“I kept those two bikers from shooting you.”
“They wouldn’t have been shooting at me if you hadn’t broadcast my name all over the known universe.”
“She does have a point,” Dixon added.
Derek snarled, “Butt out. This doesn’t concern you.”
A low, aggressive growl broke from Dixon.
“Doesn’t it? She’s a member of the Dirty Dozen.”
A muscle in Derek’s jaw twitched. “Fifty thousand and one percent of the gold.”
“Here’s a thought, we split the gold,” I spat at Derek.
“Works for me,” Dixon commented.
The Tomb Raider snorted. “I’ll pay you twenty percent to help me find the gold, Angel, and not a dime more.”
“Fifty-Fifty or I rescind the offer.”
Derek countered, “Fifteen percent and I don’t throw your ass in jail.”
“Go to hell.” My finger tightened on the trigger and bam the gun fired.
The bullet zinged past Derek’s shoulder and hit a Prius, shattering a passenger side window. The car alarm shrieked and wailed.
“Whoops.”
Fury radiating from him, Derek roared, “Whoops?”
“What’s the big deal? You’re wearing body armor.”
“I’m gonna put you over my knee and you won’t be able to sit down for a week,” Derek growled, stalking towards me.
“Take another step and we’ll see how well your body armor works.”
“Go ahead,” Dixon prompted with a smile, “I’m curious myself.”
I backed towards the Harley. “I’m taking the motorcycle and if either of you try to stop me, I will shoot you.”
“You’re in no shape to drive,” Dixon snapped.
Like that was going to stop me.
Derek holstered his Glock and gave me an “I’m too sexy for my shirt” smile, “You won’t shoot me, Angel, we’re soul mates.”
Granny was such a blabbermouth. “We are not nor will we ever be soul mates.” I lowered the pistol. “How attached are you to your balls?”
Derek froze. “Calm down, Angel.”
With a startling quick movement, Dixon spun and knocked the gun out of my hand.
I staggered back, hit the Harley and it toppled over with a loud bang. “Ooops.”
His face a mask of rage, Dixon bellowed, “Ooops?”
“Sorry.”
“You will be,” Dixon grabbed my sore arm and I yelped.
Derek jammed his Glock into Dixon’s neck. “Let her go.”
Dixon slipped a leg under Derek’s and pulled and kicked simultaneously.
Sloan hit the ground hard and retaliated by kicking Dixon off his feet. The two men were immediately locked in a silent, gasping combat; rolling over and over on the garage floor, punching the shit out of each other.
Guess that took care of that problem. With any luck, they’d kill each other. I eyed the motorcycle and knew I would never be able to pick it up.
Weariness crept over me. I was sweaty, tired, and covered in blood and sand. All I wanted was a shower, something cold to drink, and a cool, dark place to lie down.
Silver-black whorls danced in my vision and I was having trouble focusing. It was as if I was moving in slow motion. I shook my head to clear it but only succeeded in making it throb worse.
Grabbing the t-shirt off the floor, I pulled it on and stumbled out of the parking garage.
A hot, arid wind blasted my sunburned skin.
Squinting against the glare, I looked around, trying to figure out where the hell I was. “Do you know where we are Granny?”
“I think we’re somewhere near the ballpark.”
Too far for me to walk home and I didn’t have any money for a taxi. The world suddenly tilted and spun dizzily around me. I grabbed a tree and fought to stay upright.
A jaunty red Miata squealed to a stop and my drop-dead gorgeous cousin, Fabian, jumped out.
Leave it to him to wear a white, two thousand dollar suit in this heat. He always made me feel frumpy. “What are you doing here?”
“Rescuing you, bella.”
“I don’t need rescuing. I’ve got it handled.”
Fabian raised an incredulous eyebrow as he examined me from head to toe. “I can see how well you are handling this, but I cannot disobey Uncle Aldo, he is the head of the family.”
“Sure you can. Just tell him you couldn’t find me.”
“Try not to get any blood on my jacket, bella.” His expression one of extreme distaste, Fabian picked me up gingerly and carried me over to the Miata.
I was seriously tempted to rub my bloody face all over his screaming white suit but I did need a ride. Glancing over his shoulder, I caught a glimpse of Derek and Dixon still pounding the crap out of each other. Wonder how long it would take them to realize I was gone?
Fabian dumped me in the seat, hurried around to driver’s side and jumped in.
“Couldn’t you have gotten a car with a roof and ice cold AC?”
“This is more my style,” Fabian responded as we tore off.
“Wouldn’t want to cramp your style but it’s Phoenix, it’s degrees today and did you not notice my terrific sunburn?”
He patted my leg. “I’ll get you some chocolate.”
“Bless you.” Sometimes family was the best. I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes.
“Oh yeah, before I pass out, I’ve got a tracker in me. Did you bring your kit?”
“Of course, Zelda, I am a professional.”
“You’re a world famous supermodel.”
“I am Dragos,” he huffed indignantly.
“Sorry, I’ve had a really bad day.”
Fabian patted my knee again. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe, bella.”
I let out a weary sigh. “I haven’t been safe since Aunt Sophie found me.”
Granny’s disembodied voice insisted, “Derek can and will protect you.”
My cousin gave a startled yelp when Granny Annabel suddenly materialized on my lap. “Dios Mio.”
Opening my eyes, I glared at her. “Derek, my knight in shining armor, will undoubtedly protect me but once he gets the gold, he’ll be long gone and I’ll still have to deal with Aunt Sophie.”
A ghostly hand stroked my face. “You’re the only one that can stop her, bella.”
“She scares the living shit out of me.”
Fabian laughed grimly. “She scares the living shit out of all of us.”
“You need Derek’s help to defeat her,” Granny insisted.
“Right. He can smite demons with one thrust of Excalibur, his magical sword.”
The temperature dropped twenty degrees. “He is a man of many talents.”
“Speaking of the talented guy, has he realized I’m gone yet?”
Granny nodded. “He knows. He can curse quite fluently in several languages.”
“I’ll bet. Did he kill Dixon?”
“No, they are la famiglia.”
“What! They can’t be related.”
“They are cousins.”
“Are you shitting me?”
Granny frowned in confusion. “Why would I shit on you?”
“Never mind. I’m just glad I got away from him.”
“Please, you must go back. Derek is the only one that can help you.”
My temper flared to life and I shouted, “Help me? You just don’t get it! He’s using me. All he cares about is finding the gold and if he has to bed me to get it, he will. That’s not love. It’s calculated seduction.”
Granny let out a heart rending sob and vanished.
“Like that’s gonna work,” I cried. The street spun crazily around me and everything went black.
Chapter Eight
I awoke in Aunt Sophie’s picture perfect, old-fashioned parlor. A place I had avoided like plague.
The hand crocheted doilies and portraits of smiling children lured her victims into a false sense of security.
Aunt Sophie, wearing her disguise of a sweet, harmless, gray haired grandmother, sat on her throne like chair and smiled benignly. “I’m so glad you dropped by for a visit.”
My heart pounding in my chest, I jumped to my feet. “What do you want?”
“I want you to come home, dear. Dante and I miss you so much.” Sophie lifted a silver tea pot.
“Would you like some of my special tea?”
“I think I’ll pass.”
She picked up a plate of cookies and held it out. “I made your favorite chocolate chip cookies.”
“Cut the act. It doesn’t work on me.”
An unwholesome Cheshire-cat smile curved her mouth. “Sit down dear we have a lot to discuss.”
“No. We don’t. There is nothing you can do or say to make me come back.”
Aunt Sophie picked up her tea cup and took a sip. “Are you sure you don’t want some? It’s my spicy Earl Grey.”
I grabbed the silver serving tray and hurled it at the wall. It made a satisfying crash as the tea sprayed out and ran down the wall. I stomped on the cookies. “I want you to leave me the hell alone. If you don’t, I can and will destroy you.”
Her eyes ice cold and cruel, my aunt clapped her hands. “Bravo, such a flair for the dramatic, but frankly my dear, you’re no match for me or Dante.”
“Wanna bet your life on it?”
Malevolence filled Aunt Sophie’s violet eyes and her face began to morph into something not quite human.
I backed away in horror as fangs sprouted from her mouth. “What big teeth you have, Auntie.”