Tattoo(7)

“I ran with Pike’s crew. Before he got busted.”

“You ran with Pike?” The man seemed skeptical.

“Indirectly. I was part of his crew in supply.”

“Hell-O,” I said, “I’m bleeding over here.”

“Hang on, Tay,” Brody said over his shoulder.

“You know her?” the man demanded.

“Yeah,” Brody said tersely.

“Oh shit!” the gunman said. “Did I shoot your girl?”

“Yeah, and I gotta tell you, I’m pretty pissed off about it,” said Brody… or Slater (I had no idea), folding his arms over his chest. It stretched out the skin across his wide back and I was able to see the tattoo that everyone was so worked up about.

It was circular, probably the size of my palm. It was all in black ink with an intricate filigree pattern making up the entire circle. In the center was something red, but I couldn’t make out what it was.

“Shit,” the guy swore, snapping my attention away from the design.

Oh, what? Suddenly he was having an attack of conscience now that I was Brody’s girl.

Brody’s girl. That had a nice ring to it.

Yep. I was definitely delirious.

“We got company!” yelled the guy manning the entrance to the bank. I breathed a sigh of relief. I needed a really big Band-Aid, and I was sure the police had one.

“Send the hostages out,” Brody said tersely.

“You crazy?” the man yelled. “The hostages are the only thing keeping them out right now.”

“If you send them all fleeing from the building, it will create a few minutes of chaos and will give your team time to slip out the backdoor.” Brody reasoned.

Why was he letting them get away?

“You giving us a hand even after I shot your girl?”

“We’re brothers. They don’t give these tats to anyone.”

The man grunted. “Look, man, I’m sorry I shot your girl.”

“Shit happens.”

Shit. Happens. Really? That’s what he had to say about me being shot? Shit happens? If I could’ve, I would totally kick him. Then stomp on his foot.

“Business has been slow as shit since the busts,” the guy went on.

What the hell was this, an interview?

“Yep.” Brody agreed, glancing at me, his eyes flocking over my arm and torso.

“I’m going to make it up to you. The bullet in your girl, the suggestion you gave us. We’ll cut you in. A couple mil sure will help with the dry spell.”

“That’s decent,” Brody said, offering a fist so they could bang them together.

Men were idiots.

“Everybody out!” ordered the man with the gun. “Run before I change my mind.”

There was a momentary lapse of silence when I swear no one breathed. It was like people were trying to decide if they should listen or if it was a trick.

“I said out!” he roared.

People burst into action, racing across the floors. I couldn’t see them, but I sure could hear them. Brandy ran by without so much as a glance at me.

I saved her life, yet she was willing to let me lie here and bleed to death. There went her promotion.

I certainly wasn’t going die here, so I struggled to sit up, breath wheezing out of my lungs as I struggled into an upright position. I looked down and noted that there was red everywhere. Large dark puddles that saturated my clothes and splattered across the tile like this was some kind of bad horror movie.

The shirt Brody had on my wound started to slip and I reached over to apply pressure and keep it in place. I couldn’t stop the whimper that tore out of me.

Brody was there instantly, scooping me up into his arms and cradling me against his bare chest.

As the hostages ran out, screaming and shouting, the men with the duffle bags raced toward the emergency exit at the back. My cheek fell against Brody’s chest and he turned to carry me to safety.

“Hey, you coming?” someone yelled behind us.

“I’m taking her to the medics.” Brody said.

The sound of a cocking gun drew him up short. He turned. “You got a problem?” he half growled.

“When a man is offered millions of dollars for a job he didn’t even plan, he takes it.”

“When a man’s woman is bleeding, he takes care of her first.”

“Bring her.” It wasn’t really a suggestion.

Brody’s entire body stiffened. I saw the flash of horror in his eyes before he banished it away. “What?”

“You know how the crew rolls. We don’t leave our members behind. And our women are honorary members.”

Brody glanced at me, apology in his eyes.

“Let me put it this way. She comes or she dies,” the man growled.

With a tight nod, Brody switched direction and followed after the thieves.