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A fog slipped past my field of vision, images of the last few years rushing by like some disgusting horror movie. I no longer knew the man I’d become, and I certainly didn’t give a shit about the rest of my life. This might be the only decent decision I’d made in the last seven years. “Because I can’t bear to kill the mother of a child, an innocent victim.”
Because I need to capture my broken soul.
Sandy shook her head several times, trying hard not to sob. “Thank you and God bless you.”
“I’m a bad man, Sandy. God will never bless me given my sins, but I’m not a monster. Get packed but only take a couple bags. No one can know you’re leaving town permanently. We leave in fifteen minutes.”
“Can I ask you your name at least? Please?”
I moved to a standing position, slipping the barrel of the gun in my holster. “Blade. That’s all you need to know.”
Sandy followed directions, taking only the essentials. I’d return for a quick clean, at least giving her a fighting chance. That would seal my fate.
I was grateful the kid remained asleep the entire trip to the Greyhound station. Even the woman remained quiet, but every time I checked the rearview mirror, her eyes were unblinking, staring back at mine. I pulled the car directly to the entrance. If anyone saw me here, I was as good as dead, but I refused to force her to walk in the rain.
The woman climbing out of my car was different than the one who’d been hustled in, stronger in many ways. She knew this was a one-time gift from a madman. Grabbing her bags, she stepped onto the curb then stopped, leaning down. “You’re wrong about your assumption, Blade. God has already blessed you with a good heart. Never forget that. I will pray for you always.”
Only my mother had ever prayed for me. I wasn’t the kind of man who thought I needed a holy blessing. It was that moment that I realized I’d been wrong.
Dead wrong.
I missed my family as well as my life. I missed the happy-go-lucky guy ready to take on the world. I missed my best friend in the entire world, a man I’d never see again.
I sat where I was, listening to the sound of the rain until I saw a series of headlights. Time to get the hell out of here. I’d just tossed away my livelihood and perhaps my life to save another. Maybe there was at least one redeeming quality left inside my hardened soul.
* * *
I’d never wanted the condo in the first place. Wasn’t my style. Sleek and modern, polished chrome and steel and a hell of a lot of glass. I almost never spent any time here, except to sleep and that was only when I wasn’t on a job. There were no pictures or plants. While music was a passion, I hadn’t purchased a song. There were also no books or magazines. I often wondered what the cleaning crew thought about the man living in 16-B.
Leaving this was no big deal. Even leaving Miami didn’t faze me. I knew there was a slim chance of surviving the first thirty days, but if I could make it across the country, lose myself in a new life, maybe I’d get by. I’d exaggerated how far-reaching Diego’s tentacles really were, but given his recent exclamations of concern, I’d be made an example.
I’d decided to have one last drink before packing up and heading out. I wasn’t into reminiscing, but this had been the closest thing I had to a home in years. The storm had passed, although a mist had formed, giving the ocean a surreal and ominous appearance. I liked the night the best, the quiet hours when everyone else was sleeping, giving me peace. Sleep was difficult, if not impossible, dreams filling my mind and driving my synapsis.
As I stood out on the balcony, I thought through the plans, or at least tried to make some sense of what I was doing.
My only advantage was having a few hours before the latest betrayal was discovered. A few hundred miles would help. I pulled out a single duffle, packing only the basics, filling the bottom with ammo and the remainder of cash. I found it ironic the advice I’d given Sandy was exactly what I was required to do.
If I gave a damn about living.
I slapped my favorite blade into a leather sheath, clicking it on my waist, the only weapon I’d have on me during the trip. When I was finished packing, I yanked my old bomber jacket from the closet then took a look at my reflection. The man staring back at me wasn’t someone I recognized, but a slim reminder of the man I’d once been a hell of a long time ago. Twisting my neck, I dragged my fingertip down the length of the scar, huffing, “You’re one ugly fucker.”
I heard my cell phone ringing just before I zipped the bag. This was the third call of the night. Seeing the number on the screen should have given me mixed feelings. Instead, all I could think about was getting away from the bastard’s tyranny, the maniacal reign of terror Diego had imposed. The asshole thought he had me on a short leash. Allowing my impulses to take over, I raised my fist, smashing down, exhaling from the sound of crunching glass and twisting metal.
“Fuck off, asshole.”
The last thing I grabbed before turning out the lights were my sunglasses. Time to hit the road.
I became aware the second I crossed the threshold that there was a presence in the condo, a person hovering in the darkness near the back wall.El Hefehadn’t wasted any time, which meant killing the woman had indeed been a test of my loyalty. I almost snickered at the realization I’d fallen into a trap. At this point, I had nothing to lose. Dropping the bag onto the floor, I advanced, acting as if I was going into the kitchen. The assailant wasted no time, jumping me from behind.
Bigger and stronger than the jerkoff they’d sent, I tossed him over my shoulders, throwing him against the oven. The few seconds allowed me time to yank out my knife. While the light was almost nonexistent, I was able to focus, making out the gun in the asshole’s hand. The elongated barrel meant a silencer. Kicking out, I hit my target, the weapon spiraling out of his hand. I took advantage of the fact he scrambled, pitching his body to the floor in an effort to grab his gun.
He grunted when I kicked him in the gut, his body careening backward. Another hard thump was followed by a bellow of pain. But the fucker kept crawling, stretching to reach the weapon. I wrapped my hand around his shirt, dragging him to his feet, hesitating. Damn it. They’d sent Breaker to kill me.
With my slight hesitation, Breaker gave me a hard shove, knocking me backwards, but this was a war. Life versus life. Only one of us was walking out of here. I advanced again, swinging the knife, catching him just under the chin. He scrambled, almost maneuvering around me as his body dipped and his hand grasped the gun.
Rage fueled my adrenaline as I stormed closer, my hand wrapping around his long hair and yanking him up and against the refrigerator. For the first time since I’d known the man, I could see a slice of fear in his eyes. I didn’t have to say anything, but he knew exactly what was going to happen. What had to happen. The way of monsters. As I raised my arm, allowing him to catch sight of the jagged blade, I growled. Everything that I’d turned into, the brutal and savage man had one last assignment.
To kill my best friend.
