40-Donovan

Ihear her screaming as I run up the steps to Shorty's house. I throw myself against the door; each hit filled with desperation to get to my girl. Javi is out of his damn mind if he thinks I will just stand around and do nothing.

The door won't budge, and then I hear a gunshot.

I freeze.

No. No, no, no.

"Shorty!" I roar, desperately trying to get into the house.

When the door finally opens, I stagger through the house and follow her screams.

"Get off me!" Shorty"s screams and Sophia's frantic cries tear at my soul.

"Get the fuck off her!"

A man straddles her hips while she lies on the ground, his hands around her neck and a switchblade lying beside her.

"Donnie, no!" Shorty cries, clawing at the man's arms.

"Don't fucking move." I hear a gun being cocked at the back of my head. I instantly freeze and keep my breath steady.

"Oh, is this the novio?" The man lifts Shorty off the floor by her neck and pulls her against his chest.

I cringe when Sophia's hiccupping cries travel through the baby monitor.

"Shut that kid up, Rico."

"NO! Please leave her alone." Shorty sobs, looking at me with a level of panic I've never seen before.

My hands clench into fists at my sides, and I am helpless when the man moves his hands to Shorty's hair and yanks her head back.

"Shut the fuck up!" he bellows in her ear.

I instantly step forward when the man holding Shorty's hair snaps his eyes to me. "Stop right there, motherfucker, or I'll snap this bitch's neck in half."

Shorty's tiny body trembles with fear.

The tick of the clock in the living room reminds me of time slipping away, fueling my anxious thoughts of what could go wrong if I make a sudden move.

"What do you want?" I ask, trying to mask the fear in my voice. Rico pushes the barrel against my head, reminding me of my fate.

"I want this bitch to pay for her father's sins."

I look to Shorty with confusion, but then realization sits in. It's one of the Romano brothers.

Shit.

"I see your mind is playing catch up." He raises an amused brow like this is all a fucking game to him.

"You don't have to do this. Just let her go and take me," I beg.

He gives me a disgusted look. "Why the fuck would I do that? I don't need you. One word from me, and Rico will pull that trigger. I have no use for you."

Shorty catches her breath, and an involuntary whimper escapes her lips.

"Let's get this shit over with." He drags Shorty across the room and throws her on the couch. He leans in and slaps her across the face.

"STOP!" I roar, trying to get to her, when something hard hits the back of my head, and I go down with a thud.

"Kill the kid, Rico. And then kill him," he orders.

"No! Please don't do this!" Shorty cries, struggling against his hold.

My eyes plead with her to stop fighting and to believe that I'll keep Sophia safe. She mouths, please save her.

Adrenaline pumps through my body as Rico walks down the hall to Sophia's room. It's either save Shorty and my baby or save Sophia. No matter what decision I make, someone will get hurt. I turn back to Shorty and give her a swift nod with tears in my eyes and mouth, I love you.

The tears continue to fall from her eyes, and her lips quiver. Shorty distracts him by kicking him in the stomach, and I force myself off the floor and run down the hall. I tackle Rico to the ground before he can open Sophia's door. The gun flies across the floor as we wrestle. He gets in one good punch to my stomach, but I get in several hits to his ribs and jaw. He knocks me back with his elbow, allowing him to reach for the gun. He doesn't get a chance when a gunshot rings in the air, and my gut plummets.

"FREEZE!" Javi yells.

"Drop the weapon and put your hands above your head!" another officer yells.

Rico slowly rises to his feet and places his hand on his head with his back to the officers. "Walk slowly backward until I say stop."

Rico does as he is told but drops to the floor, snatches the gun, and aims it at the cops. He doesn't have a chance to pull the trigger before a bullet hits him right between the eyes, and he goes down.

I barge into Sophia's room.

She's on her feet, holding onto the edge of the crib with tears flooding her root beer color eyes. Her hiccup cries tear at my soul. She reaches out to me with one hand, the other holding her up. I pick her up, hold her close to my chest, and freeze in place when I hear the fear in Javi's voice.

"Let her go. You don't need to hurt her."