Page 83 of Forbidden Bond

Oh, God, please, please, please. If I’m really pregnant, don’t let my baby get hurt.

“The FBI’s breathing down my neck,” he mutters. “They’re going to storm in here soon. I can feel it.”

I force myself not to show any signs of hope. Leeman glares at me.

“This is all your dad’s fault, you know. And her family, as well,” he says, pointing at Stacey. “I wouldn’t have taken her if I knew her family was connected to the underworld. How the hell does that even happen huh? How unlucky can I be? Shit!”

We don’t say a word as he paces in front of us, muttering to himself. I don’t think he’s completely sane. Which is bewildering to me because how on earth was he able to act normal enough in jail to be let out on parole so early?

“I can’t get out of the state. There’s police checkpoints everywhere. Men from her family are going all around the city, looking everywhere. Some of them are in the next street over. They could find this place at any moment.” He stops pacing and glares. “This is all your fucking fault!”

He grabs his gun and points. My entire body tenses.

“Charles, wait,” I say. “You don’t want to shoot us.”

He shakes his head. “No, no, I think I do. Maybe I’ll shoot you both and then I’ll kill myself. There’s some justice in that, isn’t there?”

My mind whirs as I think of a way to stall him. “No, think about your brother. Your brother’s still in jail, isn’t he? Are you going to kill yourself and lose the chance to ever see him again?”

Stacey speaks up, playing along. “If you turn yourself in, I’m sure you could negotiate some terms with the DA’s office. Maybe they’ll even let you stay in the same prison as your brother. You could be reunited.”

That’s actually a pretty solid deal. I don’t know if Stacey’s lying or if it’s actually possible, but Leeman hesitates, seemingly intrigued by the idea. While he thinks it over, Stacey and I slowly get to our feet.

“You don’t have to kill us, Charles,” I say softly.

His eyes flick to mine and my blood chills at the look in them.

“I’m not going to let you go free, little girl. Especially not you.” His hands are steady as he points the gun at my head. “This is for my brother.”

I wish I had just told Topher I loved him.

My eyes fly shut as a pop sounds. “No!” Stacey screams.

She pushes me out of the way and the bullet hits her shoulder instead. I gasp, my hand immediately closing over the bullet hole on her arm. The two of us go down, me crouching over her, trying to do what I can to help. Tears fill my vision.

“Why did you do that?” I ask.

“You’re carrying a D’Angelo baby,” she says weakly. “I owe that family a debt. I guess this is my way of repaying it.”

“Oh god, oh god,” I say, breathing heavily. More and more blood is seeping out of the wound and I don’t know how to stop it.

Then there’s a sharp tug on my hair as I’m pulled to my feet. I struggle against Leeman’s grip.

“Please, please, let me help her.”

Stacey’s eyes are shut and she’s turning pale. She’s still losing blood.

“Shut up! If she dies, she dies. You’re next.”

Someone jumps down the hatch, surprising Leeman. He whirls us around and my heart practically stops. Topher’s here. He falters when he sees me, his eyes dropping to the blood on my hands. Then he pulls a gun out in a fluid motion, aiming it at Leeman.

“Who the hell are you?” Leeman snarls.

“Someone who’s about to murder you,” Topher states, his eyes hard.

Leeman’s grip on me tightens and he presses the barrel of his gun against my head.

“Let her go,” Topher says, ice in his voice. His hands tighten around the gun he’s holding.

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