I could see what had scared her so much. She saw past his mask and got a glimpse of the real terror that was Tony.
I’d met many guys like Tony in my time. Some of them even were on my side. They were cold, calculating, and fucking dangerous. I knew the kind of man he was, and that meant I knew the kind of man I had to be if I wanted to win.
I stood up. “Nice meeting you, Tony.”
He laughed. “Stay and drink. You’re too late to save her.”
“The next time I see you, I will kill you. Understand?”
Tony grinned huge at me. “You don’t disappoint, Gates.”
I turned and walked quickly out of the restaurant.
There was no time. I jogged across the street, jumped into my car, and started the engine. I peeled out, heading back to my apartment.
Tony definitely sent those guys in the parking lot. I didn’t see their car as I drove past. That meant they didn’t have that big of a head start. If I drove fast and they were overconfident, I could make it.
I clenched my jaw and broke every law imaginable as I sped back to my apartment. I couldn’t lose Piper, not now, not so soon. I couldn’t fucking let her down already.
Tony was a sick bastard, but I had underestimated him. That was my mistake. Next time, I wasn’t going to make that same mistake. I wasn’t lying when I said that I’d kill him if I ever saw him again. Part of me hoped it would come to that, because killing was something I did very, very well.
I turned onto my block, the Mustang’s wheels churning up gray smoke. I spotted that same car from the parking lot out front of my apartment building, the engine on, the doors open.
That meant they just got there and were in the process of grabbing her.
I stopped my car right in front of theirs, pulling back until my rear bumped hit their front. I jumped out of the car, drawing my weapon, and stormed inside.
I charged up the steps. My place was the third door on the left, and it was hanging slightly open. I heard muffled grunts and the sound of someone struggling. I slowly pushed the door open and slipped inside, silent and deadly.
The two guys were standing over Piper. She was being held down by the one man as the other wrapped rope around her, tying her up and immobilizing her.
“Hurry up,” the one guy said. “I left the car running.”
“I didn’t tell you to do that.”
“Fuck you, man. We gotta get out of here quick with this bitch.”
“People will notice either way. It doesn’t matter.”
“That’s what you always say, but it does fucking matter. I don’t need no more time on my record, you get it?”
“Don’t be such a pussy. Hold her tighter.”
“Bitch can really struggle.”
The men were distracted as I came in behind them. The man holding Piper down was younger, maybe in his thirties, with thin greasy hair. He was skinny, and his suit looked too big. The other guy was older, in his forties, with graying hair. He was wearing a tracksuit.
I stopped behind the skinny one. The older guy looked up at me just as I brought the butt of my weapon down onto the skinny guy’s skull. He collapsed forward with a grunt, the sound of my weapon against his head a wet thud.
“Fuck,” the older guy said, going for his gun.
I kicked him in the face. I felt his jaw crack and saw a tooth break free as he was knocked down to the floor. I followed that up with three more swift kicks to his skull, cleanly knocking him unconscious, or maybe killing him. I wasn’t sure, and didn’t care to find out.
I bent down and quickly untied Piper.
“Gates,” she groaned, throwing her arms around me.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m here.”
She hugged me tight and I pulled her against me, holding her. The men were bleeding and unmoving, which was exactly how I wanted the fucking bastards.
“Come on,” I said, standing and helping Piper to her feet.
“Where are we going?”
“We have to leave here. Grab your things.”
She stared at me. “How did they find me, Gates?”
“Tony tracked your phone. We’ll need to leave that here.”
She shook her head. “This is insane.”
I took her by the shoulders. “You’ve done great so far. Please, Pipes. Trust me. We have to go.”
She paused and then nodded. She turned and began to gather her few possessions.
I went into my room, grabbed my go-bag and another duffel. I had food, water, camping gear, an extra weapon with ammo, and other essentials pre-packed. I threw some toiletries, clothes, and a few other things into the other bag. I was ready in three minutes.
Piper was standing in the kitchen, staring at the two men. “What were they going to do to me?” she asked me softly.