The Bodyguard (Norcross #4) - Anna Hackett Page 0,30
The lean guy moved in. Even with a mask on, Rome could tell the guy was grinning.
The man charged, fist swinging.
Rome sidestepped, and rammed his fist into the man’s lower back. He yelped, and Rome whipped his elbow up into the guy’s face.
With a crunch of a broken nose, he went down, hard. He made a gurgling noise.
The big guy tensed.
Rome just stared at him.
“Fuck you.” The big guy lunged.
Two punches and a kick, and the guy hit the road and curled into a ball. Rome had been right. He was slow.
The rain intensified and Rome’s clothes were drenched. He turned and saw Sofie’s face through the window of the SUV.
The four men behind him advanced. One pulled a handgun.
Fucking hell. Rome wrenched open the X6 driver’s-side door. Bullets pinged off metal, and he ducked down.
“Rome!” Sofie yelled.
“Come on.” He pulled her out.
Bent over and curled around her body, he pulled her around the front of the SUV.
He scanned, hearing more gunshots. He spied the entrance to a narrow alley.
He gripped her face. “I need you to run.”
Her eyes widened. “What?” Rain drops dripped down her cheeks.
He shoved his phone into her wet palm.
“Run. Don’t look back. Call Vander.”
“I can’t leave you!”
“I won’t let them hurt you.” He kissed her hard.
A bullet shattered the windshield and she cried out.
Rome pulled his own weapon. “Go!”
She hesitated, then turned and ran.
Rome fired on the attackers, buying her some time.
Sofie ran, rain pelting down on her. She stumbled down an alley and came out on another street.
A car drove past, spraying her with water.
She looked back, and spotted the shadow of someone chasing her down the alley.
God.
She turned, running down the sidewalk. Her low heels and dress were not good for running.
Was Rome okay? It had been him against multiple attackers. Pain and worry twisted in her gut.
She tripped, and fell on her hands and knees.
Ow. She had to keep moving.
She heard the wet slap of footsteps running behind her. She had to get somewhere safe so she could call Vander, and get help for Rome.
Pushing up, she turned and started down another alley. The bulk of a dumpster appeared, and she ducked down behind it.
She heard someone pause at the entrance of the alley.
Heart pounding, she curled into a ball and didn’t dare breathe.
Then, she heard whoever it was move off.
She shivered. Her dress was soaked and stuck to her skin. The white fabric was smeared with grime. She pushed her sodden hair off her face.
Carefully, Sofie peered around the dumpster. The ripe stench of rotting food was almost overwhelming. She couldn’t see anyone through the sheets of rain.
She pulled out the phone, her hand shaking, and saw Vander was the first contact. She pressed it.
“Rome, we’re almost there.” Vander’s voice was sharp.
“It’s not Rome, it’s Sofie.”
“You okay, Sofie?”
She heard the sound of a gunning engine through the line.
“Rome—” her voice cracked. “He made me run. There were six of them. He took two down, but they had guns—”
“Calm down, Sofia. Easy.”
Panic was slick in her veins. “They were shooting at him, Vander.”
“Don’t worry about Rome. He can handle himself. Let’s worry about you. Leave the phone on. I’m going to send someone to your location.”
“All right. But you need to help Rome.”
“Hang tight, Princess.”
She swallowed. “You promise you’ll help Rome?”
“We’re almost to him. Keep your head down.”
“Okay, Vander.” She sank back against the brick wall.
Then she heard a scrape.
She froze.
Oh, God. Her heart lodged in her throat.
A big body loomed over her.
“There you are.” The man grabbed at her.
Fear driving her, Sofie threw herself sideways and scrambled to her feet.
The man lunged, and Sofie spun and ran deeper into the alley. She kept her hand clenched on the phone.
Soon she was panting, running as fast as she could.
“There’s nowhere to go, Princess.” Hard arms wrapped around her from behind and lifted her off her feet.
She kicked and jerked. “Let me go!”
“Nope.” He shook her. “We want that sparkly tiara and you’re gonna help us get it.”
“Not happening,” she yelled. “You’ll regret this.”
“If you think that big bodyguard of yours will help you, he ain’t coming.”
The words were like a punch to her gut.
Anger welled, growing into a horrible churn. They’d hurt Rome.
Her brain shied away from the thought. She lifted her legs, then kicked at her attacker.
He grunted and stumbled.
Sofie grabbed his hair and yanked.
“Bitch!”
She scratched at his face, thinking of Tori. Thinking of Rome. She dislodged his mask, shoving it over his eyes. She raked her nails down his cheek.
He