Page 29 of Innocent Salvation

“Night Sweetie.”

Snow hung up and lay back in her cosy bed, the light from the skylight bright blue from the half-moon. Duchess was right, she needed to keep doing her job. Even though the deceit didn’t sit well with her, she’d have to take the risk and see what hand she was played.

Checking her gun was loaded and close by as she’d done each night since she was old enough to shoot, Snow cuddled into the cream quilt and fell into a light sleep.

Chapter 12

Sebastian was startled awake, his heart racing, eyes gritty as he sat up in bed. Looking at the clock he saw it was just past two am and he’d only been asleep an hour. Swinging his legs out of the bed, he was about to touch the floor with his feet when he heard the sound again and froze.

Someone was in his house, and if those footsteps were any indication, it wasn’t Snow. One thing he noticed about her was that she could walk into a room, and he’d have no clue she was there until she made her presence known. It was uncanny and slightly unnerving, but he knew those steps didn’t belong in his house this night.

Standing as quietly as he could, he pulled on some old trainers and grabbed the cricket bat he kept for just such occasions and tiptoed to the door. He needed to get to Fleur and Snow and make them safe. At the last minute, he grabbed his phone and saw he didn’t have a signal.

He was about to step foot into the upper landing when his door opened slowly. Hiding behind the door, he lifted the bat over his head, ready to bring it down on the intruder. His heart was racing with adrenaline and the need to protect the people he loved the most in this world.

As the person slipped past the door, he made to swing until the bright blonde hair caught his eye from the light of the moon and he mis-swung, catching air instead of her pretty little head. Snow turned at the same time, a weapon he’d never known she’d had aimed at his chest. Relief shot through him, quickly followed by shock as she dropped the weapon to her side and scowled at him.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Snow. I could have killed you,” he whispered angrily.

“Don’t be silly, I’m the one with the gun.”

“Which we’ll talk about at another time.”

“Yes, we will, because two men are inside your house. My guess is they’re armed and dangerous and we both know you’re the target. We need to get to Fleur and get her out of here.”

“The phone is out.”

“Probably using a signal jammer.”

Sebastian frowned, wondering just who the hell this woman was because she wasn’t the sexy nanny he and Fleur had spent the day with. No, this woman was cool and focused and said words like signal jammer. He didn’t have time to ask any of the hundred questions now running through his head as another sound from downstairs reached his ears.

“I’ll go first and cover you. I want you to get Fleur.”

Sebastian felt his eyes bug out of his head at her suggestion that she protect him and cover his house. It was his house, and he was the man here, he’d do the damn protecting. “No way, you get behind me.”

He saw the effort it took her to rein in her temper as she sighed with control. “Look, Sebastian, there’s a few things I need to tell you. One of which is I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and this situation. But we don’t have time for your hero complex right now. I have the gun and Fleur is more used to you. You can carry her easier than I can. So do as I blinking ask.”

He had no time to respond before she was opening the door and heading out, her gun in front of her like she was in an FBI show. No, not like, exactly the same. Her stance was calm, steady, and she cleared the landing and watched the stairs like a pro. Knowing he had no choice, he ducked into Fleur’s room and found her fast asleep her sloth still under her arm.

Crouching, he lifted her into his arms with her blanket and spoke into her ear. “Munchkin, we’re going on an adventure, but I need you to do as I say and stay really quiet. Keep your head tucked into my chest, okay.”

“Is it a game?” Her voice was full of sleep and yet she accepted his every word as if he was God.

“Yes, it’s a game.”

Fleur followed his instructions, and as he stepped onto the landing and glanced at Snow who was looking at him, he heard the first shot splinter the wood of the bannister beside Snow. His adrenalin pumping, his gut told him to dive in front of her and protect the woman who’d chewed him up in knots, but his arms were full of the only other person who could do the same.

“Shit, go.”

Snow pointed toward her room where he knew a fire escape ran from the back window. He took a second as he watched her fire back at the people shooting at her with the calm precision of an experienced firearms user. A groan and the sound of someone falling snapped him from his shock and he did as she told him. Snow was clearly more than she’d portrayed herself to be and right now he was clever enough to know he wasn’t in control there, she was. As much as that grated every nerve in his body, he’d take it because Fleur’s safety came first.

“Go, I’m right behind you.”

Sebastian gave her one last look before he headed upstairs, a whimpering Fleur cradled in his arms. He dropped a kiss on the child’s head as he took the steps two at a time.

“It’s okay, munchkin, just some loud noises.”

“I don’t like it.”