Keeping my gaze trained on Ria, I answered, “The neighbor checked in on her, she’s okay,” hearing my voice, her head jerked up, her red-rimmed eyes seeking mine, the plea in them unmistakable. My heart clenched and blood ran riot in my tensed body.
“You remember this pretty girl, don’t you?” Nathaniel asked me, his smirk that of a Cheshire cat. I expected him to lick his paws.
“I do.” I stared at the asshole, assessing the situation. I could easily slit his throat and make a run for it with the girl. But the two heavies just outside his door were food for thought. Between me and the girl, one of us would go down, if I was stupid and given the auction, the grounds were crawling with his men. “Why don’t you save her for later. After the party,” I suggested.
His laugh was cynical. “My cock waits for no one, Gabe.” Then he turned his gaze on her. “Strip, pretty girl.” She looked at him, shaking her head, her hands crossed tight over her chest. “Either you strip, or I rip your fucking clothes off,” he sneered.
“Please,” she whimpered, her eyes sought me once more.
“Don’t fucking look at him, he’s not going to save you, bitch.”
That did it. With his eyes on her, he didn’t see me move. “Let her go, Nathaniel,” I warned, my tone steel.
His gaze swung to my face then it dropped to the Colt in my hand. “Jesus, you’re not going to shoot me, are you?” His brow shot up before he broke into a maniacal laugh. You want her that bad, do you?” Then he shook his head, stood, and walked around to the chair behind his desk. “How far do you think you’d get if you shoot me?”
“Not far but at least I’ll spare her the fucking misery of dealing with a sick fuck like you,” I ground out.
“Aww, you break my heart, Gabe and I thought we were friends. If we ever make it out of here alive, remind me to tell you a story about the boogeyman.” His gaze shifted to Ria. “Do you know the boogeyman, pretty girl? He scares pretty little girls into doing whatever he wants. You should know him because he’s coming for you.” She stared at him, her body trembling, the expression on her face a toss-up between confusion and fear. He didn’t sit but I watched his hand slide down to his desk, probably calling for his men. “Well, once I have the pleasure of fucking you, I’ll tell you all about the Boogey—”
My gun went off.
Hell erupted around us.
Nathaniel dropped to his chair. Ria screamed. Shouts bounced outside the door. I dashed across the room, grabbed her shaking body and ducked behind the couch. Two heavies crashed through the door, weapons raised.
The men opened fire, bullets whistled through the air, tearing through the fabric while I pressed Ria to the floor, my body covering hers. Keeping my hand on the back of her head. I sneaked a look over. A bullet cracked an inch from my face, coughing up plaster and bits of the wall at my rear. I ducked. Then my hand shot up and my gun discharged, catching one fucker. I heard his scream as his body went down, shattering glass on his way.
“Stop fucking shooting, you dumb fuck,” Nathaniel’s raspy scream carried over the noise and his remaining man ceased fire.
I lifted my head, peeking over the top of the couch, pulling out the Glock. Struggling to breathe, Nathaniel was still standing. My bullet had hit him just above the heart. He’d bleed out soon enough. More men piled into the room, stopping at the door when the remaining man gestured for them to stand down. I put the count at ten, maybe twelve from where I sat.
“What are you planning to do, Gabe,” Nathaniel yelled. “My men will eat you and that pussy for breakfast.”
“Stay down,” I whispered to Ria. Still whimpering, she nodded. My Colt aimed at Nathaniel and the Glock pointed at his men, I pushed up onto my knees. “The way I see it.” I looked at Nathaniel. “I’ll take you and at least four of your men before one of their bullets catches me.” I shrugged.
“You’re a confident fuck, that’s what I like about you. Remo did mention you’re a skilled sniper too so I believe you. The question remains. What do you want?”
One of his guys moved and my gun went off, my bullet hitting him right between the eyes. He fell, surprise still painted on his face. “Next one’s yours, Nathaniel.”
He shook his head, annoyance morphing his pain-riddled face in a sneer. “Don’t fucking move,” he growled at his men then looked at me. “Right. What do you want?”
“Let the girl walk out of here. Once she’s past the gate, she calls me, confirms she’s safe. Then, you and I do a little dance of whose fucking balls are bigger.” I lifted a brow and his sly smile was all the confirmation I needed he wouldn’t keep his word.
“Well—”
Bullets pinged through glass. Soft. Silent. Deadly. Four of his men fell. Four neat holes to their brow. I grinned. Katarina.
Nathaniel and his men jumped for cover, their heads snapping in all directions trying to ascertain the shooter’s position. “What the fucks going on?” Nathaniel barked.
“Sniper,” one of his men yelled.
I dropped to the floor. “We need to move, stay close to me, and don’t look back, okay,” I whispered in Ria’s ear. She nodded as I took her hand and pulled her up to a crouch. Eyes, blood-red from crying stared at me. “On three. Run.” The second three left my lips, I jumped to my feet, pulling her and ran while firing in the direction of the men. I zipped to the balcony, I knew Kat had sight of, slammed through the doors, and ducked to the side, covering Ria.
The cries from inside and blind shooting told me Nathaniel’s men had tried to follow and Kat was taking them out like practice cans.
“Get them!” Nathaniel shouted.
I gestured to the balcony railing and Ria’s eyes went wide, her head shaking from side to side. “We’re one floor up, it's not that high and it’s our only option.” I pointed to the pool house awning. “Jump on that and you’ll roll off with a few scratches.” When she shook her head again, I leaned closer. “It’s either that or a bullet, baby girl, which would you prefer?”
