Free Full Force Fatherhood by Tyler Anne Snell

the worry she had exuded earlier had changed into something else. He couldn’t place it and didn’t have time to. She turned to her best friend.
    â€œStay here and don’t open this door. And keep Grace safe no matter what,” she ground out, turning the lock inside the door before shutting it and taking Mark with her into the bedroom. No hesitation lined her movements.
    â€œThere’s a gun in the nightstand,” she whispered, hurrying over to retrieve it. “But it doesn’t have a clip.” Her face fell. “I separated them just in case Grace found it...and I’ve already packed it up.” Mark scanned the boxes that lined the wall.
    â€œThey don’t know that,” he said, taking the black 9 mm. It was undoubtedly empty, weighing significantly less than when it was loaded. He held the grip with one hand. With the other, he cupped the bottom, where the clip would normally be. If he kept it there, no one would be the wiser.
    Until he needed to shoot it.
    â€œWhat are you going to do?” Kelli kept the flashlight’s beam on the floor. The beam bounced off the hardwood to give them just enough lighting to see the shadows on each other’s faces.
    â€œI’m going to go greet our new guest.”
    â€œBut can’t we just wait for the police?”
    The storm kept its loud pace outside.
    â€œI’m not confident in their response time,” he said, already moving Kelli back to the bathroom door. “Stay and turn the light off.”
    â€œBe careful,” she whispered.
    The flashlight cut off. He waited a moment for his eyes to readjust to the darkness before creeping back into the hallway. The storm wasn’t helping him hear exactly where the intruder was, but by the same token, the intruder probably didn’t hear him, either. It helped he was barefoot.
    Slowly he followed the cool hardwood back toward the living room. Without the kitchen light on, the house was bathed in darkness. The occasional lightning flash lit up his surroundings.
    He mentally pulled up the layout of the house, thanks to a quick tour Kelli had given him after supper. The only way to get to the women was to go through him or the bedroom window. He doubted the intruder would go back outside just to break back in. If he did, he knew Kelli would let him know.
    Mark slowed at the arch that opened into the living room. He heard rustling but couldn’t tell where exactly it was coming from. Pulling the gun up as if it were actually loaded, he swung around into the room. Judging by the size and form, the intruder was a man. Broad shoulders couldn’t be hidden by the black jacket he wore. He was no longer in the office but by a stack of boxes behind the couch in the living room. Mark had hoped to be quiet enough to surprise him completely, but the man turned at his presence.
    Mark immediately noted the gloves and ski mask he wore.
    And the knife in his hand. Even from a distance in the low light, he could see it was at least six inches in length.
    â€œDrop the knife and put your hands up,” Mark barked, making sure to keep his hand firm over the empty space where the clip should have been. He tried quickly to discern any details that might give him an edge over the mystery man if things went south. The intruder wasn’t as big as Mark, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to fight. The flashlight he’d had when Mark had first seen him was set on the back of the couch. It partially lit up the room but not enough to piece together the intruder’s expression or intention beneath his mask. “I said, drop it ,” Mark repeated, moving closer. He wanted to show the man he wasn’t joking.
    â€œAnd here I thought the ladies were alone.” The way the man said it put Mark further on edge. There was no worry or remorse in his words. Almost as if he was stating a lazy fact.
    â€œDrop the knife or I’ll drop you.” Mark lowered