Roped In (Armed & Dangerous #2)(3)

I was nervous, but not in the way he assumed. “Please don’t do this, Nick. It’ll only complicate things.”

“How? When I’m not at my games, I’m with you. Everyone thinks we’re together. Why can’t we make this real?” Body tense, he stared at me with those blazing green eyes of his. “Is it really just an act with you?”

My heart ached but my decision was firm. I knew he had feelings for me, and I’d made damn sure I didn’t fall for him. “It’s not all an act, but you’re my friend. Being with me will only tear us apart. The media has already tried, you know that. We don’t need feelings clouding our judgment.”

He scoffed. “Speak for yourself.” I watched his jaw muscles clench; it was something he did when he was angry.

“Hey,” I murmured, “I do need you. But the last thing I want is to jeopardize what we already have.” He lowered his gaze at my words. “Now let’s go inside and eat some Ben & Jerry’s. It’ll help clear our minds.”

“You got anything for an aching heart? You’re killing me here.”

I shook my head. “I’m sure you’ll be just fine. Now, come on. There are countless girls who’d kill to be yours. It will be easy to forget about me.”

Sliding the key in the door, he mumbled under his breath, “Not going to happen,” but I pretended not to hear. My heart already hurt enough for him. Inside, the house was pitch black. That was strange. I always kept lights on. Sliding my hand against the wall, I found the switch and flipped it. Nothing.

“Is the power out? I don’t remember seeing the rest of the neighborhood this dark.”

Nick followed me into the house. “No, the other houses have their lights on,” he said, pointing to the neighbor’s house through the window. “Let me get a flashlight.” Shuffling through the kitchen, he pulled out our junk drawer and grabbed the flashlight we kept in there. He turned it on and brought it over to me. “Maybe the breaker tripped. Wanna check it out with me?”

“Sure,” I laughed. “I’m sure Scott will be busting through our door any second.” We started for the laundry room, but then a sound above caught my attention. “What was that?” Frozen in place, I kept my gaze on Nick. My heart pounded so hard, I felt sick.

Nick glanced up at the ceiling, eyes blazing. The footsteps were light, but audible as an intruder moved around. “Get out of here, now,” he hissed low. His fingers dug into my arm and he pushed me out the door.

I kept hold of his arms. “I’m not leaving you.”

He jerked out of my grasp and clutched my face, his grip firm. “Stop being so f*cking stubborn. Go get Scott and call the police, now!”

Turning his back on me, I got one last look at him before he disappeared into the darkness. I ran out of the house, hands shaking as I tried to dig for my phone. It felt like I was running through quicksand, similar to that feeling you get when running away from someone in your dreams. You can never move fast enough.

“Hadley!” Scott shouted, rushing out of the garage. I ran to him and he pulled me to the side, shielding me.

“Someone’s in the house. Nick’s still in there,” I cried, my hands shaking out of control.

“Go next door and call the police. Don’t step out until I come for you.” Once I nodded, he took off inside the house.

Determined, I ran as fast as I could to my neighbor’s house. By the time I reached their door, I’d found my phone and called for help.

“911. What’s your emergency?”

“I’m Hadley Rivers and someone’s in my house. Please send help.” I gave the operator my address and hung up just as my neighbor, Gabriella Emerson, opened the door. She was dressed in her workout clothes with her midnight colored hair pulled high into a ponytail.

Her smile disappeared the second she looked at me. “Oh my God, Hadley, what’s going on?” she demanded. She quickly dragged me inside, and her husband, Paxton, hurried over. They were both MMA fighters and had seen their fair share of violence over the years. If anyone could help, it’d be them.

“Someone broke into my house. They’re still in there,” I shouted.

Gabriella grabbed my hands and squeezed. “Calm down, honey.”

“I can’t! Nick and Scott might be in trouble.”

Paxton started for the door. “I’m going over there.”

“Pax, wait!” Gabriella called. He took off and she huffed. “Dammit, why doesn’t he ever listen?” She rushed out after him and so did I.

Scott had told me not to leave their house, but I couldn’t listen. Again, it felt like everything moved in slow motion. I couldn’t get to them fast enough. Before we could reach the edge of my yard, a gunshot fired from within my house and I screamed, ducking down to the ground. Paxton and Gabriella did the same and crouched low. Dread settled into the pit of my stomach as another shot fired, and another.

I had to make sure they were okay. Charging toward my house, I didn’t get very far until Gabriella tackled me to the ground.

“Dammit Hadley, you’re not going in there.”

“Nick! Scott!” I shouted.

I tried to fight her off, but there was nothing I could do against an MMA fighter. Paxton glanced back at Gabriella, a silent plea on his face; Gabriella nodded. “Go.”