STAHP In The Name of Love

STAHP in the Name of Love Crista Crown Copyright STAHP in the Name of Love by Crista Crown © 2023 Crista Crown All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Edited by Rebecca Pawlowski Proofreading by Lori Parks, LesCourt Author Services Contents 1. PARKER 2. OWEN 3. PARKER 4. OWEN 5. PARKER 6. OWEN 7. PARKER 8. OWEN 9. PARKER 10. OWEN 11. PARKER 12. OWEN 13. PARKER 14. OWEN 15. PARKER 16. OWEN 1 PARKERMy heart pounded in my chest as I ran through the streets of Chicago, my two kids, Casey and Nick, holding my hands tightly on either side. My face and ribs ached from where Jim had kicked me, but the adrenaline was holding off the worst of the pain. “They went that way!” a rough voice shouted. Roland. My husband’s brother. I knew he’d be on our tail as soon as he saw what had happened. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”I barely heard Casey’s whispered words over the sounds of our heavy breaths and pounding feet. I squeezed her hand three times, our silent signal for I love you, and kept running.We reached another street crossing. The pedestrian light switched from a person walking to the waiting hand sign, but I pulled the kids across, away from danger, away from the memory of blood and—BEEEEP!An angry driver honked at us as the light changed mid-crossing. I ignored them. They could wait five seconds to get to their oh-so-important meeting. We were running for our lives.I could barely believe it had happened. It was my fault, of course. If I could have just been braver… If I would have left Jim after Nick was born… or any of the multitude of times I’d thought about it since then. Or if I’d just been a better omega, Jim wouldn’t have been so mad all the time. Casey and Nick wouldn’t have had to see…I glanced down at my son and daughter, tears streaming down their faces as they struggled to keep up with me. Their small hands gripped mine tightly, and it filled me with a fierce determination to keep them safe. I would do whatever it took to protect them, no matter the cost.I quickly scanned the area for any possible escape routes. The streets were a maze of alleys and side streets, and it felt like there were eyes watching us from every direction. I knew that Jim's brother wouldn't give up easily, and I needed to get my kids to safety as soon as possible.As I ran, I felt the weight of the gun in my pocket. I wasn't sure what the future held for us, but I knew that we couldn't go back to the way things were before. We were fugitives now, on the run from a powerful family who wouldn't stop until they had taken their revenge.I wouldn't let that happen. I would die before I let them harm my children, but I hoped that wasn’t in the cards anytime soon. Who would take care of my kids if I were gone?We turned another corner and I saw a busy main street ahead, filled with people and cars. If we could make it there, we would have a better chance of losing our pursuers in the crowd. I pulled my kids along, running as fast as we could.“There they are!” a voice yelled, followed by incessant honking. Oh no! They were following us on foot and by car. “Daddy, are we gonna die?” Nick asked. Fear burned in both my children's eyes, and it fueled my determination to keep them safe.“No, baby,” I managed while continuing to run as fast as the three of us could go.We weaved through the crowd, dodging people and cars as we made our way down the street. Police sirens wailed, and my heart dropped. We didn't have much time. It was either the cops or Roland Marchaund, and neither path ended well for us.We reached a construction site and I saw an opportunity. I pulled my kids into the gutted, open building and we started to make our way up the stairwell. Empty floors echoed our pounding steps, and I hoped we managed to dart in without anyone seeing.We reached the roof and I looked around for a way down. There was only the door behind us and the fire escape. I paused so we could catch our breath. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” Casey said, her voice small and wavering. I dropped to one knee to look her in the eyes, though at ten years old, that put her a few inches above me now. Nick leaned into my shoulder, his tears soaking into my shirt.“Baby girl, I want you to listen carefully. This is really important. It’s not your fault.”“But I—”“No! Casey, no matter what happens, you remember that it wasn’t your fault. If anyone asks, you tell them it wasn’t your fault. Nicky? You hear that? That goes for you too. If anyone asks, it wasn’t Casey’s fault.”Nick struggled to look me in the eyes. “Is it my fault?”I’d thought Jim had battered every last bit of my heart that wasn’t reserved for my children. That the space I’d reserved for them was iron-clad and unassailable. But it turned out that even that small hope I’d clung to was a lie. In his actions and in his death, he’d shredded even that protected space.“It’s not your fault,” I managed to croak out. “It’s mine. I should have protected you better. I should have—” A lump swelled in my throat, choking my words. Casey threw her arms around my neck and clung to me. “I love you, Daddy.”Nick squirmed in under her. “Me, too.”“Parker!”We weren't alone on the roof. I turned with dread sinking in my gut. Roland had followed us up. He