Page 19 of Nine

I shake my head. The Savior throws one hand up.

“We could have taken care of this problem hours ago. Now move, Trig.”

The Savior pulls his gun out from his waistband and points it toward us.

“I can’t let you do that,” Trig says, as he pulls his gun out and points it at The Savior.

The Savior’s two men turn and pull their guns out on Trig. Bones draws his gun and points it at the two men. I hold my breath, afraid that the slightest noise will spark a massacre. I don’t think anyone is making it out of this room alive.

“All of this over a whore? Have you lost your mind?” The Savior asks, grinning. “Come on, Trig. Just move out of the way and let’s put this behind us.”

Trig doesn’t respond. He hasn’t even moved. I’m standing behind him like he’s my shield.

“I knew it would come to this. You’re nothing like your brother. At least he had balls. He wasn’t as soft as you are. He was one crazy son of a bitch. He never would’ve let a piece of pussy fuck up his head, but you…you want her. You actually want that used up slut, for what?”

Trig remains calm and still.

“Did she suck you off in this room? Did she make you feel good?” He pauses. “What did she do to you to make you act like such a little bitch?”

“Victor is dead. It’s over. I’m out,” Trig finally responds.

“You’re out when I say you’re out,” The Savior yells. “Do you see my drugs here? Because I don’t. So until I see them in my possession or the equivalent in money then you are still in.”

“I brought you the money I found at the hotel. I’m out,” Trig says through his teeth.

The Savior laughs and rubs his chin. All guns are still up in the air and pointed at each other.

“Don’t insult me. Ten thousand is nothing,” he shouts. “And right now neither are you. So here’s my offer. I’ll let you walk out of here completely free, but the girl stays. Maybe she lives. Maybe she dies. Who knows? It doesn’t really matter, but you, you get to be a free man. Deal?”

Oh my god. He has the opportunity to sacrifice me to the devil and just walk away. What sane person wouldn’t take that offer to save themselves? I reach out and place both of my hands on Trig’s back. I want to remind him that I’m still here. I want to silently communicate to him and beg him not to leave me. He reaches one hand back and pulls me closer to him. My chest is now pushed up against his back, and my head is leaning against his shoulder blade. He assures me with that one move that he hasn’t forgotten me.

“You don’t make fair deals. The moment I leave here, somebody will put a bullet in my brain.”

“Or I could just do it now,” The Savior says.

Suddenly one single shot fires. Trig turns and grabs me, tossing me aside. My sore body crashes against the floor. I look up to see that Trig dodged the bullet, and is now firing off rounds of his own. I quickly crawl over and underneath the bed. I hear more shots being fired off and then I see The Savior’s two men both drop dead on the floor. One of their bodies falls right in front of the bed. He’s so close I could reach out and touch him if I wanted to. I place my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. I hear more gunshots and then I see The Savior’s body drop down to the floor. I watch as Trig’s black boots walk across the room toward him. I can see the gun lower and then pop, pop, pop. Trig fires three more bullets into him. The room fills with silence for a minute, but the ringing in my ears continues.

“Are you crazy? This could start a war. You know he has connections with the cartel,” Bones says.

“She’s innocent. Since when do we kill good people?”

“Uh, since we get paid to do it. That’s when. Let me remind you that you’re still on some IOU type shit with him, so...”

“Not anymore,” Trig says. “He’s dead.”

“Dude. This is my house. You bring a chick here, then you have the boss track me down, and then you kill him in my basement. What the fuck were you thinking?”

“You have medical experience and you have drugs here,” Trig replies.

“I use to be a paramedic, not a damn doctor, and the drugs were not free by the way. I expect some type of compensation for that whole night. I got out of bed, came down to the hotel, and helped you sweep that room. I helped you dispose of that body, and I helped move and treat that hooker. Now throw me a fucking bone and help me out here. ”

“How many times have I had your back?” Trig asks.

My throat starts to close and my chest begins to hurt. I can hardly breathe. I think I’m having some type of panic attack and it’s all because this dead man lying there keeps staring at me.

“Just know this. You’re the one that brought a shit storm to our front door, not me. Congratulations, asshole.”

I can feel myself taking in more air than I should as a puddle of blood begins to move its way on the floor toward me. I try to push my arms up and scoot back from it, but I can’t. I’m hyperventilating and my arms start to shake. The blood touches my fingernail and if I could scream, I would.

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