Kieran appeared from the Neon Reef and shouted something. I made sure to press the break and lowered the passenger’s window. “What did you say?”
“Do you even have a driver’s license?” he demanded.
“I was just trying to get extra close for Ghost,” I explained.
“That’s not an answer.”
I sniffed. “Of course I do.”
He scoffed. “Who taught you to drive, a blind cat?”
“A blind cat has a more pleasant personality than you!” I hollered and rolled up the window before he could say something else.
Seething, Kieran stomped back into the shop to get Ghost and Rett. Guess that meant I wouldn’t be driving home. I was about to shut off the engine when two black cars turned onto the block and barreled down the street, crossing into the wrong lane. One pulled right up onto the curb in front of me, driving so close I braced myself for impact. When none came, I noted the second car parked alongside me, both vehicles essentially blocking in the SUV.
The windows of the one beside me were so blacked out I couldn’t see inside at all, so I leaned forward to peer through the windshield of the car in front.
There were at least four men inside, two in the front and at least two in the back. The driver was wearing a hat and so was the passenger. As I stared, their doors popped open, andbang!I recoiled as a dark figured dropped onto the hood of the SUV and then slid off.
Practically pressing my nose against the driver’s window, I watched Kieran straighten.
Did he just jump over the hood of the car?
Over his shoulder, his eyes met mine. “Lock the door and stay in the car.”
“What’s going on?” I asked. He’d killed Grimaldi… Wasn’t this over?
Instead of replying, he turned back to the four approaching men. All of them carried guns. None of them tried to hide it either.
I glanced up and down the street, wondering where everyone was. Why weren’t there any cops here? Everything that just happened inside Neon Reef could not have been quiet. There were several other businesses on this street.
Were they all pretending they didn’t see?
The barber shop next door had a closed sign on their door even though it was definitely business hours. The boutique on the other side had sheer curtains drawn across the front window, but I could see a shadow hovering at the edge so I knew they were watching what was going on.
Maybe they were afraid.
Maybe I should have been too.
My eyes strayed to Kieran, whose black trench stretched across his broad shoulders, noting his wide stance as he stood between my door and everything else. He didn’t appear threatened at all, almost as if he were bored.
This is why I wasn’t scared. Because Kieran was here. Because we were together. Because I’d handled one hundred percent of my hard days so far, including four attempted murders. Five if you counted me getting run off the road. And yeah, I counted it.
The four men stopped just feet from Kieran. The man in the center spoke, but I couldn’t hear what was said. Kieran said something back, and judging from the looks on their faces, they didn’t like whatever it was. My stomach twisted a little, taking in the guns and how outnumbered Kieran was.
It made me think of Ghost, and I darted a worried glance at the fish store, wishing Ghost was up to backing him up but at the same time wanting him to stay inside because he was already hurt and needed medical attention like stat.
Tapping anxiously on the steering wheel, I pulled my fingers back to gnaw on my nails. The SUV was in park, but the engine was still running. If things got out of hand, I could just run everyone over. I wasn’t sure I was made for killing, but if Kieran needed me, I’d do it.
In a burst of movement, one of the newcomers shouted and launched himself forward. Kieran reacted by grabbing the gunfrom the man’s grasp, then twisting his arm behind his back. The SUV shuddered when Kieran slammed the man into the front end, and he slumped to the pavement.
The three remaining men converged on Kieran like a pack of starving vultures.
I laid my palm on the horn, blasting the street with a drawn-out honk. Everyone ignored it, so I tried again. Kieran slammed into the hood and was pinned down face-first.
I bolted out of the driver’s seat, my feet slapping the pavement so hard they stung. “Get off him!” I roared, leaping onto the back of the closest man without any hesitation.
He cursed and spun, but I held on, locking my arms around his throat and squeezing. He reached around to grab me, and I pulled his hair, making him howl.
