Moment of Weakness (Embracing Moments Book 1) (33 page)

Roman’s chest heaved an exhausted sigh. “Your father’s in danger, Julia. He was set up.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “No, he is meeting with the team this morning to discuss what they found. They emailed him yesterday.”

“No, Julia. They didn’t. The email he received wasn’t from them.”

“You’re wrong, Roman. I’m calling him and I’m going to prove to you that you’re wrong.” I pulled my phone from my clutch and pressed my father’s speed dial number. “The team should be there now.” Pressing the phone to my ear, I waited for the line to ring. My heart beat faster at the sound of the line beeping and then disconnecting. I dialed again.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Disconnect.

I tried calling Theo, and when his call yielded the same results, I dropped my phone to my lap. The acid in the pit of my stomach swirled, and panic rose in my chest.

“They’ve jammed the lines. You can’t get through to them. Nobody can.”

My mind struggled to comprehend the words leaving Roman’s mouth. “You don’t know that for sure. The lines can just be down, they can just be—”

“No, Julia.” He cut me off. “I told you last week the threat against your father was real and it will not stop until—” Roman’s voice stopped abruptly, but his last words hung in the air.

“Until what, Roman?” My tone grew stronger as I demanded to know what he wasn’t saying. “Stop until what?”

His chest rose and fell hard. “Until the kill order is carried out.”

“
Kill order?
” The same trembling that coursed through my body now affected my speech. “What are you talking about?”

Roman stiffened against his seat and his knuckles turned white from his tight grip on the steering wheel. “There is a paid hit out on your father, Julia. Paid by the same person who ordered the hit against your mother.” His voice filled the car, and my heartbeat thudded loudly in my ears. “Your mother didn’t commit suicide, Julia. Her murder was staged to make it look like she hung herself.” My lungs struggled to breathe, and the acid bile that swirled in my stomach bubbled. “It’s been too long. You’re father’s hit should have been carried out weeks ago.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “She killed herself.”

Our driveway came into view, and as Roman reached his arm out to punch the numbers in the little silver box, the large black gate slid open.

“Think about it, Julia. You know what I’m saying makes perfect sense. You’re just not allowing yourself to believe it.”

I took a minute to sort through all the information Roman had just divulged. I loved him and I trusted him. But there was one question that kept burning in the back of my mind. If what he was saying was true, then how did he know all of this? The car came to a rolling stop in front of the guesthouse, and I looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“How do you know? I asked, my eyes shooting to his. I tried to keep my unsteady voice level. “If what you’re saying is true, then how do you know that?”

Roman turned the car off, and his gaze turned away from me. Pulling the keys from the ignition, he said, “It doesn’t matter.”

It doesn’t matter?
Of course, it freaking mattered. His hand moved to grab the door handle, but before he could push it open, I grabbed his arm. His body twisted in the seat, and his attention snapped back toward me.

“My father hired the top private detectives in the country, Roman, and every single one of them came up with the same conclusion. So excuse me if I don’t quite understand how someone who is on their first private security assignment suddenly has all the answers.”

“I know how it sounds but please—”

“I’m going to ask again, Roman, and I want the damn truth.” My voice hardened. “How do you know this? How do you know there is a hit on my father?”

“Julia, please.” Fear flashed in his eyes, and his voice sounded sad. “Don’t do this.”

“How, Roman?” I demanded, trying to brace myself for what was about to leave his mouth. But it didn’t matter, because no amount of bracing prepared me for what he said next. He closed his eyes, his throat moved up and down, and all the color from his face drained. I stared, waiting.

“Because I was the one contracted to take the hit.”

I shook my head in denial. “No, you’re—”

“No, Julia. I was never there to protect you. I was supposed to take the hit and then I got the order to wait. Next thing I know, I’m assigned as your personal detail. I didn’t even know you existed when I took the contract. I was forced to be around you all the time, and I . . . I fell in love with you, Julia.”

Realization from his confession hit me like a tidal wave. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t breathe. It was like all the oxygen in the car had been sucked out, replaced with a toxic gas that was eating away at my lungs.

“Please say something,” Roman pleaded, reaching for me. I jerked away from him. My eyes stung and the acid bile in my stomach crept up my throat. Pulling the handle on the door, I pushed it open and as soon as my feet hit the ground, I took off running.

“Julia!” Roman called after me. “Please stop!”

I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, ignoring the burning sensation coursing through my calves. The tears that had welled up in my eyes now fell freely down my cheeks, and as I ran through the garage door, I slammed the automatic closure button. Roman appeared in the distance, and the second he spotted me, he bolted for the garage door. “Julia!”

The door descended before Roman reached it, and as soon as it hit the ground, I enabled the alarm. The door rattled from him pounding against it. “Julia, please! It’s not safe in there!” My entire body shook uncontrollably and sob after sob raked through me, pulling my knees to the ground. “Please open the door, Julia.”

“I trusted you, Roman!” I choked out between a sob.

“Open the door . . . God, Julia, please, I’m begging you.”

“I fell in love with you and I trusted you!” I yelled, but it came out as nothing more than a strangled gasp. The pain that radiated through me was unlike anything I had ever felt before, it was raw, and it cut deep, but the need to find my father had me pushing off the ground.

My muscles fought against every step I took, but I ignored the pain in my legs, the pain in my chest, and the pain in my heart. I ignored the sound of Roman’s voice as I walked through the door that led into the house.

DREAD SETTLED IN
my stomach like a heavy weight. Panic and fear powered every muscle in my body, and the only thing that kept me going was the need to find my father and Theo. My heart wanted to call to them, scream and hope they would answer, but I knew that wasn’t a good idea. Instead, I tiptoed through the house, scanning the rooms for any sign of movement. The living room and kitchen were empty, and the only sound I could hear was the rapid beating of my heart against my chest. I pushed up the stairs, thankful for the first time in my life for the carpet that covered them, and glanced down the hall.

My father’s office was open, and as I moved closer, my stomach clenched at the sight of the red crimson coloring spotting the cream-colored carpet.

God, please no! Please!

I blinked through the curtain of tears and sucked in a jagged breath. The crimson trail led to a bright pool on the floor, and I forced my hand over my mouth, stifling the hiccupped sob that rolled up my throat. Horror seared down my spine at the sight of the limp body on the floor. My mind cried out for the security guard I never took the time to get to know, yet guilty relief flooded me knowing it wasn’t my father or Theo.

Leaving the office, I walked back toward the steps. A hand clamping around my mouth smothered the breath I was trying to take. My body was ready to fight, but then the hand dropped from my mouth, and my father’s arms spun me around to face him.

“Daddy!” I sobbed, throwing my arms around him. He grunted in pain, and I pulled back. Blood covered the right side of his face, his arm clutched his stomach, and his fingers gripped a black handgun. A wound that was not merely a flesh wound, ran along his lower abdomen, spilling blood between his hand and onto the floor. “Oh my God!” My entire body trembled in fear.

“Shh.” His voice was raspy through his shallow breathing. “I’ll be okay but we have to go.” I wrapped his good arm over my shoulders, and supported his waist, hugging him against me. I wanted to run, grab him, and get out of there, but his body couldn’t handle it, and I wasn’t strong enough to carry him. We moved slowly, and I struggled to keep him upright as we walked down the stairs.

I was scared to ask, afraid of the possible answer, but I forced the question from my mouth. “Where is Theo?”

My father shook his head. “I don’t know.” His breathing grew harsher, and normal breaths became gasps. “Julia?”

“Yeah, Daddy?” I whispered, having trouble hearing my own voice.

“Where is Roman?”

His question was like shattered glass piercing through the remaining pieces of my broken heart. I chewed on my lip and ignored his question. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting out of here. I knew the chances of Roman still being outside of the garage were highly unlikely, but I headed for the terrace just in case.

The ability to push the door open with my fingers was impossible, so when I had it cracked enough, I slid my knee against it, forcing it to slide against its track. The warm breeze cooled my tear-soaked cheeks, and I fought the weakness of my legs. As we reached the middle of the terrace, my father’s limbs collapsed beneath him. His body hit the floor in a forceful thud, the gun falling beside him.

“Julia, I need you to go. I can’t—” His arm moved to grip his chest, and his eyelids fluttered open and closed. Fear hit my chest in a powerful blow.

“Dad!” I cried, choking on a sob. “Get up. Please get up!” I begged, pulling at his blood-soaked shirt. The muscles around my heart tightened, and my focus blurred as I watched him struggle to hold on. My body crumpled against him, and I wrapped my arms around his waist, crying into his neck. “Please, Daddy. I love you . . . I can’t lose you.”

“Julia!”

My head jerked up at the deep sound of Roman’s voice bellowing over my shoulder. With my mind void of all rational thoughts, I reached for the black gun lying beside my father. In one quick motion, I swirled to my feet, my arms shaking as I held the gun out in front of me. Roman halted in place, his eyes widening in shock. My father’s blood covered my dress, and a mixture of sweat and tears coated my cheeks.

“Don’t!” I screamed, blinking through the onslaught of tears. “Stay away from us!” I struggled to keep my hands steady, but my trembling made it impossible.

“Julia, please,” he said, his voice shaky with panic. “I love you. I’m not going to hurt you. Please trust me.”

“
Trust you?”
I sneered. “I did trust you and look at where that got me. This is your fault!” Roman watched as I moved my finger against the small black trigger.

“Julia, please don’t . . . please, baby, just put the gun down.” Every moment I spent with Roman flashed before my eyes, and crippling pain wrapped around every fiber of my being. God, he was the one who taught me how to use a gun, and here I was pointing one at him. “This isn’t you,” he said, his voice steady, yet strained.

“You’re right, it’s not me.” I lowered the gun and Roman’s tense frame relaxed. “I’m not like you, Roman.” I tossed the gun at his feet. “I’m not a murderer.” My words hit where I intended them to, hurting more than any gunshot wound ever could. I watched Roman flinch as I said them and his expression turned to one of pure sadness and regret. I dropped back down to my father and wrapped my arms around him, wanting desperately to stop his pain.

Everything after that moment happened too quickly for my heart and mind to keep up.

“No!” Roman yelled, moving in front of my father and me. The loud cracking sound of a bullet pierced my ears, followed by several more. I could hear Theo’s voice somewhere in the distance, but when I lifted my head, all I could see was Roman.

Sweat covered his forehead, and his beautiful colored skin tone paled. His lungs struggled for a breath he couldn’t grasp, and his hand that clutched his chest fell to his side, covered in blood. The entire left side of his shirt darkened, the deep red color of his blood unnoticeable against the black color of his shirt.

“Roman!” I cried, trying to get his attention, but his eyes fell closed. A bloodcurdling scream left my throat as my body went into shock.

“Miss Julia!” Theo was at my side a moment later, his hands taking the place of mine over my father’s wounds. “Listen to me, an ambulance is on the way. I need you, Julia. I can’t do this alone. Roman needs you.”

My hands swept away the flood of tears leaving my eyes, and I crawled over to Roman. “Roman?” I sobbed, my entire body shaking from the fear running through it. I placed my hands over the wound that was entirely too close to his heart, and a heavy breath lodged itself in my swollen throat at the sight of his green eyes.

“Julia, I’m so sorry,” he breathed.

“Shh . . . we’ll talk later, okay?” I cajoled, trying not to panic at the increasing amount of blood that spilled from the wound in his chest.