He gives a small shrug. “Should’ve been dead years ago. I’ve been living on borrowed time for too many years now.”
“Enough,” Martin snaps, and his gun goes from me to being pointed at Vito.
“Wait, Martin,” I say hurriedly. “If you fire that gun now, it’s going to signal all the men to come running. Why don’t you let Vito call Andre and get him here so you have the time you need to take us all out?”
His wild eyes fall on me. “Yes, I knew you were the smart one. Go ahead, Vito, call Andre. Let’s get the party really going.”
Fifteen
Andre
We’re coming around the corner of the property heading for the house, and my stomach is in knots, telling me something isn’t right. We park the ATVs, and the need to put my eyes on Tinsley is pulling me forward quickly. I’m halfway across the yard when my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. Pulling it out, I find Vito calling me.
“Hey, you good?” I ask, not slowing my steps.
“You know, just in the sitting room hanging out with Tins and our special guest,” he says slowly.
I stop walking and start thinking, why the fuck would he be hanging out in the sitting room? No one goes in there. He also called Tinsley, Tins. The only person to call her by that name is her brother, meaning the other guest is an outsider.
“I wasn’t aware y’all would have guests today,” I state, trying to find out if this is planned or not.
“Our guest was a surprise to me as well. He is saying we spoke about this visit while we were in Nashville during the incident at the Halloween party.” Vito chuckles humorlessly.
“God damn it,” I hiss because that means what's going on is bad.
“That about sums it up. Oh, and there are special seating arrangements making things difficult,” he tells me.
“I got it. Give me a few and I’ll join the party,” I murmur, thinking. “Oh, can you remind Tinsley that she can send this guest to visit Otis if need be?”
I wait as he relays the message to her. He comes back on the line. “She said to tell you that if the chance becomes available, she will do just that.”
“Just make it out alive,” I firmly state, my chest tight.
“Always the plan,” he tells me and hangs up.
I gather men and get ready to go save my woman and child. And once they are safe, I’m moving us all to a private fuckin island to make sure no one can ever reach us again. Bryce comes to me, slapping me on the back, a glint in his eyes telling me he is excited to be going to war. We come up with a plan and then we’re on the move.
I go through the front door, stepping up beside Vito, staring at the man who not only has his hands on my woman but also is holding a gun to my child.
“Martin, what’s your plan here?” I growl.
He smirks. “It’s making you both choose between your lives for hers or her life for yours.”
“I can already guarantee Vito told you we will both lay our lives down right now for hers,” I state flatly.
Even with tears streaming down her face, Tinsley’s eyes are hard and ready for a fight.
Martin shrugs. “Fine. On your knees, hands on your head.”
We both do just that, moving slowly to keep him from getting trigger-happy. I lock eyes with Tinsley. “I love you, Tesoro. Never forget that.”
No sooner than I get the words out, Martin lifts his gun away from Tinsley, doing the predictable things we thought he would and aims for my chest. Tinsley throws herself backwards, and the gun goes off. Pain explodes across my chest. After that, all hell breaks loose. I’m lying on the floor gasping for breath when Tinsley's tear-stained face comes into view.
“Where are you shot? I don’t see any blood,” she says frankly.
Slowly I reach down, pulling my shirt up, showing her the Kevlar vest I’m wearing under it. Tinsley glares, smacking me on the shoulder.
“You asshole, I thought you were going to fucking die,” she sobs, laying her head on my chest.
