Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Roan

“Angel?” Both of us turn to look at where Summer’s sister is hanging upside down on Roman’s shoulders. “Turn! Turn!”

She smacks his back and Roman does as she demands turning her so she can prop herself up on his back and stare at me and Summer.

“Angel? Did you just call my sister angel?”

I step closer to her and give her my hand, “I’m Roan and yes your sister is my angel and… my girl.”

I feel her come up beside me and wrap her hands around my arm. When I look down at her, she has a smile on her face. “I’m your girl?”

“Uh, fuck yes.”

She breaks out into a giant smile that lights up her eyes. I pull her to me and lower my head for a kiss but before I can take it, her sister is speaking again.

“That’s all very well and good, Mister She’s-Mine, but what are your intentions towards my sis… you know what, this would be a lot easier if you put my ass down. Just… put me down.”

He starts to lower her but stops just short of placing her on her feet, “Uh, not so fast, Sunshine. You aren’t wearing anything.”

“Oh, don’t you fucking start with me…”

He starts carrying her towards the stairs.

“Wait! Where are you taking my sister, Roman?”

“To find some fucking clothes!”

“Hey, watch it Rome! Don’t be swearing at my angel.”

Her sister pops her head up and gives Summer two thumbs up, “I like him!”

I can’t help but smile as Roman gives her another swat on the ass and they leave me and my girl alone for a moment. This time when I pull her to me, I waste no time taking her mouth with my own. When I pull back and look as she slowly opens her eyes, I run the pad of my thumb over the bottom of her lip.

“Have no doubt, angel, you are mine.”

“And you’re mine?”

“Absofuckinglutely, angel.”

I know we need to talk about this morning and about what it could lead to, but for now, I want her to understand that this is real and not going away. I’m not going anywhere.

“So, Roan, you fucking too, huh?”

I turn in time to see Roman step off the last stair. “Yeah, me too.”

“Must be something in the fucking water or something. I’m going to have to quit the fucking team if this is a requirement for staying on.” He's talking about how a lot of men on the team have started getting married and starting families.

“Really, ‘cause it looked like it might be hitting you next, big boy.”

“What?” He automatically gives himself away by looking upward toward the second floor where Summer’s sister happens to be. “No. Really, I…”

He doesn’t get to finish as the door to his apartment is kicked open and a small, pear-shaped man comes limping into the room. It’s not the man I am worried about but the gun he has in his hands. He limps over to us, waving the thing around.

“You over with the other two. Drop the gun, pretty boy. Now!”

He points to Roman who slowly moves towards us as I place my gun on the ground and kick it out of the way so he can’t bend over, grab it, and shoot me with my own fucking gun. I automatically pushed Summer behind me when the door burst in.

“Summer, you cheating bitch. You’re coming with me.”

“I don’t think so… Scott.”

He looks put off for a moment that I know his name.

“That’s right. I know who you are, and I know there is no fucking way I am letting you take my girl anywhere with you.”

He winces and pushes the fist with the gun in it to his head before aiming at us again. “Shut the fuck up! She’s not yours! She’s mine! My girlfriend! My woman!”

“You can’t possibly think I am your girlfriend when I just spoke to you once, Creep… Scott.”

I try to push Summer back behind me and notice Roman is standing close to us helping me hide her.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up! You don’t understand… I’ll treat you better than this guy ever could, Summer. I hurt myself for you." He hits the leg that seems to be bleeding and I can't help but wonder if Joe is alright, "I’ll make you happy!”

“Roan makes me happy, you psycho headcase!”

“No! No! You…shut up, cheating bitch. I loved you and you… betrayed me.”

“Fuck off!” She tries to edge around me but I keep her behind me and Roman as we slowly back up putting as much space between us as possible.

“That’s okay, Summer. I don’t think you’ll feel the same about him after I’ve killed him!”

“Nooo!” Summer cries out and tries to come around me with such force that I can barely stop her from jumping in front of me.

“Hey, Scott!” He turns just in time to get hit in the back by one of the dining room chairs held by Summer’s sister, who no one realized had crept down the stairs and picked one up. “You creepy bastard!”

It doesn’t take him all the way down, but it does make him stagger off balance enough that I can rush him, hitting him with my shoulder right in the middle and knocking both of us over. The gun he had goes skidding across the floor and out of reach.

I have more muscle than Scott, but he has desperation on his side. He elbows me in the nose and stands back up, shoving Summer’s sister out of the way and going for the gun again. But I also have something worth fighting - and dying - for. And when I reach out and grab his ankle to yank him off his feet again I don’t hesitate to let my fists fly.

No way am I letting this nut anywhere near the woman I love!