The attempted murder of El Traficante star Rocco Monroe was thwarted by his girlfriend, Annabelle Clad, who jumped in front of a bullet for him. Now that’s true love, folks! Reports say she is in critical care at a hospital in Villavincencio, Colombia. Julio Mata, the bastard son of Mendoza, planted real bullets in a prop weapon in order to have Monroe killed. The threat to the actors’ safety seems to be contained now that Mata is in jail. It is uncertain when filming will resume since Rocco refuses to leave his girlfriend’s side.

Rocco sat next to the hospital bed, holding Annabelle’s hand. The bullet had hit a major artery and she had just undergone emergency surgery, but the doctors explained that she would be all right. He’d never been more scared in his life. All he’d seen was a blur of strawberry blond hair leap across the set and push him full force against a table, and then blood. So much fucking blood wetting her shirt, he thought it had been coming from her heart, not her shoulder. Then she’d passed out, and he’d almost lost it.

Commotion from outside the room made him look up as the door swung roughly open and Joey stalked inside.

“Shit,” Rocco mumbled under his breath.

“You were supposed to keep her safe in the room,” Joey growled. “I changed Ben to security and she should have been resting.”

Rocco stood up. “Have you met your sister? She doesn’t listen to anyone. I fucked up though, you’re right.” And then an oomph escaped him as Joey swung at his face, fist closed.

“Yeah, you fucked up!”

Rocco wouldn’t hit her brother, even if he deserved it. This was partially his fault too. “I fucked up by calling you, motherfucker. Not by letting her out of the suite.”

“Come again?” he growled.

“I should’ve never called you. I know her better than anyone. I should have known that you’d try to make her stay away. But even more than that, I should have known she wouldn’t. Nothing that you can do will make me feel worse!” he said, using the top of his shirt to wipe away the blood dripping from underneath his throbbing eye.

“What’s the prognosis?” Joey asked gruffly, ignoring the fact he’d just hit Rocco.

“She just got out of surgery. They repaired the hole which caused the bleeding, the bullet went straight through. She should wake up soon.”

“I want her back home,” Joey declared.

“I’ve already made all the arrangements. But we can’t move her yet. I have a private plane waiting for clearance from the doctors.”

“I don’t like you, Monroe,” Joey said, dragging a chair across the room and placing it next to the bed across from Rocco.

“Well, you’re not my favorite either.”

After some time of silence, Rocco spoke. “Any word on Julio?”

“Jax is here too. He and Ben are down at the police station now figuring it out. We’re going to try to see if extradition is possible since it was during the filming. The likelihood isn’t promising.”

“But he’ll serve time here, right?”

“Yes.”

Rocco felt a small squeeze around his hand and quickly looked down.

“What happened to your face?” A raspy whisper came out of Annie’s lips and Rocco’s standoff with her brother was put in the back burner.

“My fist,” Joey replied.

She turned, her eyes hazy and her look confused. “Where am I?”

“You’re at the hospital, kid. You were shot.”

She turned her head to look at Rocco.

“You took a bullet for me, crazy.”

“That’s what badass bodyguards do,” she said in a low, barely there voice.

“You had to have surgery on your shoulder. You’ll have to be in badass bodyguard R&R for about six weeks.” Rocco said.

She looked back at her brother. “Why did you punch him?”

“Because he got you hurt?”

“You can’t go around punching my boyfriends. And he didn’t get me hurt,” she said, and the fact she still wanted to be with him even after everything set his heart beating wildly.

“I don’t know if I even want to say this, since I don’t want to encourage you getting hurt, but you did a real good job, kid. Proud of you. You scared the ever-loving shit out of me, but you did good. Julio’s in jail and no one died. That’s always a good day.”

“Thank you, Joey.”

“I’ll leave you two alone. I have to go to the police station and deal with Mata. I also have to call Ma. She’s worried sick.”

“Okay. Thanks, Joey.”

“I love you, Annabelle.”

Her eyes watered. Her brothers never said things like that. “I love you too, Joey.”

Once they were alone, Rocco sat back and rubbed his throbbing cheek. “When you feel better, I need some good instructions on how to do a right cross like Joey’s.”

She laughed but then winced.

“Am I forgiven for calling your brother?”

“Probably not.”

He took her hand in his and carefully moved some of the stray hairs off her face. “I was so scared. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Annie. I know it’s fast, but I’ve never felt more alive, more complete in my life than since I met you. And if to have you it means that I have to deal with your job, I’ll deal. I promise to never bring it up again. It’s really one of the reasons I fell for you. Your strong confidence. I love you, Annie, and I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

The tears came out faster now.

“Didn’t you hear?” she sniffled. “I’m going to be a movie consultant. I have a meeting with NHN when the movie wraps up. But that means you may still have me around while you work—if I’m hired for a project you’re working on, that is.”

“Will you throw snarky jealous fits when a co-star flirts with me?”

“Fuck, yes.”

“Then I can’t wait.” He moved close and kissed her forehead. “By the way, you’re moving in with me.”

With her good arm she raised her hand and gave him the finger. But she had a big smile as she did it. “I love you too, Monroe.”

* * *

Two weeks later . . .

“Hurry up, Tiger! We’re going to be late,” he yelled from the front door.

“Hold your fucking horses, Monroe. I’ll be right down.” Annie’s arm was still in a sling but she was healing quickly. Today they were going to go her apartment to move her out.

“The moving truck will be there in a few minutes. I just need you to sit and point to what you’re taking and what you’re leaving.”

She jogged down the stairs, right past him, looking at the watercolor canvas of a tiger on the wall that had been delivered to the house a few days ago. It was her favorite gift ever, she had said. “Okay, let’s go.”

“Wait!” he yelled, and she stopped in her tracks.

“What? What happened?”

“Nothing, just wanted to kiss you, is all.” He kissed her sweetly on the lips but then she pressed her body against his, a low moan escaping her lips.

“Love you, crazy,” he said, locking up the house and walking her to the car.

* * *

After the movers left, Xander, Rocco, and Annie sat at the dining room table eating pizza. “I’ll miss you,” Xander said.

“I’ll miss you too.”

“My little girl, all grown up and moving in with a boy!” he said dramatically, causing Rocco to laugh.

“The rest of the year is paid for, by the way.”

“What?” Both Annie and Xander yelled.

“I’m loaded. It’s not a big deal. I didn’t want you worrying about leaving Xander without a roommate and the entire rent. So I just paid the year.”

“Wow. Well, thank you,” Xander said. “Are you taking Bob with you?”

Rocco dropped his slice of pizza. “Oh my God, how could I forget? Your car. Where is it parked? I’m dying to know what you drive.”

“You don’t know?” Xander asked, wide-eyed and with a smirk.

“No. Give me a hint. It’s a 1962 pink Beetle, isn’t it?”

They both looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Not even close.”

With a groan she led Rocco down to the parking lot of her building. “You’re going to laugh at me, aren’t you?”

“Possibly.” He said, excited to finally know.

In a corner there was what looked like a motorcycle covered with a tarp for protection.

“A motorcycle! Of course. Why didn’t I think about that? My commando woman in a Harley.”

She groaned again and shook her head. “So, remember when I told you my favorite movie was Last First Kiss?”

“You didn’t!?” He laughed, pulling the tarp.

A bubble-gum-pink scooter complete with a basket shined unused before him. The heroine in the movie was a florist who fell in love with a conman. She drove all over New York in her scooter and everyone knew her by the bike.

He pulled her to him. “You really did watch my movies.”

“I told you I did.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “Wanna go for a spin? It’s my favorite thing that I own. We can go down to the beach.”

“God, I love you, you crazy woman!” He lifted her up and spun her around. “I guess this would be fitting since after all, I was your last first kiss.”