Page 79 of Stealing His Christmas Present

As I sped down the street, I tried to find Claudia’s number that Lorenzo had given me. I had to warn her.

But the phone rang and rang, and she didn’t answer.

Fuck!

I pulled over far enough away from Claudia’s house so as not to alert the guards. If I went to them and told them what was going on, they’d be suspicious of me, and they’d call Claudia’s father.

It would all take too much time.

I looked for a place where Ricky could’ve slipped through, and surely enough, it looked like he’d done exactly that because there was a new hole in the fence.

I had my gun out as I sidestepped everything that needed to be sidestepped.

And then I saw him.

He was crouching in a bush, a sniper rifle in his hands.

In the distance, I could see Claudia and Stella with a stroller.

What the fuck were they doing outside so late?

“Hey!” I shouted.

Ricky flinched, turning toward me.

I lunged at him.

Claudia and Stella must’ve heard my shout because I could see the guards running toward Ricky and me.

Anger coursed through my veins as I repeatedly punched Ricky in the face with the back of my gun, and then I pressed the barrel to his head and pulled the trigger.

The guards reached me, their weapons pointed at me.

I lifted my hands up.

“Pablo!” Claudia yelled, racing to me.

She pushed past the guards and threw herself into my arms.

My lips found hers all of their own.

“Why didn’t the new alarm system come on?” one of the guards asked.

“No clue,” the other said. “Tell Boss someone needs to take a look at it.”

But none of that mattered.

Claudia was safe and in my arms.

It was all I’d ever wanted.

---