Page 19 of Broken Princess

And our baby's. That's still too surreal for me to process or even believe, but I have plenty of time to manage that. Right now, telling him is the last damn thing any of us needs.

"Very well," he says, turning solemn once again. "But I should warn you. Milo isn't like the college brats you're used to dealing with. He's old school mafioso, and he won't hesitate to kill anyone who might stand in his way."

"Guess it's better if I just shoot the motherfucker in the back of the head, then," I counter. "I've been doing this shit since most kids were playing four square. I'm no stranger to bloodshed, and Milo already knows you're coming. It's not like you can send in the cops. You need reinforcement."

He considers it for a moment before scoffing a laugh. "I suppose you're right. As long as you know what you're getting yourself into."

"I do," I assure him.

It's Milo who needs to be trembling like a little bitch right about now.

CHAPTER 9

AMELIA

It feels like it's been days, even though I doubt it's been more than one at the most since I was kidnapped and brought to the safe house.

Not so safe, in my opinion.

I keep waiting for my captors to come back and force me to call my father, which would definitely be the only way that reunion is happening, but as much as I dread that, the alternative is far more unsettling.

They don't, though. I haven't heard a damn thing from anyone, and my attempts to listen through the walls to their conversations haven’t yielded much in the way of new information. As old as the house is, the walls are awfully thick, and they mostly speak in low, hushed tones.

Eventually, I give up and roll onto my side, deciding to get some sleep and save my strength in case I need it later.

I only intend to close my eyes for a little bit, but when I wake to the sound of someone shouting in the distance, I can tell it's been a lot longer than that.

I sit up slowly, wincing at the ache in my neck. The bed is like a rock, and I definitely slept the wrong way. I can tell I'm going to be paying for that for a while yet.

At first, I think maybe Milo just has company, which would be concerning in its own right, but then, I notice the sound of gunfire coming from even further away.

Under any other circumstances, that sound would strike fear into my heart, and it does, but there's a healthy dose of hope as well. It seems dangerous to hope that it might be a rescue, though. It's far more likely that it's just another mobster, or maybe a group, that Milo and his crew are in conflict with.

There's also the chance of getting caught in enemy crossfire, which keeps me from venturing out just yet. Instead, I decide to wait and listen, and the fact that everything is suddenly silent probably doesn't bode too well.

I freeze as well, listening intently. I'm pretty sure I heard the door slam on the right side of the house.

Maybe I can get out while they're distracted. It might be my only chance.

I already scoured the room for anything I might be able to use to escape, or use as a weapon when my kidnappers came back, but I came up empty. No surprise there. There’s no window in the room, either, but there has to be some way out. I know there is.

It's times like this I really wish I wore hairpins like they do in the movies. Not that I would know how to pick a lock with one, anyway, but still. It would be nice to have the option.

I know if I make too much noise, I run the risk of drawing attention from my captors, but all things considered, I'm not sure I have much of a choice.

I am not exactly the strongest person, but I decide to try kicking the door in, because what choice do I really have?

Yeah, that is definitely not going to work. And it's nowhere near as easy as it looks in the movies. Especially not with my stomach making it hard to lift my knee as far as I would need to in order to generate any real force.

That was a bad idea.

Next, I try shoving into the door with my shoulder, hampered by the fact that I don't want to do anything that might hurt the baby. My doctor said regular exercise was fine, and actually beneficial, but I'm pretty sure breaking out of a locked room wasn’t what he had in mind.

I look around the room again, deciding maybe I can use a piece of furniture for leverage, when the gunfire starts up again—this time a lot closer. I give up on trying to break out for the time being and duck behind the bed instead, not wanting to get caught up in stray fire.

The gunfire continues for several minutes when the shouting outside ceases suddenly, leaving only the frantic pattering of my heart behind.

I still my breath and listen for what feels like forever. I can hear footsteps coming down the hall. It's just one set, as far as I can tell, but there's no telling who it is. Even if Milo and his men were victorious in this fight, that could leave me at the mercy of someone even worse.

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