Hard Bastard(45)

I got into the parking lot and started running toward the stairs. Suddenly the SUV appeared again, roaring up the driveway.

Panic set in. The vehicle tore up toward me, slamming on the brakes and turning sideways just as I got to the staircase. Two men jumped out, both of them large. I didn’t recognize either one of them, but they both came after me.

I took the stairs two at a time, running as fast as I could. The one man pulled his gun out.

“Boss wants her alive!” the other man yelled, running after me.

I moved down the walkway and got to our door. I fumbled with the key, got the door unlocked, and ducked inside. I slammed it shut and locked the door.

I heard the feet slamming on the walkway. I threw my bag of food down on the bed and drew the gun out from my jean shorts, holding it the way Gage showed me. I heard the men outside of the door talking in whispers.

Suddenly, they slammed against the wood. It buckled but didn’t break. Someone grunted and did it again, another heaving smash. Wood cracked, but didn’t break. Again and again they smashed into the door. Every person in the motel probably heard it, and I hoped that someone would call for help.

I was going to pull the trigger. I had to pull the trigger. Maybe I could shoot through the door, but I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t know how to reload it. I had to wait until they were through. I thought about backing up more, but I wasn’t a good shot. I needed to be close in order to hit him.

I was going to shoot a man. I might even kill him. The thought kept running through my mind as he smashed into the door again and again.

It was coming. The man was coming. He wasn’t going to take me this time, he wasn’t going to have me.

Suddenly, the smashing stopped. I heard someone speak, and then grunt. There was the sound of a struggle and then a strangled yell. A gun went off and then there was another yell followed by silence.

I stood there, heart pounding, for a few seconds before I heard him.

“It’s me. Open the door.”

It was Gage. Relief flooded through me. I went to the door and threw it open.

“Are you okay?”

I threw my arms around him, pulling him close against me. He gently took the gun from my hand before pulling me tightly against his chest.

I breathed deep, choking back the tears.

I was ready to kill someone. I’d never been at that place before, except maybe when Gage came home the day after my near-rape. But this was different, I wasn’t just reacting out of fear. I was thinking consciously that I was ready to kill someone, to shoot him dead if he came into the room. I was prepared to do it, and that terrified me.

What kind of person was I becoming?

“It’s okay,” Gage said. “You’re okay.”

“What happened?”

“I threw them off the balcony.”

I blinked then pulled away. There was some blood on the railing. I looked over and saw their bodies down on the ground.

I quickly looked away.

“Come on,” he said. “We have to go. Even a place like this will call the cops when there are gunshots.”

“Okay,” I said, the numbness setting in.

He gave me a look and I hurried. I threw my stuff together, gathered all my things, and then we headed back out. We got into his car and pulled out, driving fast. We never heard the sirens, but I was sure the cops showed up, which meant the mafia would know what had happened.

“How did they find you?” he asked me finally after ten minutes of driving in silence.

“I left the room.”

He glared at me. “You did what?”

“I left the room. I went to the diner to get some lunch.”

“Jesus fuck, Sadie.”

“I know. I know. It was so stupid.”

“You nearly got killed. You realize that? They nearly got you. If I hadn’t shown up when I did.”

“I know, okay? I know. It was so stupid.”

“This isn’t a game anymore. They’re not messing around. They want you and they want you bad.”

“Why? What do they want from me? I’m not prosecuting anything anymore. I thought that was what they wanted.”

“Vadik said you’ve been digging, that you found something big. Whatever you have in those files, they want.”

“Shit,” I said softly. “Rick. My old boss. He must have told them what I was up to.”

“Probably.” He shook his head. “Fuck. They offered me half a million dollars for you.”

I paused, blinking. That was a lot of money.

He smirked at me. “You’re worth a lot more than that, so don’t worry.”

I nodded, feeling oddly relieved. I knew he wouldn’t sell me to them, but still, part of me couldn’t help but worry.

“Where are we going to go now?” I asked him.