Page 95 of Vicious Heir

My phone buzzes on the coffee table. I glance at it, and it’s Diego. For a moment, I force myself to ignore it. I don’t want to stop. I’m so hard, aching for her. I can’t stop, can’t?—

It goes off again. I groan, reaching for it, and I gently slide Annie off of my lap as I answer it.

“Yeah?”

“Boss. We might have something. A couple of our men spotted Desmond near the old Connelly estate, just outside of the city. We’re going to go check it out.”

My heart kicks into overdrive. Finally. Finally, we might have a lead.

And at the same time, I don’t want to go. This might have been it. The last moment I have with Annie alone, and we have to stop.

I start to button up my shirt, and Annie sits up, her expression startled. "What is it?"

"Diego thinks they might have found Desmond." I hand her her T-shirt reluctantly. "I need to go."

“Elio—”

“I have to go.” I lean down, gripping her chin gently as I kiss her.I love you.I want to say it, but I bite the words back. “I'll call you as soon as I know anything."

Her expression is pained, as if she’s thinking the same things I am. "Be careful," she says quietly. "Please."

I kiss her once more, hard and deep. "I will. I promise." My mind is already shifting, planning, thinking tactically as I reach for my weapon. If Desmond is at the Connelly estate, this could be our chance to end this. To finally make Annie safe.

To start the countdown to when I have to let her go.

I'm halfway to the front door when I hear it—the sharp crack of gunfire outside.

I freeze, my hand going to the gun holstered at my back. More shots, rapid-fire, coming from the woods. I hear shouts and the screech of tires.

Fuck.

I spin around to see Annie frozen, standing in front of the couch. "What's happening?" she gasps.

"Desmond must have found us." I grab her arm, pulling her toward the linen closet. "Get in here and don't come out until I come get you."

"I'm not hiding while you?—"

"Do it!" I push her into the closet, my heart pounding. "Stay quiet, stay hidden. I'll come back for you, I promise."

I see the fear in her eyes, but she nods. I close the closet door and turn just as the living room window explodes in a shower of glass.

24

ANNIE

The closet is dark and cramped, and I can barely breathe. My heart is hammering so hard I'm sure whoever's out there can hear it through the door. Glass crunches under heavy boots. Multiple sets of them.

“She’s not here!” someone shouts.

"Check the other rooms!"

I press my hand over my mouth to muffle my breathing. Through the slats in the closet door, I can see shadows moving toward the bedroom. Three men, maybe four, all dressed in black. One of them has a rifle.

Where is Elio?

The thought sends a spike of terror through me. The last thing I saw was his face as he pushed me into the closet and closed the door. Then there was an explosion. How long has it been since then? Two minutes? Five?

More gunshots outside, rapid and overlapping. Someone screams. I flinch hard, squeezing my eyes shut.