Page 104 of Forgotten Deal

“Nope, you’ve gotta wait for juicy stuff.”

“You’re still a tease,” she says, hanging up.

I throw on some comfy clothes and step into my sandals as I grab my keys and a bottle of wine, and I’m out the door.

Driving to Taylor’s, I park on the street and walk to her front door. Ringing the bell, she opens the door with a weird look on her face. “Told you I was coming,” I say, stepping inside as she closes the door behind me.

Dominic, she mouths.

“Oh my God, Taylor, this isn’t about Dominic!” I cut her off.

Something’s wrong, and following her eyes, I turn around to find Dominic standing beside an amused Gavin.

“What are you two doing here?” I ask, my body on high alert.

“We’re here to take you ladies on a little trip,” Gavin says.

“No thanks,” I say, shifting toward the door, but Dominic’s already beat me there, blocking the exit. Releasing my hold of the wine bottle to where it drops, and I’m now holding it by the neck, I swing with all my might. The bottle connects with Dominic’s forehead, and he topples to the ground. “Come on!” I grab Taylor’s hand, but before we can make it out the door, the sound of a click has me pausing.

I slowly turn around to find Gavin holding a gun with a long attachment to Taylor’s temple. “Nice KO. My only critique is I would have liked a full extension on that swing—just like your punches—but kudos to you for the quick thinking. Just not quicker than me.” He points the gun at Dominic and pulls the trigger; it feels like I’m watching in slow motion as part of Dominic’s skull is blown off, blood splattering on the door behind him.

Taylor screams, and Gavin slaps a hand over her mouth, pulling her against his body with the gun firmly planted against her temple. “See, that trip I was telling you about? It wasn’t a request.”

“You’re making a big mistake,” I warn, holding up my trembling hands.

“Let’s go,” he barks. “Out through the back. Kat, you first. Hands on top of your head and keep them there. You try anything else, I’ll put a bullet between Taylor’s eyes.”

I place my hands on my head and walk to the kitchen, glancing over my shoulder to watch Gavin drag Taylor with the gun still firmly planted to her temple.

“Lay down on the floor on your stomach and put your hands on top of your head,” Gavin orders me.

“Let’s talk about this,” I say, falling to my knees and doing as he commands. I lift my head, watching as he slaps a piece of duct tape over Taylor’s mouth before securing her with zip ties to a chair. Tears stream down my friend’s face as he walks over to me, securing my wrists roughly, and then my ankles. “If it’s me you’re after, let Taylor go.”

Gavin doesn’t respond, slapping a piece of duct tape over my mouth. He opens the back door, and I crane my neck so I can see—a car backed up to the door with the trunk open. He hustles down the stairs, returning with a plastic gasoline container. Placing it on the table, he picks me up; I thrash against him as he walks me down the stairs and tosses me in the trunk.

“No!” I scream, but my cries are muffled as he closes the trunk and everything goes black.

Oh my God, he's going to burn down the house with Taylor inside. Tears sting my eyes at the thought of my friend trapped with no way out. I squirm and struggle to no avail; I can’t do a damn thing except wait for my friend to die.

The trunk lurches open, and Gavin curses quietly, tossing Taylor in on top of me. I moan at the impact of her body hitting mine, but she’s alive, so I’ll take it. “Be thankful I’m in a good mood today,” he mutters, closing the trunk.

It’s pitch-black, and I can’t see Taylor, but I can feel her body tense when a loud boom rattles the trunk, and I can definitely feel her hot tears falling from her cheeks and landing on mine when she realizes Gavin just blew up her house.

Kat

Having arrived at a warehouse, I’m dragged into a small room, unable to see what’s happening to Taylor. Gavin’s speaking to someone right outside the door, but I can’t make out what’s being said. I test the restraints on the chair I’m tied to, but I can’t move.

Gavin strolls into the room, ripping the tape off my mouth. “Oww!”

“Small world, isn’t it?” he muses.

“Why am I here?” I demand.

He smiles, taking a seat across from me and casually crossing his leg at the ankle, as if we’re just two friends hanging out. “Funny story. See, I had no clue about your connection to the Parisi family. It wasn’t until you kept pestering me about dealing, and then the family started following me, that I looked into your background. Turns out curiosity does kill the cat.”

“You’re not going to kill me,” I bluff. “Why go to all this trouble bringing me here? Unless you need me alive.”

“She’s quick, and she’s smart, ladies and gentlemen,” he mocks. “Not to mention connected. Cousin of the Parisi family enforcer. Lover of the Parisi family capo.” He whistles. “My, how things just got interesting.”

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