Being Nobody (The Witness Series #1) Page 14

  When I reached the door to my building, I took the stairs two at a time. I could see the door to my apartment as I glanced up the stairwell, and sighed in relief. Safety was within reach. Just a little farther and I could hide inside until Kevin came to rescue me.

  When I got to the door, I fumbled with my keys to unlock it and barreled inside. After locking it back up, I sagged against it, and slid to the floor. My breath was ragged and my emotions were all over the place. I’d never in all my years of running come that close to being caught. It was too close and I knew that it was all my fault. I let him in. I let him in to my heart, my head, and my apartment. If I’d only kept to my rules, this never would have happened.

  My phone buzzed once again.

  On our way

  I squeezed my eyes shut. It was almost over. Just a few more minutes and it would be over.

  A pounding sounded at my door causing me to jump. “Mallory?” Brian’s voice came through the heavy door.

  “Shit!’ I hissed. I kept silent as the fear came back swallowing me in its wake.

  “Sam, open the door!” He yelled again. “Sam…I know you’re in there. Open the damn door.”

  I backed up, shaking my head, silently praying that he’d go away, but I was wrong. With a loud crack the door splintered away and revealed him standing there. He was dressed in his usual leather jacket, but this time he was carrying a large black bag.

  “Wha…what do want?” My voice trembled as I eyed the bag.

  “Relax,” he coaxed.

  I shook my head violently as I began to back away from him. “What are you going to do to me?” I tried again.

  “Sam,” his eyes pleaded. “I’m gonna help you.”

  “No,” I swallowed. “You’re with them. You’re here to give me to them.”

  “No, I’m not,” he scrubbed his hands down his face as he let the bag fall to the floor. “I swear…I’m here to help.”

  “How?” I cocked my head to the side as he leaned forward and unzipped the bag. He reached inside and began tugging something out. “Come here,” he motioned to me. “Put this on,” he held out the object in my direction for me to take. Upon further inspection, I realized it was a Kevlar vest. Confusion, and hope that I was going to live, began to swirl inside my head just as Brian’s phone buzzed. When he pulled it out, I noticed it was the extra phone that he’d been talking on late that night at his apartment. “This is Sergeant Devlin Ford. I’ve got her, Sir. We’re on our way.”

  My mouth dropped open as the words hung in the air. “Sergeant? Devlin? Huh?” I turned to stare at him as my mouth gaped open. “It’s me, Emily, or Sam,” he smiled quickly before going back to the task at hand.

  “You mean you’re not…” I trailed off as he zipped the bag closed in front of him and stood.

  “No, I’m not. I’ve been undercover for a year now. I found you by accident. Last night confirmed what I’d been wondering all along,” he muttered as he stood and offered his hand. “Come on. I’m taking you to the airport. Kevin’s waiting.”

  “Wait,” I stopped him. “How do you know Kevin?”

  “He’s my uncle,” Dev hoisted the bag onto his shoulder and began moving toward the door. “We’ve gotta go. Now!”

  I grabbed his hand as he rushed down the stairs pulling me behind him. When we burst out of the building, the same car we’d driven the night before was idling on the curb. “Get in,” he motioned to the door, “and get down.” I crouched down as far as I could get as Dev climbed into the driver’s seat. He removed a gun that had been tucked into his waistband and set it on the center console. “Stay down unless I tell you to get up.” I nodded and tried to control my breathing. As we drove through the streets of Chicago, the past month played over in my mind. Everything about this man now made sense. His reluctance to tell me how he felt. The money, the fact that he kept saying work. This was work, just not the kind I thought.

  “Am I ever going to see you again?” I looked up at him as tears welled in my eyes. He didn’t answer, just kept driving. “I meant it you know? All of it. Everything I said, all the things we shared? I meant every one of them.”

  “I know,” he mumbled as he jerked the wheel before slamming the car in park. “We’re here. Come on,” he motioned for me to get up as he shoved open his door and came around to my side. I slowly unfolded myself from the floorboard and reached for his hand.

  “I meant them, too,” he whispered as he pulled me into a hug.

  “Come with me,” I begged as I saw Kevin approaching. “Your cover’s blown now anyway. Come with me.”

  “I can’t and I’m not the only one in there. Max is one of us, too,” Dev pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’re close to bringing them down. I promise…when we do…I’ll come find you.”

  “Promise?” I felt the tears trickling down my cheeks.

  “I promise. I lost you once and found you. I can do it again. I love you, Sam.” He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine as I wrapped my arms around him.

  “We have to go,” a voice came from behind us, and I turned to stare right into Kevin’s eyes. He motioned toward a small private jet waiting in the distance. When I took a closer look, I noticed someone standing at the top of the stairs.

  “I can’t do this again,” I cried as I looked back at Dev. “I can’t leave you again.”

  “You have to, baby. I promise…I’ll find you,” he reached up and grabbed my wrists where they were resting on his shoulders tugging them down between us. “Your mom’s waiting.”

  My forehead wrinkled in confusion as I turned toward the jet once more. The figure at the top of the steps waved, and as I moved closer, I noticed it was indeed my mother. “How did you…” I trailed off.

  “I love you,” Dev uttered once more before he released me and jogged back to the dark sedan.

  I stood there for moment watching as he drove away…silently wondering if I’d ever escape this nightmare. How was I going to do this? How was I going to be a nobody once again?

  The End

  Sam and Dev’s story will continue in

  Becoming Somebody- Book 2 in The Witness series

  Coming Spring 2015

  Other Works by H. D’Agostino

  The Second Chances series

  Unbreak Me- book 1

  The Boy Next Door- book 2

  The One That Got Away- book 3

  Inside Out- A Second Chances Novella –book 3.5

  Fallen From Grace- book 4

  The Family Next Door- book 5

  The Shattered Trilogy

  Shattered (Shattered #1)

  Restored (Shattered #2)

  Renewed (Shattered #3)

  Destined (Shattered #0.5)- Coming late 2014

  Untitled (Shattered #4 Cam and Avery) – coming Spring 2015

  The Broken series

  Irreparably Broken (Broken #1)

  Saving Us (Broken #2) - coming Winter 2015

  Acknowledgements

  I’m always worried that I’m going to leave someone out one of these times so if I miss anyone, I’m truly sorry.

  There are so many people to thank, and as I continue on in this journey of becoming a writer, the list keeps growing. I’ve met so many wonderful readers, authors, and bloggers over the course of the past year that I can’t even begin to name you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Meeting you at signings and hearing from you on the various social media out there is just the boost my heart needs. I appreciate all of you, and I don’t have the words to truly express that.

  Thank you to my wonderful, supportive, awesome beta Angie for all your hard work on this book. I know I make you want to throw your kindle sometimes, but you’re always honest with me, and have just the right words to keep me going. You chime in at just the right moment and seem to know exactly when I just need to vent. You aren’t just a blogger in my book, you’re a true friend.

  Thank you to all the bloggers who have supported me and pimped this book out. Posting tease
rs, joining blog tours, and spreading the word about Mallory and Brian. Twinisie Talk Book Reviews, Sweet and Naughty Book Blog, M&D’s Have You Read Book Blog, Eye Candy Bookstore, Book Boyfriend Hangover, Author Groupies, United Indie Book Blog, and so many others just to name a few.

  Thank you to MJ Fields for hooking me up with an awesome new cover designer. It looks amazing. Thank you for all your help in making several new connections in the book world. I can’t put into words how happy I am.

  Thank you to Kelsey, you are an amazing photographer and thanks to you I now have a one of kind cover for this book.

  Thank you Kari for doing an amazing job on this cover and all the swag that goes with it. You are awesome, and your speed and attention to detail is astounding.

  Thank you Stephanie at Romance Addicts Book Blog for hosting a kick ass blog tour to launch this book into the published world. It was everything I hoped for and more.

  And finally…

  Thank you to all the readers out there for loving my books and wanting to meet Mallory and Brian. I hope you loved them as much as I do, and I can’t wait to share Becoming Somebody with you.

  About the Author

  H. D’Agostino currently resides in Syracuse, NY with her husband, two children, two dogs, and three cats. Originally from Harrisburg, NC, she attended UNC Charlotte and received a BA in Elementary Education with a concentration in Math. Heather loves hearing from her fans.

  You may follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/H.DAgostino.Author

  Or on her website H. D’Agostino- Books at http://hdagostinobooks.weebly.com

  Or on Twitter at hdagostino001