Page 43 of Maid For The Mafia Informant

Only the biggest has a gun out. One against one, a fair fight I figure.

“You can’t shoot all three before I shoot you,” I let the big guy know, jutting my chin towards the other two.

“I’ll get them last, but you… you’re first if you wanna plat hardball? Or you can drop it!”

I wait for him to say something, but he’s silent.

A ‘cat got your tongue?’ line appeals to me, but it’s too late for that.

“Ben!” Sophie cries out, and it’s the moment of distraction the other three need.

A shot deafens me, making my ears ring and I feel something hot brush past my arm.

I watch the couch tip back, with what looks like the guy next to Sophie using his legs to push it backwards.

Seeing my own moment as the other three look confused, I start to pull the trigger, pointing at the biggest guy first and then the other two, everything looks like it’s in slow motion.

But nothing’s happening.

My gun won’t work.

I can’t hear shit either still but I must’ve done something right because all three guys have their hands up, Sophie and her friends look like they’re wriggling to safety.

A heavy hand on my shoulder makes me spin violently, but another hand stops my fist and takes my gun.

Partridge.

His smug smile and that cool shake of his head, plus the sight of at least ten SWAT guys storming the room with guns drawn tells me everything I need to know.

I look back for Sophie, she’s being helped up by an older man. I know it’s her dad in a second, and my heart finally starts to beat again.

She’s safe.

“De Falco?” I ask Partridge, who laughs even though I can’t hear him. Everything sounds like it’s underwater.

He jerks his thumb backwards, to the hall, smiling and mouthing the words ‘we got him’ as he holds my bag up for me, dangling it from his middle finger in front of me.

My hearing starts to come back, and the heat in my shoulder becomes a sensation of pain I’m not familiar with, but I can only look at Sophie, waiting for the SWAT guys to get those bad guys out of the room so I can go to her.

Daniella Fellini is pushed through between us, her hands cuffed by the law now, she doesn’t even look up.

Someone’s cut Sophie free and as soon as she’s able she rushes into my arms.

The whole room’s spinning as I turn with her. I know I’m holding her too tight, but I also know she doesn’t mind.

I don’t know how long we just stand there holding each other, when another hand lands on my shoulder and I turn to tell whoever it is to bug off.

It’s her dad.

“Ben, I’m Matt Moore, Sophie’s dad,” he tells me, like he’s reading the riot act rather than introducing himself.

I can see he’s, watching a man his own age take hold of his only daughter in a room full of strangers that would leave little to even the most desolate imagination.

“Dad…” Sophie starts in a cautioning tone.

“I don’t quite know what’s been going here,” he says firmly, looking from me to Sophie and then back to me.

“But any man who’ll take a bullet for my daughter and risk his life like that… well, I’d be glad to call him a friend,” he says, and he offers me his hand which I take firmly, pumping it until I wince with pain.

“How about a son instead of a friend?” I ask, gritting my teeth and pulling Sophie closer.

His jaw drops for a moment, but I’m not asking him.

I’m telling him.

She’s mine and I intend to make that a permanent thing from now on.

“Kiss me, Sophie,” I tell her firmly. “Kiss me and say yes.”

She kisses me bashfully and after lowering her eyes, her ‘yes’ is followed by a questioning ‘why?’

“Because I just asked you to marry me, that’s why… Mrs. Sophie Slade.”

She tells me yes again, and I hold her even tighter as I kiss her, for real this time. Not caring if her dad’s here or not anymore.

But I feel his hand slapping my back as he hugs her too, still sounding a little like it’s underwater, I hear him say the word, Son.EpilogueFour Months LaterSophie“Just tell me one more time, how did your dad even think of tipping that whole couch back, let alone have the strength to do it?” Ben asks me, feeding me another mouthful of steak and eggs.

I roll my eyes and sigh, laughing eventually.

After all this time, it’s still Ben who wants to make my dad out to be the hero.

He even made sure dad got a bravery award and an early retirement offer, which he refused, but it did wonders for his outlook on the rest of his career.

“I dunno,” I protest. “He did what cops do, what anyone would do… what you’d do to save me,” I tell him, hearing my voice crack with emotion as he reaches for my face, kissing me gently.

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