Page 1 of Always Mine

Prologue

Bullets rattled through the night air.

Pain exploded in his shoulder.

He fell.

The gunfire raged on.

Eyes slitted, Lt. Diego Rodriguez witnessed his men drop to the ground one-by-one. It was surreal, like something out of a movie; he reached for his weapon. But his arm wouldn’t move. His face was smushed into the wet dirt.

The world went dark.

It was still nighttime when Diego awoke, shivering in the cool air. He blinked twice as lights shone from…more gang goons coming after him? Then he heard, “Check the victims. Hell, I hope somebody’s alive.”

Men with neon stripes and flashlights fanned out over the brutal scene. Then someone knelt next to him. “Damn. Diego are you…man, say something. Or move.”

Diego recognized the voice but couldn’t place it.

The guy yelled, “Over here. The lieutenant’s alive.”

Others arrived. “How alive?”

“I don’t know. I was afraid to turn him over.”

“Move away, Romano.”

A miasma of even more pain pummeled Diego as he was eased to his back. He groaned.

Then, “Hand me pads. Keep them coming.”

The pain turned into a thousand little pinpricks as the gauze pressed into his shoulder. His shrill outcry echoed in the night air.

“Sorry buddy.” Again, the familiar voice. Romano. Ah, these were firefighters. He knew them.

Above him now, Romano, yelled, “Call out if you need the medics.”

Silence. Diego’s head lolled to the side. He didn’t want to live if everybody else on the task force died.

Chapter 1

Annie Stefano sat in her sensible sedan in the parking lot, staring at Westwood Hospital. She’d buzzed down the windows of her car; she could hear the chirping of birds, but the cheery sound didn’t make her feel any better.

What the hell are you doing here?

She’d read online that Lt. Diego Rodriguez had been shot when his team was called to an incident in downtown Westwood. The news had…affected her. She’d refrained from coming to the hospital for two days, but this morning, a Saturday, she gave into the temptation.

You’re engaged.

Yeah, but Diego had been her high school and college sweetheart, even though they’d had a messy breakup, she still cared about him.

Chiding herself for her second thoughts, she exited the car into the warm April day, crossed the sunlit parking lot and entered the building. Newly remodeled, it now sported a big reception area/waiting room to the left. The sudden blast of cold from the air conditioning raised goosebumps on her bare arms as she crossed to the desk.

“I—” She had to clear her throat. “I’m here to see Diego Rodriguez.”

“Are you family?”

“I’m his fiancée.” Well, she almost was. At one time. But she knew the hospital policy would let in only relatives.

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