Emmy approached with tears in her eyes, her cardigan hanging around her shoulders and Big Bun in her arms looking just as terrified.
Roarke’s heart constricted. He reached down and picked up the little girl. She dropped her head to his shoulder, and her body trembled. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, then kissed her head while Laine quickly changed.
“It’s okay, honey. I know you’re scared and tired. I promise this will be over soon.” Christ, he’d said those words to her before and here they were. Running again.
Her little hand looped around his neck. “Okay,” she murmured.
His chest tightened even more. He locked gazes with Laine as she finished pulling on her sweater. She reached out for Emmy, and he handed her off.
Ten seconds later, they moved quickly down the hall. Roarke had given Emmy strict instructions to keep her eyes closed. She might have heard loud, scary noises, but she didn’t need to see a couple of dead bodies.
He glanced downstairs. The lifeless forms laid where he’d left them. With Laine at his back, they descended the stairs. If anyone had heard the commotion, they’d hadn’t come to check it out.
Reaching the floor, Laine snatched Emmy’s shoes and wrestled them onto her daughter’s feet.
Creak
He froze at the sound coming from the living room. Two figures moved in the dining room.
Fuck.
“Run,” he commanded.
Laine gasped and he ushered her outside. Roarke moved quickly behind her, his hand clenched around his weapon. Their car was parked in the detached garage at the back of the house.
Shouts exploded from inside. Roarke dug in his pocket and slapped the keys to the vehicle in Laine’s hand. “Go around to the back alley. Get out of here!”
Her eyes widened over Emmy’s shoulder. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Go. I’ll find you.”
Crack! Crack!
Bullets hailed down. Laine screamed and darted for the sidewalk that snaked around the block to the back alley.
He hoped to hell no one was waiting for her.
“Mommy, where’s Roarke?”Emmy’s terror-filled question rang in Laine’s ears.
Laine ran, Emmy bouncing in her arms with each step. She scanned every parked vehicle they passed, anticipating a shooter but no threat appeared—at least not yet. She’d have to let Emmy walk so she could hold the gun. Anyone could be waiting for them.
Lowering Emmy to her feet, Laine pulled out the weapon. Keeping it hidden by her leg and aimed at the ground, she ushered Emmy toward the mouth of the alley.
The air was cool, and the faint scent of rain hung on the breeze. Her knees shook with every step. Her brain couldn’t work fast enough to make sense of what had happened.
Gunfire exploded, scattering birds from the trees. Panic seized her breath, making her lungs ache. She sent a prayer skyward.
“We can’t go without him!” Emmy stopped in her tracks, kicking up gravel and jerking Laine back to the moment.
She grabbed Emmy’s arm so she couldn’t run away. “Honey, please. We’re just getting to the vehicle. Roarke will meet us there.”
Emmy stopped squirming. Laine punched the garage code into the panel. Her pulse fired against her veins. The metal door creaked as it rolled up.
Emmy raced to the vehicle and climbed into the back, and Laine buckled her into the rented car seat before getting behind the wheel.
She didn’t want to leave without Roarke.
But she also couldn’t let anything happen to Emmy. She started the engine and backed into the alley, rolling slowly down the gravel road.
