ROXANNE POV
I jumped out of the car and knelt beside the man, my breath catching in my throat.
My hands trembled as I cupped his face, trying to steady him—or myself, I wasn’t sure.
"Shit...shit...look at me!" I muttered, as I scanned his features for any sign of recognition.
His eyelids fluttered and for a brief moment, his chestnut eyes opened. They were unfocused, hazy, but alive.
Relief hit me, though it was quickly replaced by a strange sense of familiarity. Something about him tugged at me—a face I should know, a name I couldn’t quite place.
Before I could make sense of it, his eyes slid shut, his body going limp.
"Daddy!" The sharp, high-pitched cry startled me. I turned and saw a little girl rushing toward us, her light brown eyes filled with fear, tears streaming down her face.
She dropped to her knees beside me, her tiny hands pressing against his chest and her sobs grew louder.
"Hey, hey, it’s okay," I murmured, softening my tone as I reached out to her. "What’s your name?"
Her gaze flicked to me, confusion and fear swirling together.
She wiped at her face with a trembling hand, her voice barely a whisper between her hiccuped sobs. "Angelina."
"Alright, Angelina," I assured her, my voice wavering slightly as I glanced between them. "We’re going to help your dad, okay? But I need you to stay calm for me. Can you do that?”
She nodded, clutching his shirt tightly, her eyes stayed locked on mine.
I slipped my arms under him, trying to lift his dead weight. He was heavier than I expected, but I didn’t have a choice.
As I heaved him upward, I thought I heard something hit the ground from his pocket, but I didn’t have time to check.
"Daddy’s car blew up," Angelina whispered suddenly, her voice cracking.
She pointed toward the corner of the street with a shaking finger. "And...and there were scary men..."
I stared at her for a moment, trying to process, but the weight of the man in my arms and the urgency of the situation snapped me back.
Whoever those men were, they could still be close—and Kendrick wasn’t far behind me either.
"We can’t stay here," I urged, my voice firm. "We have to move. Now."
Angelina hesitated, her gaze flicking to her father, but then she gave a small nod, her trust placed entirely in me.
Whatever this was, I didn’t have time to figure it out. Right now, I just had to keep us alive.
With a surge of urgency, I hauled the man into the back seat of my car.
His body slumped awkwardly across the seat, motionless and heavy. I slammed the door shut and turned to Angelina, crouching to meet her teary gaze.
YOU ARE READING
THE DEVIL'S MISTRESS
Romance+++✦+++ His hand gripped my neck-not tight enough to choke but enough to make his point. His other hand pressed against the fridge just above my shoulder, trapping me. My mouth parted in shock, my eyes locking with his. The sly smirk curving his lip...
