Page 66 of Loving Smoke

Marisol sidestepped around us with the gun trained on Sandoval. “Did you tell them how you had your wife, my mother, murdered? Then blamed it on their club.”

My eyes flew to Marisol, then to Sandoval. “Is that true?”

“Of course, it’s true,” Marisol answered. “This man—” She waved the gun at Sandoval—“my father, has no regard for human life.”

“You won’t shoot me.” Sandoval advanced and Marisol backed up. “Because you’re weak, just like her.” The front door opened and Sandoval yelled to the guard, “Grab her.”

The beefy bodyguard grabbed Marisol from behind and twisted her wrist until the gun clattered onto the marble floor. Then he shoved her at Sandoval who spun her around gripping her around the waist.

“Amazing how quickly the position of power can shift,” Sandoval gloated.

Marisol fought against his hold, and Sandoval pressed the gun to her head. “Now, we’re going to handle this situation my way.”

24

Sandoval pressing a gun to Marisol’s temple changed everything. My brain spun with all the ways this could go sideways.

“I hadn’t planned on the day going this way, but over the years I’ve learned to be flexible.” Sandoval’s lifeless voice chilled me. “I’d arranged for you and Blood to be dealt with on the winding roads back to Tijuana, but this will work too.” Sandoval jerked his head to the hallway where Marisol had appeared only seconds before. “Move.”

“Fuck that.” I had to back him down, but I had no illusions about this bastard shooting all of us. I nodded to Blood. “We’re not doin’ shit.”

Sandoval pressed the gun harder into Marisol’s temple and her eyes connected with mine and widened. “Not even to save the beautiful girl.”

I swallowed hard then sneered. “I don’t give a fuck what happens to her.”

“A man’s eyes tell many stories and I didn’t miss the flicker of emotion in yours when she appeared.”

“Yeah, and that emotion is hate. Bitch lied to me, then fucked my brains out hoping to get information about our setup.” I huffed out a harsh laugh. “Ice the whore, I don’t give a shit.”

“Of course you don’t because you’re nothing but a low life biker.” Marisol twitched, then arched her back, but Sandoval pulled her closer. “I hated every minute with you.”

Her gaze burned into me. Each silently trying to read the other. The convincing tone of her voice pinched a nerve, but I had to play this out. In three large steps, I moved closer to her and ran my fingers over her breast, pinching her nipple through her thin t-shirt.

Sandoval’s eyes widened, but he didn’t try to protect her like I’d hoped, so I slid my hand over her waist, then squeezed the flesh of her thigh and snarled. “That’s not what you said when I pounded you with my cock.”

She hissed in a breath as her cheeks flushed. Keeping perfect eye contact, I grazed the inside of her thigh and she flinched. In one smooth move, I bent over, released the gun from around my ankle, yanked Marisol out of Sandoval’s grasp and shoved her toward Blood. He used the diversion to secure his Beretta, then angled Marisol behind him.

“Put the fuckin’ guns down,” I ordered Sandoval and the bodyguard.

“Never,” Sandoval yelled.

“Stop this,” Marisol ran between me and Sandoval.

I reached for her, but she evaded me.

“Drop it,” I said to the guard and when he didn’t obey I added, “He had his wife murdered so do you really think he gives a shit about you?”

Sandoval turned his head toward the guard. “Don’t listen to him.”

“I mean, shit, he was ready to smoke his own daughter so what do you think your chances are?”

The guard wavered and I raised my gun higher targeting Sandoval. His eyes bugged out and a second later a shot rang out from behind me. Sandoval’s eyes registered shock, then he crumbled onto the marble flooring.

Silence filled the foyer along with the smell of gun powder. Marisol’s face paled, and I followed her gaze to a guy in swim shorts holding a gun. I rushed to Marisol and she collapsed into my arms.

“Let’s go,” Blood yelled behind me, but he was three seconds too late. The guards from outside barged through the door and more gunfire ricocheted through the room.

I lifted Marisol into my arms and threw her over my shoulder as bullets whizzed past my head. Blood covered me from behind as I did my best to shield Marisol from the gunshots exploding around us. Just as I reached the door the searing sting of a bullet radiated through my shoulder, but I pounded down the stairs focused on the van and our escape.

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