Page 25 of Tailored for You

I put my head between my legs. I tried to breathe. I needed to call for help.

I needed to do something other than be helpless and wait for something bad to happen.

Seconds ticked by, fast and slow all at once.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the door.

There was a crash, followed by a roar that didn’t seem human.

A door busted open.

They were here.

CHAPTER 9

Enzo

I took the steps two at a time. Angelo and Donovan flew past me, making me move faster than I thought I could.

They hit Serena’s floor and ran through her open door. I followed a few feet behind, gun out but down, ready to shoot on sight.

Angelo had one man face down on the ground, holding the fucker's hands together. Donovan was fighting one of the other men. He tackled him, knocking him into a table. Everything on it was scattered to the ground as Donovan wrestled the faceless robber.

I went past them, trusting that they would handle those guys.

My girls needed me. They had to be scared out of their minds.

The door was broken, held up by one remaining hinge, a black footprint in the center. Someone was here, skulking into their personal space, as if invading Serena’s studio wasn’t enough. Their lives were forfeit already, and this solidified it.

Slowly, I entered the first room. The small kitchen had an overhead light on, wet dishes drying on a rack. A couch pushed up against the wall near the windows, a tiny coffee table, and a TV on the wall.

Nothing was out of order from what I could tell.

The next door was closed. I twisted the nob and pushed it open.

No one was in there.

There was another crash behind me. I turned and found a man sprinting out of the small living room and back into the studio.

Donovan and Angelo could handle him.

I closed the door behind me and began searching for Harper and Serena. I checked the bed, then under it. Opened a door to find a closet with shelves and clothes.

Turning on my heels, I looked for other areas where they could hide. Serena was smart.

On the other side of the room was another door. I walked over to it and turned the knob. It didn’t budge.

I smiled, panic easing as I knocked.

“Serena. Open up,” I called out and crouched. A few moments later, the door opened, revealing Serena.

Her face was pale. Her hair had fallen out of the braid she had it in. She was gripping a hair tool so hard her knuckles were white. And she was breathing. Hard. Like no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t take in enough air.

“Serena, look at me.” Her glassy eyes flitted up to my face. “I’m here. You are safe. Harper is safe.”

Serena swallowed, her breathing steadying. She glanced over her shoulder at the tub. When she faced me again, a single tear ran down her cheek.

“I’m going to take you and Harper home, okay?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.