Page 27

Twenty-Seven

Quinn

I watched the doorknob rattle a few times before I jumped up and pushed the coffee table across the room, forcing it in front of the door.

It was heavy enough to stop whoever it was from getting in for a few seconds while I grabbed my gun.

I glanced at Rosie, making sure she was still asleep before running down the hall to the bedroom.

I stood on my tiptoes and retrieved my gun from the top shelf of Roman’s closet where I had been keeping it.

My footsteps were light but quick as I went back to the living room, gun aimed at the door and hands steady in front of me.

I waited for a few seconds before I inched closer, wishing that I had brought my bulletproof vest home.

There wasn’t time to worry about that right now.

Someone was still on the other side of the door, trying to pick the lock.

Rosie snored loudly and rolled over, pulling my attention to her for a brief second. When I looked back at the door, it was being forced open as someone rammed their body into it.

A few seconds later, the wood splintered around the body that burst through the door. Whoever it was had a ski mask covering their face and was dressed in all black, making it impossible to see anything.

Instinctively, I moved in front of Rosie, shielding her from them as I kept my gun aimed at their head.

“Don’t come one step closer,” I commanded.

They tilted their head and looked past me. I moved again, keeping her hidden.

“Get out now,” I warned as my fingers tightened around the trigger.

I studied them and tried to lock away as many details in my mind as I could. The way they stood, their height and weight—things that would be easy to identify later.

They moved quickly, darting for the couch. I kept my eyes focused on them as I pulled the trigger.

After three shots, I lowered my gun and watched them sink to the floor, clutching their shoulder. I reached for my phone to call for help when I heard Rosie crying behind me.

I turned around and found her curled into a ball on the couch, crying and shaking as she looked at the body on the ground in front of me.

Quickly, I tucked my gun into my pants and rushed over to her.

“Shhh, honey, it’s okay.” I grabbed her and clutched her to my chest, holding her tightly as she cried.

I hated that she had to witness this, but I hated even more that I had allowed myself to be distracted for a split second and that it allowed whoever it was to get away.

There was a trail of blood that led to the open doorway where Roman now stood, jaw hanging open and grocery bags stacked on both arms.

“What happened?”