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When a shadow detaches itself from the wall, walks over, and slams a heavy, weighted bar down on my shoulder, knocking me to the ground.
Chapter 14
Ansell
I hit hard and roll as another blow barely misses my face. The rod pings off the concrete with a resounding metallic plunk. Heiko curses and kicks at me, landing a square blow to my chest, but I know he wants to finish this fast. There’s nobody outside and it’s dark, but we’re still in public, and that couple’s still eating in the window. They’re likely watching this unfold, right now, wondering why the fuck some guy’s getting beaten down with a lead pipe.
I hope they enjoy the show.
I lash out with my legs and catch Heiko’s ankle. He curses, off balance, and his next kick hits my stomach weakly. I twist, scrambling to my feet, lunging for a car nearby to use it as leverage, but Heiko’s on my back in an instant. He pummels my side, my head, my shoulders, and it’s all I can do to keep him from knocking me unconscious.
“You should’ve taken the deal,” Heiko grunts with each blow. I lunge forward and slam my forehead into his nose, making him curse. Blood spurts down his mouth and it’s warm against my skin. He tries to hit me, but I keep the arm with the bar pinned against his side. His fist doesn’t feel great though as he whips it into my stomach and ribs. “You should’ve listened. You stupid. Mother. Fucker.”
I twist and a punch misses. He curses as his knuckles connect with the car window and I manage to knee him hard in the thigh. He separates away from me just in time for Baptist to ram into his back, knocking him to the ground.
“Come on,” he says, grabbing my arm and yanking me away. Heiko groans, spits blood, snorts it from his nose, and gets up slowly as Baptist yanks me after him, both of us moving at a jog. I clutch my side, practically holding myself together.
“You should’ve taken the deal!” Heiko shouts as Baptist reaches for something in his waistband.
“Don’t,” I grunt and Baptist gives me a look. His jaw works, frustrated, but he finally nods.
We reach the car. I climb in and sigh, head leaning back, as Baptist starts the engine and takes us toward the city.
“That motherfucker,” he says, slamming his palms against the wheel. “He fucking jumped you. I saw the whole fucking thing.”
“You took long enough to intervene.”
“Asshole. I was still in the car.”
I sigh and close my eyes. I ache in a dozen spots and I think a rib is broken. I’ll be battered and bruised, but I’m alive at least.
“Just get us home.”
Baptist stews in silence for a few minutes as he navigates back toward downtown and my apartment. “What did Magnus want?”
“Nothing worthwhile. Just threats.”
“He wasn’t willing to make a deal?”
“Only ones that involved getting his hands on Marie.”
Baptist hesitates and I know what he’s about to say. I wish he wouldn’t, but he does. “Why not give her up?”
“Baptist.”
“I don’t think you should,” he says, glancing at me. “But it’s something you would’ve done a hundred times before now. Why is this girl different?”
I let out a breath and stare out the window. North Philadelphia flits past, the crumbling buildings, the overgrown lots, and I wonder. Why is Marie different?
“She makes me want to feel something,” I say quietly as streetlight flit past outside.
“That’s new. Really?”
“Really. I don’t understand it. Maybe I’ve been ready to start feeling something for a long time and it took someone like Pearce to come and wake me up.”
“You’re feeling again?” He sounds excited. “I don’t think I’ve ever known an emotional version of you.”
“I don’t think you ever will. But there are small things. I was angry when Magnus said he wanted to hurt Marie out of spite. I don’t get angry very often.”
“No, you really don’t.” Baptist glances at me and I can read the concern in his eyes. He’s worried about me, and I don’t blame him. I’m worried about myself.
I don’t know what these emotions mean. I can’t decide if I’m losing my edge or going insane or what, but a wave of nauseous worry rolls through me, and hell, since when did I feel worry?
“I don’t know if that’s why I missed Heiko. I never would’ve let him get the drop on me weeks ago, but now it’s like I can’t think straight.”
Baptist lets out a breath. “You really like this girl.”
“I don’t know what that even means.”
“Romantically. You want to be with her. It’s perfectly normal, Ansell. For regular, functioning humans, anyway.”
“I’m not a regular, functioning human. Far from it.”
“And therein lies the problem.” He nods to himself as we continue on and we lapse into silence. I close my eyes, curling in on myself, and concentrate on breathing through the pain.
