Page 21 of Under His Watch

Where’s the guard?Isthere a guard? Where is Romeo?

A silly thought of Shakespeare’s famous line rang through my mind.

Where art thou, Romeo? Come on. Focus, Tess!

My thoughts were already scattering from yet another hit of anxiety and panic. I couldn’t let myself get hysterical, not now. I had to stay focused, and I tried my best to hide.

Other than that stupid joke, I kept all my attention on the two bikers. If I could reach the wall and sink lower, they wouldn’t be able to see me through the windows at all. Then I could crawl back upstairs and lock myself in a room on the highest floor. This knife was the best I could think of as a weapon, but I almost whimpered in my mind at the wishful prayer of Romeo returning soon. He was a killer. He’d know how to defend himself and me in this situation that made no sense.

Already, I’d identified him as a figure of safety, and it was too ironic that he was likely a bad man according to society.

My heel pressed against the wall, and I shook with a deeper breath of relief.

Okay. I’ve got to be back far enough.

Ever so slowly, watching the men stomping through the overgrown jungle of weeds outside, I dipped toward the floor.

There.I was down, on my knees, ignoring the aches and stings of putting pressure on the skin I’d cut open and bruised when I fell last night. I had to deal with it, and I did, biting the inside of my cheek to distract myself from the pain. I hunched over to crawl away, tucking out of a sight.

A crash sounded outside, and I flinched. Frozen again, I held my breath. My muscles tensed, but I refused to budge. Distant curses reached me, and I thought I heard one biker berating the other for knocking something over.

Okay. Good. It’s all good. They’re out there. I’m in here, and I’ll be safe if I hide. Until Romeo comes back.

Moving over the floor, I tried to reach the stairs. It was a vulnerable pass, exposed between the kitchen and the stairwell. This house was so big, this foyer was so wide, I’d have to sacrifice being more visible to reach the stairs and go up.

Go, Tess. Go. You can do this. He’ll be back. He said he’d be back. So just hang on until?—

I was halfway to the stairs when someone pounded on the door.

Fuck!

No!

I scrambled upright, torn with the urgency to run up the stairs or hook the deadbolt on the door.

The doorknob twisted, and as I heard the metal of the door’s hardware click, I pushed to stand. Then I lunged at the door, hoping my awkward hold on this puny steak knife would maim whoever was breaking in. Romeo wouldn’t knock. It had to be one of the bikers, coming to hurt me with the bloody blade I saw.

As the door flung open, I screamed and lifted the steak knife.

A slim arm raised to deflect my strike as I braced to slam my hand down. I’d sink this weapon into whoever dared to threaten me. No matter how hard I’d have to fight.

But a familiar voice yelled out.

The face staring back at me wasn’t one of the bikers.

Nina stood there, wide-eyed and terrified as she crouched from my coming hit. “Don’t!”

9

ROMEO

“Get back!”

My father shoved me aside as he stepped forward to pull Nina into a protective hold. Turning, he gave Tessa his back.

She screamed in response to seeing Nina at the front door, though, and with a jerky shift to the side, she lowered the steak knife before it hit anyone.

We crowded at the door, my father, Nina, Franco, and I. But I pushed closer to both take the knife out of Tessa’s hand and hug her.

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