Page 92 of Summer Heat
“I can’t. You’re my—”
Nicola nudged the Beretta back toward him, groaning when she used her arm. “I need your car. Tell me how to contact you. I’ll explain this. I promise. But I have to go. Now. I—”
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“I don’t think so.”
“Goddamn it, Roman. If you’re here to kill me, do it. Otherwise, get the fuck out of this car. You too, Cash. Move it.”
Kill her?
Gone were her tears. In the span of a second, the emotion was gone. The steely eyed woman was in business mode.
Ten years had passed. Ten long-assed years. Who knew what she’d been doing? Clearly, bad things with bad people.
Cash spoke. “You’re hurt.”
She rocketed a glare at him. “I’ll be dead if you don’t leave.”
Cash continued, hoping to make inroads even after Roman tried-and-burned. “We can help you. Whatever kind of trouble you’re in—”
“I’m not in trouble. Get out!”
“No,” Cash and Roman said in unison.
Click-click. The slide of the Glock turned them both to stone. Their third man, Rocco, had Nicola dead center in his close-range sights.
“Get that fucking gun out of my sister’s face,” Roman said, cold as ice.
Rocco’s face fell. He lowered the gun. “We need to get the fuck out of here. Work your family shit out in therapy. Buy some self-help books. I don’t care. But go now.”
Nicola dropped her gun again, pressing her head to the steering wheel.
Roman patted her snarled hair. “Nic, it’ll be okay. Whatever’s happened to you, we’ll work through it. We’ll protect you.” He snaked his arms around his little sister and hugged. With an efficient lift, he had her up and in his arms.
A game of musical chairs ensued. Cash moved to the front passenger. Roman settled beside Nicola in the backseat. She groaned again when he placed her down. Cash eyeballed the driver’s seat before Roc got in. There was a lot of blood in the front seat.
“We have to go,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Roger that, hon.” Rocco glanced at Roman. “Shit. Sorry on the hon. Roger that, um...”
“Nicola.” Roman glared at Rocco.
“Right. Roger that, Nicola.” Rocco gunned the engine, and they sped off.
Roman turned to his sister. “Nic, please start talking. Whoever had you, you’re safe. Whatever the reason for the—”
“Stop. This isn’t what you think. I left on purpose.”
And that was all. She stared straight ahead. No amount of brotherly badgering or angry demanding changed her response.
Cash’s head spun in circles. She was alive. Alive and armed, even though they’d buried her a decade ago.
His senior year of college, when they got the news, seemed like yesterday. But it was a lie. She was a liar. The only woman to steal his heart was a liar.
Liar, liar, girl on fire.
***
