54. Sutton

54

SUTTON

My scream lodged in my throat as a blow hit my side, stealing all the air from my lungs. “I warned you, bitch!”

Roman yanked me by the hair, hauling me back against him and pressing the gun to my temple. “You move now, and you’re dead. But I’ll make it hurt.”

A whimper left my lips before I could swallow it down. So close to freedom but not close enough.

Footsteps pounded against the gravel. Someone running. I knew it was Cope.

I wanted it to be anyone but him, but he wouldn’t be the man I’d fallen in love with, someone who would give everything for me, if he hadn’t shown up now.

“Don’t,” I rasped, my voice raw from pain and trying to run.

Roman dragged me back into the shadow of the barn, jamming the gun harder against my head. “You had a choice. But you made your bed the second you ditched me, the minute you stole my kid from me.”

A child he didn’t even care about. One he’d never asked the courts to see. One I would do anything to keep safe .

“Don’t hurt her. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt her.”

Cope’s voice was unlike I’d ever heard it before. Raw. Ravaged. And full of more fury than should be possible.

Roman scoffed, yanking me in front of him like a human shield. “Always the fucking hero. Heard you liked to play that card.”

“I’m not playing anything,” Cope said, the words trembling with the force of his anger. “I just want you to tell me what you want so I can give it to you and get my girl out of here.”

“Don’t. He’s just going to ki?—”

My words cut off as Roman shook me like a rag doll, shoving the gun under my chin. “You wanna try that again, Blue Eyes?”

Cope’s jaw ticked at the nickname, confirmation of who this man was and all he’d already stolen from me. “You want money. I’ve got money.”

Roman’s grip on my hair tightened. “Hot shit hockey star just drowning in cash. We’ll see how you like it when you’re struggling along with the rest of us. Twenty mil, or your whore gets it.”

Cope’s eyes flashed, and I hoped like hell Roman thought it was anger and not surprise. I was sure there was anger in the mix, rage, even, but Cope likely wondered how Roman thought he could magically get him that kind of money. He opened his mouth to say something, but I gave my head the smallest shake in warning.

Cope halted, reconsidering his play. “You want me to wire it?”

“No, I want you to write a check,” Roman said drolly. “Of course, I want you to wire it.” Slowly, he released his grip on my hair. “Don’t even think of moving. I can shoot with one hand, no problem.”

I swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was my chance. Not right away because Roman would be braced for that, but soon, the moment he was the slightest bit distracted.

Cope’s eyes collided with mine, and I saw so much panic and pain there. But love shone beneath it all, and I hoped that would see us through.

“ Trust me, ” I mouthed.

Cope didn’t say anything, but I felt it. That trust. The understanding. Love .

Roman grabbed his phone from a tack box just inside the barn, keeping the gun pointed at my head. The moment the device was in his hand, he was back to using me as cover. But that was just fine with me. In fact, I needed it that way.

“I’m texting you the wire info. You do anything stupid, call 9-1-1 or your brother, this one pays the price.” Roman shoved the gun against my chin as if to punctuate the point.

“They wouldn’t get here in time, so it wouldn’t matter if I tried to call, would it?” Cope ground out.

“That’s right, asshole.” Roman’s fingers moved across the keyboard, awkwardly trying to copy and paste from his notes app.

I knew this was it. My moment.

But I couldn’t help but steal one more look at Cope. “ Love you, ” I mouthed. And then I whirled as fast as I could. My knee came up, connecting hard with Roman’s balls. He howled in pain, a sound far more animal than human and satisfying as hell. As he doubled over, I brought my bound hands up in a clasp-fisted punch.

I missed his nose since I couldn’t see, but I got his temple. There was no sound this time. It was as if Roman were a puppet, and someone had cut all his strings. He simply crumpled to the ground, out cold.

Cope rushed forward, catching me as I stumbled backward. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I-I’m okay. Luca?” Panic zipped through me.

Cope held me tighter, breathing me in. “He’s fine. We’re all fine.”

“Are you sure about that, Reap ?”

Everything in me stilled at the voice. It was familiar but different. There was so much hatred dripping from it now.

“I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.”

I stared at the man I’d watched all week. One I’d known had a chip on his shoulder, but nothing that suggested a darkness like this. “Marcus?” I croaked.

“Sorry about this, Sutton. It’s nothing personal.” And then he leveled his gun and squeezed the trigger.