Chapter Thirty

"Ms. McPherson, I don"t think this is a good idea," Officer Carter growls, his lips tipped down into a frown as he glowers at her from his post in front of my hotel room door. His jaw pulses with tension, and his green eyes are unyielding. With his arms crossed over his broad chest, he"s every bit as intimidating as Roman.

Unfortunately, Tahani isn"t easily intimidated.

"Why not?" she asks, arching a brow. She"s standing tall, her arms crossed over her chest like she"s ready to go to war with him to get her way if that"s what it takes. Like Roman, she"s relentless when she wants something, and nothing stands in her way, not even the two giants with guns blocking our only way out of the room. "My house is safer for her than a hotel full of strangers. It"s gated and has a security system."

Officer Carter glances at Officer Benson, who shrugs one shoulder like he doesn"t care one way or another if we stay here or go to Tahani"s. He seems more laid-back than his partner, more willing to go with the flow. I have a feeling that Officer Carter intends to follow Roman"s instructions to the letter. He"s rigid and immovable.

"You know it"s true," Tahani wheedles when Carter still doesn"t look convinced.

His frown deepens, his green eyes narrowing.

"Look at her, Officer." Tahani throws her hand out to indicate me. "She"s exhausted. She doesn"t want to fall asleep in a hotel full of people she doesn"t know. After what she went through, can you blame her?"

She"s not wrong about that. I can't relax here—my mind won't stop racing long enough to let me. But I'm so fucking tired. The entire world is a blur and my knees tremble. I feel like I"m going to fall over. But I don"t want to get Officer Carter or Officer Benson in trouble for breaking the rules.

"It"s okay," I tell Tahani, my voice soft. "I"ll be fine here."

Officer Carter's gaze shifts from her to me, his resolve cracking when his eyes land on me. His expression softens incrementally. He may be a hard-ass cop, but I think he's a big teddy bear underneath it. "We"ll go."

"Thank you." Tahani beams at him, showing her teeth. She doesn't like him much.

"Thank you," I whisper.

Carter jerks his head in acknowledgment, breaks my gaze, and glances at Tahani again. His expression firms as soon as his eyes land on her. I don"t think he appreciated her trying to steamroll over him. Not that it'll stop her. Tahani steamrolls everyone. It's her way.

"We"re not stopping on the way," he tells her.

"Fine, but she"s riding with me."

Carter opens his mouth to argue, but Benson cuts him off.

"Let"s just fucking go," he mutters, sounding bored by the entire argument. "You can ride with them, and I"ll follow behind."

Tahani smiles, triumph flashing in her hazel eyes. But she doesn"t antagonize Carter any further. Instead, she grabs my arm and practically drags me out of the room.

The hotel is upscale and elegant. Bright paintings hang at intervals on the cream-colored, textured walls and tables with small sculptures sit at random intervals. The carpet is the same hideous abstract stuff that"s in my room. I keep my eyes off the floor, trying to avoid the dizzy feeling that swirls through me when I focus on it for too long.

Carter and Benson hover over us, with Carter in front and Benson following right behind. They"re not quite as massive as Roman, but they make me feel small and fragile in a way he never has. I hate the way that feels.

Carter keeps his hand near his gun as they hurry us down the hall and then through the brightly lit lobby.

At nine a.m. on a Wednesday, there aren"t many people around as we hurry through the hotel. The few we do encounter stare at us openly, curiosity stamped across their faces. I doubt they"re used to seeing armed men in bulletproof vests escorting women out of hotels. I"m sure I probably look like hell-warmed over, too.

Carter doesn"t relax, not even when I"m safely in the passenger seat of Tahani"s white Jeep. He stands guard beside the vehicle, looking every which way like he expects someone to jump out and try to kidnap me while Benson pulls their unmarked SUV around. I"m not so sure someone won"t try to grab me, not after yesterday.

The thought sends anxiety churning through me.

I know Roman thought I would be safer here, but I"m not convinced. The safest place for me will always be at his side because no one else in the world cares about my safety like he does. Officer Carter and Officer Benson will do their job because they"re cops, and this is what they do…but it"s not the same thing.

I scoot lower in the seat, making myself as small and as invisible as possible. Even then, I feel like a bright red target is painted over my head, announcing my location to anyone looking.

Maybe we should have just stayed inside the room.

As soon as Benson pulls up in their Durango, Carter climbs in the cramped backseat of Tahani"s Jeep, muttering under his breath when he has to practically fold himself in half to get inside.

"I"ll sit in the back," I tell him, taking pity on him when he can"t seem to get comfortable.

"I"m fine," he mutters.

"I don"t mind."

"I"m fine, darlin"," he tells me, his voice a little less gruff.

"Darlin"," Tahani snickers beside me before latching her seatbelt.

If Carter hears her, he chooses to ignore her. I do the same and click my seatbelt into place, breathing a sigh of relief when we pull out of the parking lot and merge into early morning traffic, with Benson following right behind us.

The sun shines brightly overhead. I rest my head against the seatback and close my eyes, soaking up the warmth. I"ve felt like I"ve had a block of ice in my chest for most of the last twenty-four hours. Knowing that Tahani doesn"t hate me thawed a little of it, but I don"t think the chill will evaporate entirely until I feel Roman"s arms around me. Rationally, I know he"s okay, or he was two hours ago because he called Trent to get Tahani here.

Until I see him for myself, touch him for myself…I don"t think I"ll believe it entirely.

"Thank you for letting me crash at your place," I murmur to Tahani, turning my head to look at her.

She worries her bottom lip between her teeth, her shoulders tense. She"s as worried about her dad as I am. For as long as I"ve known her, she"s been a little mother hen when she"s stressed out or upset.

When I told her I couldn"t sleep in the hotel, she decided I was staying with her. I think, had Carter not given in, she would have bulldozed right over him. She hovers and fusses just like Roman.

"You"re my best friend," she whispers fiercely, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "You don"t have to thank me for anything. You should try to rest. We"ll be there soon."

I offer her a tired smile and then lean back in my seat again and close my eyes.

The next thing I know, Carter"s cell phone jolts me awake. I sit up and blink, trying to get my bearings. We"ve left behind shopping malls and hotels and entered a residential area on the far side of the city. Elaborate homes with landscaped lawns and security gates line both sides of the roadway. I"ve only been here once, back when Trent first bought the house for Tahani a few months ago, but I recognize the area. Their house is at the end of the block on the left.

It"s a huge white colonial with massive columns, a swimming pool, a basketball court, and enough room for his entire basketball team. Tahani would have been happy living in a tent with Trent, but he"s a little over the top when it comes to her. He"s been that way since the day he met her.

She fought him for the longest, refusing to give him a chance because she thought he was just another manwhore, but he was relentless. Eventually, she realized the rumors about him weren"t true. It didn"t hurt when he told the whole world he was madly in love with her. The man worships the ground she walks on.

My phone rings while Carter is still trying to fish his out of the pocket on his bulletproof vest.

I jump, startled by the unfamiliar ringtone, and then pull it out of my pocket. Tears fill my eyes when I see Roman"s number on the screen. I suck in a deep breath—my first since he put me in Octavio Hernandez"s car and sent me here. My hands shake as I swipe to answer and put it to my ear.

"Roman," I whisper, relief flooding through me in massive waves.

He"s okay. Thank God.

Tahani takes a deep breath beside me as soon as I say his name, and I know she feels the same exact way I do…like she can finally breathe freely again. I reach out and clutch her hand, clinging to her.

She clings just as tightly, grasping my hand like it"s a lifeline.

"Mila, baby, where are you?" Roman asks me. The urgency in his tone sends my heart plummeting to my feet. He may be okay, but something is wrong.

"I"m with Tahani. We"re about to pull in at her house," I tell him, fear beginning to whisper through me.

"No! Don"t go there, baby."

"Roman, what"s wrong?" I sit up straighter, trying not to panic.

"Motherfucker," Carter growls from the backseat at the same time.

I glance in the rearview mirror to find him scowling, his phone clutched to his ear. Whatever he"s hearing on the other end isn"t good, not if the thunderous look on his face is any indication.

"What"s going on?" Tahani asks, but I"m not sure if she"s talking to me or Carter.

"Guerrero is in Sacramento, sweetheart," Roman says. I think he"s trying to keep me calm, but rage and panic bleed into his tone anyway, sending my heart into overdrive. "He"s…fuck. I don"t know how much he knows about Tahani. Do not go to her house. Turn around right now and drive straight to the nearest police precinct. Do you hear me? Don"t fucking stop for anyone."

"O-okay." I swallow hard, clutching the phone a little tighter.

"I"m coming for you and Tahani, baby. I promise you that."

"What the fuck?" Tahani growls.

I jump at the sound of her voice, my gaze flying to her, only to find her looking straight ahead, frowning. My gaze follows hers, my heart taking another nosedive in my chest.

A black Acadia has parked sideways across the road right before Tahani"s driveway, completely blocking the street. The dark tinted windows make it impossible to see inside the vehicle.

A sick sense of dread slides through me at the sight of it, freezing the blood in my veins. Fear pumps through me hard and fast, my fight or flight response kicking into high gear. My feet actually tap against the floorboard like my body is preparing to run even though I"m trapped in the Jeep.

"Tahani, turn around," I whisper, squeezing her hand tighter. "Turn around now!"

"Stop!" Carter barks at the same time. "Stop the fucking car."

Tahani immediately slams on the brake, pitching me forward. The seatbelt locks around me and throws me right back into the seat. I gasp when my head bounces against the headrest so hard I nearly drop the phone.

"What the fuck is going on?" Roman roars in my ear.

"I don"t know," I mumble, trying to make sense of the scene in front of me.

"Back up," Carter tells Tahani, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Tahani throws the car into reverse and starts backing up, forcing Benson to do the same behind us. She doesn"t ask any questions or demand answers. For once, she just does what she"s told.

"Get some fucking backing units here now," Carter growls at whoever is on the phone, pulling his gun from his holster. "I think he"s here."

A whimper climbs up my throat as soon as the words leave his lips. Guerrero isn't on the way. He isn't coming for us. He's here now.

Carter drops his phone to the seat beside him, cursing under his breath. He takes the safety off and then slides the hammer back on his service weapon, chambering a bullet.

"Mila, talk to me," Roman says, his voice hard and demanding.

"There"s an SUV blocking the road in front of Tahani"s house," I whisper, turning to Tahani. "Jose Guerrero is in Sacramento. Roman"s on his way here."

"Oh my God." Her voice shakes with fear.

"Where the fuck are Benson and Carter?" Roman seethes in my ear. He"s practically yelling, but I hear the little thread of terror in his voice and in the way his breath rasps down the line. Knowing he"s afraid kills me. He"s the strongest person I know, but he"s hours away, unable to do anything to help us. It's probably tearing him apart. He"s on the verge of losing it.

I take a deep breath, trying to hold it together for both of us. I have to hold it together for him. "Carter is with us. Benson is in the car behind us," I tell him, speaking as calmly as possible. "We"re okay, baby. They"re right here with us."

"What the fuck is he doing?" Carter mutters, pulling my attention away from the phone again.

Before I can say anything else, Tahani hits the brake, stopping the car.

"Why isn"t he moving?" she mutters, craning her neck to see behind her.

Carter"s phone rings again. Before it"s even through the first ring, he"s got it at his ear. "What?" His scowl deepens, his brows pulling together as he barks that single word. "You"re fucking kidding me."

"What is going on?" Tahani demands, her voice sharp and panicky.

Carter"s gaze flicks to her face and then to mine. Worry flickers through his green eyes before he quickly schools his expression into a stoic mask—the same one Roman wears when he doesn't want me to know what he's thinking. When he's seriously fucking worried about something. "There"s a car blocking the roadway behind us," he says softly. "Benson"s getting out to check it out."

Tahani whimpers.

"Don"t," I tell him, surprised when my voice doesn"t waver or shake. "Tell him not to get out of his car, Carter. They"ll kill him if he does."

Tahani whimpers again, her hand like a vise around mine. I have to pry her fingers off mine so I can undo my seatbelt and turn around to face Carter. I hit the speaker button on my phone so Roman can hear what"s going on even though I really want to hang up on him like I did in the house. Just like then, I"m not so sure there is a way out of this. We"re blocked in, unable to go anywhere. If we die, I don"t want him to hear it happening. I don't want him to live with those memories tormenting him.

"Roman, Benson says we"re blocked in," I tell him, fighting to keep my voice level so he doesn"t lose it. If he flips out, I"m not sure what he"s going to do. Roman isn't someone you control. He's a beast, controlled only through his own will. If he snaps, it's going to be bad. Right now, I need him in control because we need his help more than ever.

"Motherfucker," he curses.

"Gregory, I"ve got backing units on the way, but it"s going to be at least fifteen minutes before they make it here," Carter says quietly.

Roman"s quiet for a long time, and then he mutters something under his breath. "Baby, I love you and Tahani so fucking much. But I need you to give Carter the phone right now," he tells me, his voice soft and commanding at the same damn time. It"s that tone I can"t ignore, the one that tells me in no uncertain terms that he"s in charge and I need to obey.

"Roman," I argue anyway. Of course I do. Because he needs someone to argue with him because I don't think anyone ever has. They just do what he says, no questions asked. Not me. Never me.

"Now, Mila," he grits out.

I glare at the phone before reluctantly handing it over to Carter. As soon as he has it in his hands, he hits the button to turn the speaker phone off and puts it to his ear.

"What"s up, man?" he says, his gaze locked on me. He"s quiet for a long moment, listening to whatever Roman says to him. His expression is that same frustratingly blank mask. I think they teach that infuriating look in cop school.

"Are you okay?" I ask Tahani.

For as long as I"ve known her, she"s been talkative. When she"s nervous, she chatters. When it"s too quiet, she chatters. The fact that she"s completely silent worries me. She"s terrified out of her mind.

"Yes," she lies anyway, nodding.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the driver"s door of the SUV blocking Tahani"s driveway swing open. No one gets out, though. The tint is so dark I still can"t tell that anyone is even in the vehicle. Clearly, someone is, or the door wouldn"t have opened.

"Carter."

"I see it," he mutters to me, his voice grim.

I glance back at him to see that he"s watching the SUV, his eyes hard.

"If I get shot, I"m killing you," he mutters into the phone to Roman and then looks between me and Tahani again. He purses his lips and then holds his gun out toward me. "Take this, darlin"," he demands.

When I hesitate, Tahani reaches out and grabs it from him. Her hands are surprisingly steady. She"s careful with the weapon, making sure to keep it aimed away from us. She shifts positions in the seat, focusing the gun on the SUV ahead of us without a word.

"I"m getting out of the car," Carter says, speaking quickly. "If anything happens, you find a way out of here, even if you have to ram your way out." Before Tahani or I have a chance to say anything, he climbs out of the Jeep, holding his hands up in the air.

"What is he doing?" Tahani asks.

"Jose Guerrero!" he yells before I have a chance to say anything, his hands still in the air like he"s trying to prove that he"s unarmed. "Roman Gregory is on the phone for you. He says he has something that belongs to you."

"What the fuck?" Tahani breathes.

I don"t have an answer for her. Whatever Roman is doing…whatever he told Carter…I don"t think he wants us to know that there isn"t a plan. This is an act of desperation, pure and simple. He"s trying to save our lives the only way he knows how.

I have to fight the urge to cower on the floorboard and hide my eyes. I"m terrified someone is going to shoot Carter and then come for us and Benson. But for long moments, nothing at all happens. Aside from my breathing, Tahani"s, and the soft rumble of the engine, everything is silent. There"s no movement in the SUV ahead of us.

"Fuck," Carter mutters after a moment, his voice barely audible even though he left the car door open. He stands there for a split second and then curses again. "Selena Ortega," he shouts into the silence. "Roman has your girlfriend, Guerrero."

"What the fuck?" Tahani whispers again.

I swallow hard, stunned.

"Prove it," a man calls out a moment later, his accent thick but his voice surprisingly cultured. I expected him to sound like a monster, not like a businessman. But I wouldn"t even give this man a second look if he walked past me on the street and said hello.

"Check your phone," Carter yells back.

Another long moment passes in silence before the man speaks again.

"What does he want?" He sounds wary this time, like whatever was on his phone surprised him. He didn"t expect it, which makes me curious as hell.

"What are you doing?" I mutter out loud, wishing I could burrow into Roman"s head and figure out what he"s thinking because I"m almost positive he"s making it up as he goes.

"A trade," Carter yells. "Your girlfriend and kid for his."

Tahani gasps.

My heart stalls before racing away from me. Roman has Guerrero"s family?

Holy shit.

"He"s a cop," Guerrero yells back, amusement in his tone. "I believe my family will be just fine in his care."

"Think again," Carter yells. "Four of your men are in the hospital because of him."

"You lie."

"Check your phone again." Carter pauses for a second like he"s giving Guerrero time to look at his phone and then he speaks again. "You tried to kill his woman," he says. "He"s off the books. If anything happens to his girl or his kid, he"s going to kill your girlfriend, man. We won"t be able to stop him. We don"t even know where the fuck he is right now."

"You lie," Guerrero says, a little slower and a little less certain this time.

"Is that a chance you"re really willing to take?" Carter shouts. "Your girl is pregnant, Guerrero. Are you really willing to risk their lives in the hope that you"re right?"

"Oh my God," I whisper, my heart pounding. Roman isn"t a murderer. He"s a good cop and a good man. But I"m terrified that Guerrero has pushed him too far by showing up here. If he hurts me or Tahani, I don"t know what Roman will do. Right now, I"m not even sure if he knows what he"ll do.

Tahani takes a strangled breath beside me, and I know she"s thinking exactly the same thing.

I hold my breath, praying like hell that Guerrero takes Carter seriously. For Roman"s sake, he has to take him seriously because Roman is a good cop and a good man. If anything happens to us and he lets himself become like this man to reTahanite…I don"t think he"ll survive that. I don"t think he"ll want to survive it.

Guerrero is silent for a long time. So long that fear begins to claw through me, turning my insides to ice all over again. I don"t think he"s going to answer. I think he"s going to take us anyway, kill us anyway, regardless of the consequences.

"Fine," he finally shouts, allowing me to pull in a desperate, sobbing breath. "But I have conditions."

"Name them," Carter shouts.

"The girls come with me. Alone. Once I"m sure we"re not followed, I will tell him where to meet. If anyone follows, his girls die. If anything happens to Ms. Ortega, his girls die."

There"s no way that Roman is going to agree to that. No way in h―

"Done," Carter says, "but I come too."

"Unarmed."

"Fine," Carter agrees without hesitation.

"Very well," Guerrero says, sounding amused again. "Tell Agent Gregory that I accept his trade."

Tahani whimpers beside me, but I can"t reassure her this time. I feel a little like whimpering, too. Roman is just as desperate as I suspected, and that scares the hell out of me.