I hope.
Before we hurry out the door, Kayne catches Philly’s arm. “Forget the bullet.” He flat out threatens him once again. “If anything happens to her, I’ll filet you open right in front of your mother.”
Both Philly’s and my eyes widen frightfully. I have no idea who my sister married, but he’s scary as shit.
Outside, there’s a black Town Car waiting for us. Philly ushers me inside and then slams the door closed. I don’t recognize the man driving.
“Cell phones.” He reaches his hand behind him. Both Philly and I reluctantly hand him our phones. He then opens the front window and tosses them out before he drives away.
Shit.
“I told you!” Philly hisses at me. “I told you not to get involved with him!” he seethes under his breath. “You never listen! Now look! Fuck, Tara, we are in shit up to our eyeballs!”
I retreat into myself, wishing my ski jacket would swallow me whole.
“I know, I’m sorry,” I whisper regretfully. But as scared as I am for Philly and myself, I’m more terrified for CJ. Philly isright. Nino is completely unstable, and there’s no telling what he’s capable of. I shove my hand into my pocket and rub CJ’s watch obsessively. I found it on the bed when I woke up this afternoon and swiped it before we left. I make a promise right here and now that I will give it back to him. It’s my oath to persevere, to survive whatever’s coming. I just pray to god he’s not a corpse when I do.
I WALK INTO THE QUIETclub. With the lights on, it looks like a shithole. Drab floors, dingy walls, and dusty bar tops. I swept the place with infrared before I entered, surprised to find only one person in the entire building. Going on instinct, I decided to enter. I’ve taken on more than one opponent before. I can do it again. Besides, I know guys like Nino—pride fuels them. He’s going to want to beat the shit out of me himself.
I walk into the center of the dance floor. “I’m here cocksucker, with my balls,” I shout.
“I see.” He materializes on the second-floor landing. The exact spot I positioned myself the last time I was here.
“I feel a little like I’m in high school.” He descends the stairs, taking one slow, measured step at a time. “Fighting over a girl in the parking lot.”
“This is way bigger than some adolescent pissing contest.”
“If you say so.” He reaches the first floor, and I finally get a good look at him. Thick black hair with wicked eyes to match. Complete psychopath wrapped up in a pretty package. “But I will tell you this, parking lot, knife fight, or gun fight, I always win.”
I grin almost insanely. “What about fist fight?”
“That too.” He rolls up his sleeves as he walks toward me. I don’t move a muscle, inviting him closer.
“This is your last chance to walk away.” I offer him an outbefore things turn violent.
“I never walk away.”
“Bit of an inflated ego, huh? Always win, never walks away.”
“Mmm hmm.” He nods, his eyes as black as a shark’s, completely void of humanity.
That’s when he strikes. Like I didn’t see it coming. Nino tries to coldcock me, but I dodge his fist and dance on my feet. He comes at me hard, swinging away, but I’m too fast for his juvenile street skills. I know his moves before he does. I guard my face looking for the perfect opportunity to jab, keeping my composure as he grows frustrated, missing the hit every single time.
“Punk.” He drops his hands, clearly aggravated, giving me the opening I need. I sucker punch him right in the nose then hit him with a kidney shot. He slumps forward but keeps coming at me. Adrenaline spiked stupidity fueling his fire.
“What’s the matter? I thought you never lose.” I punch him in the face again and then again. The whole left side of his cheek is swelling up.
He drops to his knees, panting as I wail on him, blood from his mouth dripping onto the floor. My knuckles are torn up from the repeated blows, but I ignore the stinging cuts, determined to finish him. Still on his knees, swaying from probably multiple concussions, he actually has the audacity to smile at me. His teeth are stained red with blood and both eyes are turning black and blue.
“I told you I always win.” His eyes dart over my shoulder and just as I turn my head, I see the blur of the baseball bat.
Then there’s only black.
CLOSE TO TWO HOURS LATER,we pull up to a dark house somewhere on Long Island. The doors have child proof locks, so we have to wait for the driver to get out and open one from the outside.
“Let’s go.”
Philly and I slide out one at a time at gunpoint.
