Hard Bastard(57)

We drove for another half hour and finally I felt the car pull off the main road. We probably were going down some gravel path based on how much the car was shaking around and the noise of it beneath the tires. After another few minutes, Boris pulled the car over.

My heart was hammering in my chest. This was it. The ropes were loosened, but I couldn’t tell if they were loose enough. I was going to have to make my move fast and wouldn’t have a single second to spare.

Boris got out of the car and came around to the back. I took that last second to flex and twist, getting precious centimeters. The back door opened and he looked down at me.

“You’re awake,” he said. “That’s good.”

I grunted at him. He grinned and grabbed my feet, dragged me out of the car. He dumped me onto the ground unceremoniously, a big dumb smile on his face.

I got a quick look around. We were outside of town in a pretty secluded spot. As soon as I realized that there wasn’t anybody within earshot for miles, I knew that Boris planned on killing me and burying me out there.

“How’s it feel to be the one on the ground, Gage?” he asked. “You’ve been a fucking asshole to me for so long now. I guess you can probably figure out how much I’m loving this.”

I grunted at him again, not able to respond.

“Can’t talk? Too bad. You were always a good talker, Gage. You won’t be saying shit after this, though. You stupid asshole, you should never have betrayed the family like this.”

He reached down and ripped the tape off my mouth. I took a deep breath and spit onto the ground, getting the taste of glue off my tongue. He leaned back and crossed his arms, smiling at me.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Give me your last words.”

“You stupid fat fuck. I’m going to break your fucking neck.”

He sighed. “That’s how you want to play this?”

“I won’t beg. Not to a shithead like you.”

“Good. Wouldn’t help you anyway.”

He grabbed me by the shoulders and started to drag me away from my car.

“I’m going to love it when I put a bullet in your head,” he said as we moved. He was grunting and straining, clearly out of breath already. “You fucking asshole. I was always better than you.”

I knew it was my chance. I let him drag me a few more feet before flexing and twisting my wrists twice. I yanked my right hand down and managed it get it free.

I slammed my hands back and caught him in the nose with my right hand. He grunted and staggered as I twisted toward him.

“Fucking asshole,” he said, reaching for his gun.

I grabbed his ankle and pulled as hard as I could. It set him off balance and he dropped down to his ass. I was on top of him in an instant, shoving his gun away with one hand and smashing my other fist into his face.

Boris was strong, but he was out of shape and out of breath. He struggled and tried to get the gun facing back toward me, but I wouldn’t let him. I smashed my fist into his face again and again until blood flowed freely and his wrist went limp.

I took the gun from him. He coughed, barely conscious, moaning on the ground. Quickly I untied my ankles then stood up, his gun in my hand.

“Where is she?” I asked.

He grinned at me. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Boris. Tell me and I’ll let you live.”

“Fuck you, Gage.”

I kicked him in the ribs twice. He curled into a little ball.

“Save yourself, Boris. Tell me where they took her.”

“They took her to the Hen,” he said. “They’re talking to her there.”

The Hen was a mafia bar on the edge of town. I knew it well. I also knew that they took guys they needed to torture there because it was built into an old meatpacking plant, and there were lots of convenient drains.

“I’m going to go save her, and then I’m getting the fuck out of Ashertown. If you’re smart, you’ll leave me the fuck alone.”

“Asshole,” he mumbled.

I kicked him one more time and then walked away. I slipped his gun into my jeans as I climbed into my car. The engine was still running, so I put it into drive and headed into town.

Maybe letting Boris live was a bad idea, but I was a man of my word. Besides, I had some affection for him left from years of working together, even if he was a murderous cocksucker that was going to put a bullet in my skull. He wasn’t a threat to me and never would be.

I hit the gas and tore back down the gravel road, heading into town.

I had to get to Sadie. I survived my ordeal, and it was time to save her. There was nothing left for me if I let them hurt her.

I sped out toward her, anger surging through my body.