Page 84 of Cruel Proposal
This isn't the way I wanted my day to go.
I was supposed to be at home, figuring out where the hell I was going to take things with Summer. I was trying to figure out if the things she wants align with what I want.
I need to get back to her and talk about this, talk about the future as if it's actually a possibility instead of a pipe dream.
And then I have to figure out some fucking way to keep her safe while giving her the freedom she craves...which I don't think is possible, but for her sake, I'm going to pretend to try.
Or maybe I could actually try to let go of a little bit of the control, but after this long, I don't know if I'm going to be able to.
Killing Robert has to become a priority, but I still haven't figured out how deep this shit runs. I have no clue who's tied to him and who still remains loyal to me.
Hector's already taken care of a couple of people, but even he is having a hard time finding out who is messing with me.
I don't know how any of this is going to work, and now another warehouse is on fire.
"Fuck this fucking day." I punch the wall hard, my fist going through the drywall. I shake my hand out, a dull ache in my knuckles.
"That's one way to put it," a voice says behind me.
I turn, only to find a gun leveled at my head and Aiden looking at me on the other side of the barrel.
The corner of his mouth twitches, but there's a hard look in his eyes. One that tells me he's not about to give me any grace again.
I should've seen this coming.
Hell, I did see this coming when Hector said there was a problem at the warehouse; I just didn't account for Aiden being here. I thought he would have gone to the house to get Summer.
Fuck. She's still in the car.
Robert surges through the door, his gun high, his finger wrapping around the trigger and pulling it.
The shot goes wide, seeming like it was more aimed at me than Aiden, but it doesn't matter.
Aiden's distracted long enough for me to dive out of the way and head through the side door, out into the rest of the warehouse.
Shots crack outside, one fired after another, increasing until they all blend together.
I'm hoping Summer has the sense to drive away, but I know her. She's not going to do it. Hell, I doubt she's even going to stay in the car despite me telling her to.
Which is why I need to get to her before Robert does.
I race for the door, sticking to hiding behind pallets of melting coke bricks and crates of bullets. Most of my inventory is about to be ruined thanks to those fuckers.
I'm done playing nice. I've been holding back since I've had Summer, but this shit has to come to an end. I can't keep puttingup with it. Tolerating it for her sake isn't worth the millions of dollars I'm losing.
Summer is going to have to decide which side of this she's on.
And I doubt I'm going to like that decision.
Even my own family turns against me when the time comes for them to go off and find something they think is better. What the hell reason do I have to think she's going to choose me?
I don't know, but I have to get to her before they do. Ineedto get to her.
Right now, the warehouse can burn down for all I care. The cops could come, and I could spend the rest of my life in prison.
It'd all be worth it to know she's safe.
A bullet clips my arm as I push through the door outside, rounding the corner of the warehouse. I hiss at the pain, but it's easy to push it aside for now. I have to get out of here and get back to her first. I need to make sure she's going to be okay.
