“Dante,” he yelled. “We have to go. Now.”
Dante got up without complaint and ran to Rome who picked him up. Dante held on tight and buried his face against Rome’s neck. He held Dante close as he ran to the corner of Dante’s room where there was a secret passage. He pushed the wall-door open and stepped inside, ducking down so neither of them would hit their heads on the low ceiling. He closed the door after them and dug his phone out of his back pocket to turn on the flashlight. With the light on, he hurried down the tiny staircase. Dante’s room was closest to the garage on purpose. When Marco’d had the escape route built, his sister had told him it was unnecessary. Rome had never thought so. Marco was smart. Always prepared. It was what had kept him alive all these years.
He got to the hidden door leading into the garage and put down Dante. He pulled his gun and leaned his ear against the door. When he didn’t hear anything, he turned and crouched down in front of Dante.
“Stay here and stay quiet, okay? I’ll be right back. I’m not leaving you, okay?”
Dante nodded even though he had tears in his eyes and fear written all over his face. The kid was smart enough to know they were in danger. He was also scared enough to do exactly as he was told.
Rome took a deep breath before pulling open the door. With his gun first, he stepped into the garage. He didn’t see nor hear anyone, so he grabbed the key to one of the cars parked there and went back for Dante. He picked up the boy and carried him to the car. He opened the back door and told Dante to get on the floor and stay down. The second he opened the garage door he would be giving away their position.
He got behind the wheel and with a deep breath, he pushed the button to the garage door and turned the key, starting the car. The second the door was up far enough for the car to fit under it, he slammed his foot on the speeder. He heard shouting but didn’t look as he jerked the wheel to the left. The car swerved on the way down the driveway, making him curse. He heard gunshots but they were too far away to be aimed at them, which didn’t exactly help because that meant they were aimed at Marco.
“It’s okay, kiddo,” Rome said when he heard whimpering from the backseat. “It’s gonna be okay.”
He tried not to drive too fast. The last thing he wanted was to get pulled over with not only a gun on him, but several in the trunk, and a kid that wasn’t his.
He talked to Dante the whole way into town, doing what he could to ensure the kid was all right. Not that he thought he was. Dante was usually an exuberant little boy, always ready with a cheeky comment. But being shot at and forced to run would probably make anyone go quiet.
He pulled the car into one of the parking spaces meant for cop cars in front of the entrance to the police station. He didn’t give a shit about the car getting towed and he knew Marco wouldn’t either. He pulled the handbrake and took his phone, sending everyone a text to lay low. There was no way of knowing who Alvaro would go after next.
He put his phone in the glove compartment, knowing the cartel had ways of tracking it, and grabbed one of the burners stashed in there. He got out of the car and went to close his door, then cursed when he remembered he was carrying and unholstered his gun. As much as he hated leaving it, he knew he had no choice. Dante was more important. He threw the gun under the driver’s seat before opening the backdoor. Dante was still on the floor, his tiny arms wrapped around his knees. He looked up at Rome with big, watery eyes.
“It’s alright, kiddo. You’re safe now,” Rome said and reached for him.
Dante took Rome’s hand and let him pull him to his feet. They hurried inside before someone noticed the car and decided to arrest Rome. Dante clung to Rome’s leg, so he picked up the boy and made his way to the front desk. He cut in front of a woman whose yelling he ignored.
“I need to see Detective Lawson. Right now,” he said.
The woman behind the desk looked up at him, a blank expression on her face as she arched a brow at him.
“Right the fuck now,” Rome growled. “Tell him it’s Serrano.”
That name evidently made all the difference. Her eyes went wide, and she kept them on Rome while she picked up her phone and made the call. Dante stayed quiet and kept his face pressed against Rome’s shoulder while they waited. It wasn’t long, even though it felt that way, before a certain blond-haired detective came walking out of an elevator. The guy behind him was tall with brown hair and observant green eyes. Lawson stopped in front of Rome and cocked his head to the side.
“D’Alessio,” Lawson said, his gaze going to Dante for a second before returning to Rome. “Not the Serrano I was expecting.”
“Marco sent me. I need—”
Lawson cut him off, saying, “This way.”
Rome followed the two cops into the elevator. Just being at the police station made his skin crawl and talking to two cops didn’t exactly make it better.
“Banks. My partner,” Lawson said while pointing at the man next to him. Then he motioned at Rome. “D’Alessio. Serrano’s right-hand man.”
Rome gave Banks a nod
