Page 65 of Tick Tock, Boom!

There was a long pause. "You’ve always been a fighter. But you don’t have to fight alone."

I let that hang in the air. My fingers gripped the edge of the counter as I looked out the window into the darkness of the backyard.

"Let me ask you something," Scarlett said carefully. "If push comes to shove… are you going to tell Tick Tock about Gabriel?"

My throat closed.

"Nat?" She repeated.

"I don’t know," I admitted, whispering softly. "What if he tries to take him from me?"

"It doesn’t have to be that way."

"You don’t know that."

"That's fine, but you do know this, if you’re confronting your past, your son is part of that past. Tick Tock deserves to know. And Gabe deserves the truth."

"Tick Tock doesn't deserve shit. Let alone my son."

Tears pricked behind my eyes. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

"I’ll check on you soon," she said gently. "You’re not alone, Nat. Even when you think you are."

"Thanks, Scarlett. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, love."

I hung up, heart pounding. I stared down the hallway again, then I moved into my bedroom. Changed into shorts and a tank. Brushed my teeth. Locked every door. Checked the shotgun.

Wolf had given me a compact Glock before I left L.A. He’d said it was a gift, and it had kept close company these last few nights.

I was about to grab Gabe, who was still dead asleep in front of the television set in the living room when I heard the noise coming from the porch.

I shut all the lights and ran to my bedroom to get the gun. I rounded the corner, keeping an eye on both the front door and Gabe. As quietly as I could, I woke him up.

"Mommy," he whispered, sleepily wrapping himself around my neck.

"Shhh, let's go to bed baby." I walked him into my room, and he snuggled beneath my covers. Shutting the light, I secured that room first before heading back out into the living room.

I stood in the center of the room, listening. There was a loud thump, followed by a grunt, and then I saw the shadow pass the window.

I followed it as it went around the house and then disappeared for a few seconds. The sound kitchen lock clicking open made my blood run ice cold.

I moved on instinct, gun in hand, padded down the hallway barefoot. I pressed my back to the wall and waited. My breath frozen in my lungs.

The door creaked open, and afigure stepped inside. It was tall and broad shouldered. As they shut the door, I didn't hesitate.

I fired my weapon.

He went down with a grunt, collapsing onto the tile floor with a curse.

Carefully, I turned on the kitchen light, gun still aimed as I slowly walked around the counter. I approached the squirming form and that's when my entire worldtilted.

Tick Tock looked up at me, pain written all over his face, one hand pressed to his chest.

“Now why the hell did you go and do that, Kitten?” he groaned. “You couldn’t have aimed for the other shoulder?”

I couldn’t move.Couldn’t breathe.

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