Truly His | (Book 2) 18+

twenty-five

HAYDEN
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Everyone rushed upstairs the second they heard Mel's scream. I reached her bedroom first, opening the door. She was crouched behind her bed, Lucian right beside her hugging her tightly. I looked to my right and saw a small hole in the wall, then looked in the opposite direction at the shattered window.

"What the fuck?" I let out, then rushed towards the two children. Amelia was sobbing into Lucian's shirt and he had his stare on her, mumbling gentle things to her in the most seductive, hated language to mankind: Italian.

"Someone shot through the window," he said, his voice soft as he spoke to me. "It was just over Mia's head."

Mia? So now he has nicknames.

Really not the time to be an overprotective dickwad, Hayden...

"Thank you," I said instead, watching him pull Mel away so I could take her. I picked her up easily and the top of her head, turning around just as Mom and Dad took a step into the room.

"He's trying to get to the children," I muttered to them, running a hand through Mel's hair as she sobbed into my shirt, her body trembling.

My jaw clenched as anger pulsed through my veins. I'm going to fucking kill him.

Casey's hand wrapped around my other bicep and I looked away to find her reassuring eyes set on me. She kissed my cheek and I sighed, closing my eyes before the rage set in completely.

"Deep breaths," she whispered to me, making me nod. "Your parents will figure this out, alright? We'll figure it out."

Hesitantly, I nodded my head. I handed Mel off to Mum, crossing my arms over my chest while Casey rubbed Amelia's back.

"I'm so sorry," Dad told Amelia quietly, kissing her head. "It's the safest place in the house. I promise, this won't happen again, baby, okay?"

Sniffling, Mel nodded her head. She hiccuped.

"Jake," Dad spoke up, catching his best friend's attention. "A word?"

Jake nodded his head, walking outside of the bedroom. Aunt Iz stepped through and helped her son off of the ground, mumbling things to him in Italian that I couldn't understand.

Jake and Dad walked back in.

"Mel, pack your things, okay?" He whispered to her. Mum set her on her feet. "You're going to stay with Uncle Jake and Aunt Iz for a bit."

Mel sniffled and pulled Dad to her bed.

"Can you sit here?" She whispered, so quiet I could barely make it out. "Just so I'm not alone?"

Dad frowned, kissing the top of her head. "Of course, kiddo."

When Dad sat on the bed and watched Mel pull out her tiny bright pink duffel bag, we left the room and closed the door.

"I'm going to call the police about the incident," Mom told me as we walked downstairs. "Tell them to investigate the room, try to get the bullet from the wall to match it to a gun."