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Chapter 9
Atlanta
Iglare at the mansitting opposite me. He told me his name’s Vince. I assume he’s the same Vince my dad said was at the poker game two nights ago.
We’re in some sort of warehouse, an enormous open space filled with crates and pallets. The floor is cold beneath my bare feet, the air around me is a bit chilly, and I’ve been sitting in this chair for four hours.
But at least I’m more comfortable than Hannah, the redhead I met briefly last night before she left me alone with Leo. She’s bound against one of the upright steel posts supporting a catwalk above us, dressed in, as far as I can tell, nothing but a long t-shirt, mercifully long enough to hide her modesty. And they’ve gagged her too.
“I need to pee,” I mutter.
“Yeah? Does it look like I give a fuck, sweetheart?”
“I’ll wet myself.”
“Go right ahead. You ain’t moving from that chair.” He checks his phone. “Leo should be getting here any minute, then we’ll conclude our business and we can all go home. You can tell Daddy all about it. I’m sure Greg will be fascinated by what his daughter has been getting up to.”
I narrow my eyes, but I don’t say anything. I’m not going to get any sympathy here, surrounded by Vince and four of his guys. I just hope that guard, Mike, is all right. He tried to get me to safety, put himself in harm’s way and got shot for his troubles. Even when he was on the floor, he grabbed for one of their legs, trying to trip them as they ushered me down the hall.
The sound of an engine outside draws my attention, and I see lights illuminate the windows above.
“Here we go,” Vince says, putting his phone away and grabbing the gun from beside him. “Eyes peeled, guys. Leo Brickhouse is no pushover.”
One of the guys, stationed on the catwalk, turns and shouts down. “He’s alone, just like you told him, boss. He has a case with him.”
Vince nods. “That’ll be the declaration. Hope you’re all in the mood to get shitfaced, because when we take over the family I’m going to want to party.”
His men laugh and nod, and even through the tension I can feel their excitement. One of them checks and rechecks the magazine in his machine gun, while another starts cracking his knuckles. The guy by the door shifts nervously, before a knock echoes through the whole structure.
“Vince, it’s me.” The sound of Leo’s voice instantly calms me. Just knowing he’s here makes all this seem bearable. How do these guys even hope to compete with someone like him? “Open the fuck up, let’s get this over with.”
“Let him in,” Vince says. “Search him. No fucking weapons, you hear me? He pulls a gun from thin air and I’ll shoot you myself.”
I glance nervously at my purse. Somehow, they didn’t complain when I grabbed it, and didn’t search it either. If they had, they’d have found the revolver sitting back inside where Leo insisted I put it just in case. Not that I know how to use it, but these guys don’t know that.
“He’s clean,” says the guard, and Leo strides confidently over to where Vince and I are sitting.
He ignores Vince and turns my way. “You OK, sweetness?” When I nod in reply, he smiles grimly, then crouches in front of me, placing his big hands on my knees. His gray eyes meet mine, and I see my future in them. Even now, I know that he won’t let me get hurt. “I’m sorry you got caught up in this. I’m going to make it right.”
“Jesus Christ, Leo, got it bad, haven’t you? She must have some pussy on her to have you talking like fucking Bill Shakespeare.”
Leo growls. “Talk about her like that again, Vince, and I’ll feed you your own tongue.” He stands and turns to face Hannah. “What the fuck happened?”
“Sorry, Leo. They surprised us—me. They surprised me.” I see her draw back a little, if that’s even possible in the position she’s in, fear on her face.
“I pay you to protect my fucking investment! Chris is a good earner, and you—” He steps her way, his voice lowering. “You fucking sleep with him? How are you supposed to keep him safe in your fucking underwear? What, you got a gun hiding down there?” I gasp as he thrusts his hand down between her legs. “What were you thinking?”
“I...I’m sorry, OK? It was just... Fuck, Leo. You have to believe me. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen!”
“Yeah, well it did though, didn’t it?”
The slap throws her head sideways, and she blinks, dazed. Then he takes hold of her chin, her mouth skewed.
And I can’t hold myself back. “Leave her alone! This isn’therfault. It’s his.”
Vince just chuckles, but he nods his head. “All right, that’s enough. Not that I’m not enjoying the floor show, but I believe we have business to conclude. You have the papers, Leo?”
Leo seethes, and doesn’t even look at me as he turns back, leaving Hannah half collapsing from the force of the slap, still bound tight to the post.
