Page 40 of Protecting Maggie
“Because I can,” Roman said, clearly amused. “This time, I just sent them on a fool’s mission. But next time it could be Iran. You think Blink might like to revisit that cell where he and his girlfriend were guests? Or maybe North Korea…how do you think the guys would like that? I think they’d stick out like sore thumbs, huh? Maybe get captured and thrown in work camps. Or I hear Russia’s nice this time of year.”
“Seriously, Roman,why? You’ve already fucked up my life! Why are you doing this?”
“I already told you—because it’s fun. And to make sure you don’t screw up. I have pictures of you, bitch. Making out with that pansy-ass SEAL in his car. I have eyes and earseverywhere. Nothing you do is a secret to me. I know all about you working in that fucking clothing shop, your little sleepover at Caroline Steel’s house, the visit to that apartment building on Third Street. If I hearanythingabout that SEAL and his team looking into me, they’re as good as dead. You hear me? I’ll have them shipped out so fast your head will spin, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they never come back.”
“I won’t say anything! Just leave them alone!” Maggie pleaded.
“Or maybe I’ll get your ass put back in prison. It was somuch fun the first time, watching you go down. I could have a chat with your probation officer. Or it wouldn’t be hard to putanotherstash in your car, maybe break into your apartment and sprinkle some paraphernalia around. Enough to get your probation revoked and add time to your sentence. Don’t fuck with me, Maggie. Now that I’ve proven what I can do, be smart for once in your life.”
She wasn’t sure what else to say.
“What’s the draw, anyway?” Roman asked.
Maggie wanted to hang up, but she couldn’t. She needed to keep him talking, let him keep incriminating himself.
“Everyone knows SEALs are shit in bed. They only care about getting themselves off. Their egos are too fucking big to think about anything other than racing to the finish line. But you know what? On second thought, it makes perfect sense that you’re with him. I mean, it’s not as ifyouwere any good in bed either. The worst I’ve had—and I’ve had a lot. You just laid there like a dead fish.”
Okay, maybe she didn’t need to hear what else he had to say.
“You gave the worst blowjobs that I’ve?—”
Maggie clicked off the connection and immediately blocked the number he’d called from. Then she went to the app that she’d installed and made sure the conversation had recorded.
She had plenty of material to have Roman put in jail, but she was scared to death to bring it to anyone. Because she had no doubt he wouldn’t immediately be arrested.There would have to be an investigation. They’d ask him about the call. Probably play it for him. But if he wasn’t put behind bars right then and there, she was screwed. He’d doanythingto make her pay. She wouldn’t be safe. Not even close.
Carefully, Maggie saved the message into a folder on her phone and emailed it to herself as well. Later, she’d save it on her computer. If somethingdidhappen to her, if she disappeared without a trace, there would be some record of who had it out for her. Thewhywas another story. Even she didn’t understand exactly why Roman was determined to ruin her life. She’d thought she was a good girlfriend. But she’d obviously done something to piss him off. Or maybe he enjoyed having power over others.
She didn’t want to believe it was just like he said. This was simply fun for him.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t really matter anymore. All that mattered was the clear fact that he had no problem messing with Shawn and his team, putting their lives in danger, just to screw with her.
Feeling guilty as hell, Maggie sat on the couch in Adina’s apartment and stared into space. Then some of the other things Roman said began to sink in. Someone had taken pictures of her and Shawn, making out in his car. That had to be in the parking lot of My Sister’s Closet, a few days before his deployment. A happy memory that was now tainted, knowing that they’d been watched.
They’d also followed her to an apartment she’d thoughtabout renting. They knew she’d gone to Caroline’s house with her friends.
She was puttingso manypeople’s lives in danger.
Then something surprising happened—anger began to grow deep inside her.
She’d done nothing wrong.Nothing. Even though the judge believed the drugs were hers. Even though she’d made her share of mistakes in the past. That didn’t mean she deserved what was happening now. And Shawn and his friendscertainlydidn’t.
The only way to stop this was to do exactly what she feared most. Tell someone about what was going on. Who Roman was, and all about his threats.
And the one person she trusted enough to tell was Shawn. Which was hard, because telling him would put him in immediate danger. But he was a SEAL. He wasn’t some random man with no connections. He’d said it himself, he knew people. People who could hopefully not only keephersafe, but everyone else too.
If she didn’t say anything, Roman wouldn’t stop. He’d probably send Shawn and his friends to one of those awful places he threatened anyway, just because he could. It wouldn’t matter that Maggie hadn’t told anyone who he was. At least if she said something, if she exposed Roman for the criminal that he was, others would be prepared for whatever he might try next.
At this point, she was willing to do whatever it took to keep her new friends safe, even if it meant she wasn’t. She’dface whatever consequences her actions brought, as long as they were onher.
She was terrified of Roman and what he could do, but she was even more scared of what he could do to others. And that was what made up her mind.
The ironic thing was that if Roman hadn’t threatened Shawn, if someone hadn’t followed her to Caroline’s house, she would’ve done exactly what he wanted. Kept her mouth shut.
But now that he’d brought others into it, innocent people who didn’t deserve for some psychopath to ruin their lives, Maggie had found her backbone. Roman Robertson wouldn’t hurt someone else the way he’d hurt her. She’d do whatever it took to make sure everyone knew what a scumbag he was. Or die trying…which was definitely a possibility.
CHAPTER TEN
It had taken another week, but finally they were home. Preacher wasn’t sure what had actually happened, but one day they were just called to the admiral’s office on the ship and told they were leaving the next morning. At that point, it didn’t matter if it was Tex’s doing or if someone in the chain of command realized what a waste of resources it was to have three SEAL teams on that ship, not doing anything…but they’d been sent home.
