“Umm,” Joy says, “I have a cute purple taser?”
“That’s good enough. Unless you want to shoot someone, in which case you can use this.” I hand it over to her without looking but then frown at her when she moves to take it from my hand. “Did we cover how to shoot the other day?”
“I did ask but you just showed me the safety, told me to make sure it was off, aim and pull the trigger,” Joy shrugs.
“You’re a good student, Joy. And hopefully a good shot.”
She stops in her tracks. “Wait, why?”
I stop just before the dining room, turn to my friends and I can’t help the smile that twitches at the corners of my lips. “Because we’re goin’ hunting, and Petrov is the prey.”
Joy
Chewy’s plan seems foolproof. And by foolproof I mean it would work perfectly if I knew that I could shoot with accuracy. Oh, and actually shoot at another human being. I have never once thought to take someone's life before, and now here I am, hiding in an alcove with Loyal from the Keep Chapter, a gun in my hand and my sights on Petrov. He’s sitting slightly away from Reid’s family’s dining table, just inside the doorway, pretty much as far as he can get from the DRMC and their friends and family. To most people he’d look calm enough, but I see that rage that he has simmering beneath the surface. The way he looks like he has not a care in the world, when really he’s just waiting for his moment to strike. Travis would do that. Act all polite, caring even, when we were in public, but I could always feel when he was off. When the anger was brewing underneath the surface. I knew on those days I would pray for the strength to make it through another beating. Pray that I’d wake up. Those days are long gone, but the feelings are all still there, with Petrov bringing them to the forefront of my mind. This isn’t a man that takes kindly to being told no.
“You have to be fucked up if you think we’d do business with a man who buys little girls.Ourlittle girls,” Marx rumbles low and dangerous.
“I feel like the deal will be mutually beneficial,” Petrov says, waving his hand dismissively.
A few of the men growl out their displeasure but my eyes are glued to Chewy on the other side of the room, standing just inside the alcove. Lovely stands beside her, her gun alreadyin her hand. Chewy dips her chin and I take a deep breath, tightening my sweaty hand around the grip of my gun. My eyes flick down to check the safety is off and I try to take a cleansing breath but it gets caught in my throat.
“Breathe, Joy. Take a breath,” Loyal murmurs before gripping my free hand with hers. “You don’t have to do this, remember? There are four of us. If even one of us makes the shot, it will be a success.”
I nod, unable to use my words. My thoughts bounce around my mind and anxiety chokes me. If only Loyal knew that it’s not the thought of taking his life that is causing me stress, it’s how comfortable I feel with the decision. How every movement he makes has my self preservation kicking in. How every word out of his mouth has me hating him more and more.
A movement out of the corner of my eye has my gaze back on Chewy, her stance and gun slightly angled, probably a good thing as I don’t want to be caught in her cross fire. Although she did say with the guns we’re using any bullets will most likely lodge inside of him. The thought horrifies me and excites me at the same time.
She nods once, and I raise my gun, fixing my stance and hold to mirror Chewy’s, my grip sweaty but steady. She holds her fingers up and slowly counts them down. My breathing quickens and I close my eyes a beat before blinking them open, my attention locked on Petrov’s droning voice.
“I mean, what are those kids to you anyway? None of them are biologically yours. They’re all leftovers. Children nobody wanted. Some of them, not even their own father wanted them, hence why he sold them. Mutts the lot of th-”
Chapter 24
Switch
Aloud fucking boom fills the room as Petrov’s head explodes then another as his driver hits the floor in a heap. My body jumps to attention, reflexes have my gun drawn and in my hand before I can even process what the fuck happened. And then there is Dima. Unaware of all the guns pointed at him as he strolls into the room and leans over the body.
“No fair! He was meant to be ours,” Chewy says stepping out of the alcove on the left side of the dining room, hands fisted on her hips. “Get pregnantone timeand everyone steals your fun. This fucking blows.” She ends her tirade with a huff and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Chewy, what the fuck do you think you were doing?” Rhodie rounds on her, across the room in two strides and holding her gently to his chest while he berates her.
“Ah, she wasn’t in this alone,” Lovely says, stepping out behind Chewy, gun hanging limp in her hand.
“Yeah, we were all in on it,” Loyal says from the other side of the room.
“Ah, hi,” Joy smiles guiltily and gives everyone a shy wave.
I stare at her in silence, shocked that not only is my woman holding a fucking hand gun, but she seemed to be happy to go along with whatever crackpot plan Chewy seemed to have in mind.
“Chewy?” Marx asks, fatigue lacing his words.
“We were gonna kill him. I don’t have time for a long torture session tonight. My feet hurt, I have gas and I really need Halloween candy.” Chewy pouts up at Rhodie who rolls his eyes.
“All four of you were going to kill him?” Rider asks, looking confused.
“Yeah, we all do it, Marx won't be able to tell whose bullet was the one that finished him off, and you can’t punish all of us.”
“Dayz,” Gus asks gently, “have you been watching Agatha Christie again?”
