Page 59 of Double Booked

I smiled at him. “I’ll collect.” And maybe I would get a chance to. I glanced around but didn’t see any sign of Raymond. Hopefully he disappeared.

We headed to the next game and I hung back to check my phone as the guys stepped up, laughing and shoving each other playfully. I smiled and shook my head before pulling out my phone and checking it. Conrad hadn’t texted again so I slid it back into my pocket.

Cold metal pressed against my back, instantly sending chills up my spine.

“So you’re the whore my son found.”

CHAPTER 27

RILEY

Ifroze, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I registered the gun in my back held by the serial killer I accidentally stumbled across.

“Raymond,” I said evenly.

“So the little shit’s talked about me?” His breath smelled like rotten onions and I breathed through my mouth, trying to take even breaths to calm some of the adrenaline rushing through my brain.

“He doesn’t actually, but I do my research.” I said, not daring to move as he dug the gun deeper into my spine.

“I do mine too,” He said, “That article in the paper was especially helpful.”

I closed my eyes and held in a groan. Fucking Vicky. That’s how he found out about me and the guys.

“I found out you’re a whore just like her. She chose him too. Chose him over me.” I had a feeling I knew who the ‘she’ he was talking about was. His words were manic and his breathing was short and choppy. I had the sinking feeling he was unraveling which meant he was unpredictable. Unpredictable enough to do something in public.

“He doesn’t get to have you though. I’m going to take you just like I took her.”

“Took her where?” I asked, my voice catching despite my best efforts.

He just laughed, the sound grating in my ears. “Move,” he ordered, jamming the gun into my spine. I hesitated, my eyes on the guys engrossed in their game. “Move, or I’ll kill him.” He ordered again and this time I let him guide me away. I couldn't do anything here but maybe if I could get him alone, I could do something. The self defense lessons I had taken for years were jumbling in my head and I tried to keep my breathing even so my brain stayed clear.

He guided me towards the back of the parking lot. I knew I couldn’t get into a car with him. If he got me into a car, it was all going to be over. But I needed him to remove the gun from my spine before I could make my move.

He shoved me and I pretended to trip and fall. “Get up!” He shouted, his voice too loud, it was drawing attention. Someone shouted from my left and he glanced that direction. Grabbing a handful of the gravel and sand at my feet, I flung it up into his eyes. He stumbled backward and I followed up with a kick to his gut. I rushed him, forcing the hand holding the gun to the side. The gun went off and I heard people screaming but I couldn’t look away. I brought my knee up into his groin, groaning as his other hand connected with my ribs, fuck that hurt. I spun into his chest and let my elbow fly backwards, catching him right in the nose. His grip on the gun loosened and I pried it out of his hands. His hand grabbed my arm, draggin me backwards and I threw my head back, connecting with his face. He cursed but his grip loosened and I got free, spinning to face him, the gun in my hands. He advanced on me but he was unsteady and I pulled the gun back and cold cocked him across the temple, dropping him to the ground.

“Stay down!” I ordered him, my hands shaking as I held the gun trained on his chest.

He groaned. “You bitch, you broke my nose!”

I huffed out a laugh. “That’s not all I’ll break if you try getting up.”

He eyed my shaking hands. “You’re not going to kill me.”

“You’re right, cause I’m not a killer. Not like you are. But I will shoot you if you try to move.”

Running footsteps on gravel to my right drew my attention and I glanced that way quickly.

“I should have known when I heard the gunshot that you were going to be in the middle of it.” Conrad ran up with two of his team behind him, his own gun drawn.

“What can I say, trouble seems to follow me.” I said shakily, offering the gun to him as his team members trained theirs on Raymond.

“Have you ever considered that maybe you are the trouble?” He asked.

“Me? No.”

Conrad looks past me. “Well, I would say that you’re probably in trouble right now.” I turned to see the guys standing behind me. Justin's face was unreadable as he watched Conrad’s team members cuff his father. Colton’s eyes darted from me to Justin. His brow was furrowed and his hands were clenched in fists.

I winced. “Maybe a little bit.”

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