Page 2 of Infinitely Mine

“Someone else is here.”

Dag short for Dagger, as known by his associates, didn’t belong to a motorcycle club, but he ran within that circle and knew other hitmen, guns for hire like him, with even less morality. If they saw me, I would be taken and questioned, beaten, and possibly killed for my involvement.

“Call 9-1-1. Now,” I ordered, rising to my feet. “I won’t abandon you. I can’t.”

She hissed as she tried to get up, and her ribs protested. A soft cry left her busted lips. “This isn’t your fight. It’s mine. You’ve done enough, Rowen. Get the hell out of here. Go out the basement door and through the back gate. They’ll never know anyone else was here.”

“Kate,” I pleaded, hating leaving her to whatever awaited when those other men entered the house. They knew she was dating Dag and where to find her. What would happen when they saw Dag on the ground and injured?

Kate swiped across the screen as we heard voices outside. She dialed 9-1-1 and began speaking into the phone as I stood, running down the hall, through the kitchen, and opening the basement door. I slipped through the opening and shut it behind me with a soft click, descending the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible.

Since I had been in this house numerous times, I knew where to walk without bumping into anything, and I found the stairs in the dark that led to the exterior door. My heart hammered insidemy chest as I rushed, desperate to get home to my son. Right before I opened it, I heard two gunshots.

My hands slapped over my mouth in horror as I stumbled, feeling every bone in my body shudder with shock. They killed her. They fucking killed Kate.

Oh. My. God!

They killed my best friend! Shit. Shit. SHIT!

If they found me, I would be as good as dead, too.

Raised voices overheard alerted me to trouble when I heard the door open at the top of the stairs.

“She wasn’t alone, you stupid fucker. Didn’t you see the shoe print? Someone else was here.”

Oh. Fuck.

I must have stepped in blood.

Outside, I could hear sirens. The wail grew louder as they sped toward us. The 9-1-1 operator had to be on the line when the shots were fired.

My body flooded with adrenaline as I snuck outside, stayed close to the fence, and ran toward home. I didn’t stop until I reached the house I rented, grateful I didn’t drive the short distance since I had wanted the exercise.

There was no proof I ever went to Kate’s. Right?

I stopped by the hose in the backyard and rinsed the blood off my hands. When I composed myself, I hurried around the front, careful to ensure no one followed.

My babysitter sat with her textbooks on her lap, studying when I rushed inside and shut the door, panting as I leaned against the wood and struggled to calm down enough to focus.

“You okay, Rowen?”

“Sure,” I replied, far too clipped. “Just decided to run tonight, but I got a cramp.” I cringed with the lie, but Tina didn’t know where I went. I never told her.

She closed the textbook and yawned. “I need a break. Good timing.”

I watched her pack up her stuff and handed Tina forty dollars for the few hours she was here. “Thanks. I hope Jacob behaved.”

“He always does. He’s the sweetest boy.”

“He is,” I agreed. “Did he go to bed okay?”

“We read four stories first.” She laughed. “He loves superheroes.”

Jacob didn’t just love them. He was obsessed.

I walked her to the door and watched her climb into her dark blue clunker and drive away. I scanned both sides of the street—no other cars. No people. Nothing suspicious.

Good.

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