m worried about Ava’s safety.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got another plan,” Roman said, his voice steady. We can’t go back to the house again; it won’t be safe. Gabriel will probably have security cameras installed right away, but we have one thing working in our favor.”

“What’s that?” Emily asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

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