Page 79 of Knot Yours

The same two men I encountered at the duplex circle me, corralling me in the green space between my back deck and the raised fireplace patio.

“I thought you two were only hired to scare the girl into going back home.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t get all our money. Half to start and half when she went home.”

“You’ve got a problem then. Cruz is dead.”

The two men share a look, but then the bigger asshole says, “That’s too bad, but seeing that the girl belongs to you, it’s now your problem.”

I’m sure simply paying these men off won’t make them disappear. Not since I humiliated them. For the hell of it, I ask anyway. “How much?”

“Five, uh, ten thousand dollars.”

As I’m talking to asshole number one, number two starts toward the house. Shit. I don’t doubt Piper will protect Marisol, but she’ll likely die trying, and still may be unsuccessful.

“I can get you the money,” I yell. “Take me with you. We’ll go right now.”

“Oh, we will, but I don’t trust you. My friend will stay here with your girl while you and I go.”

“Fuck no. Either the three of us leave together, without her, or I don’t go at all.”

The man behind me kicks in the back door, meaning I’m out of time. The gun pointed at me is now only five feet away. “You’ll move now, or I’ll just kill you, sell her, and make even more money. Now that I think about it, that’s a better deal.”

I see it in his eyes the moment he settles on taking my life, but I’m not going out that way. I drop to the ground, anticipating his shot, but the loud bang I hear isn’t from the mobster outside with me.

My gut clenches, and I roll over, looking toward the house, fearing the worst. “Ronaldo!” the guy calls out to the man inside with Marisol. Taking advantage of his distraction, I pick up one of the stones leading up to the pond.

The gun is still aimed toward me, but the bastard’s attention no longer is. He stares at the back door, still calling for his buddy. I’m about to throw the stone at his head when a twig snaps to my right. My heart stops the instant Marisol yells, “Drop your gun!”

The man whirls around to see Marisol lined up on him and then takes a second to ensure I’m still in his sights. “So stupid, señorita,” he taunts. “Your dog is dead, your man is about to be dead, and you will come with us.”

Marisol’s courage wavers, but I see something impossible walking past the dining room windows. Piper. The Mali approaches the busted door without the slightest whisper of sound.

The gunman continues to mock Marisol as I try to gauge Piper’s progress through the kitchen. The timing will be critical if my girls and I are to live through this. Piper peers around the opening, and I signal her to hold.

The gun aimed at me starts to wobble. The bastard lacks the stamina to hold the heavy pistol up much longer. That’s it. That’s the opening I’ve been waiting for.

I dive to a prone position, yelling as I do. “Piper, fass!”

The first bullet whizzes overhead, missing me. Piper clamps her jaws around the man’s throat, and I jump to my feet, knowing he’s about to start firing again. “Marisol, take cover!”

I run toward the growling, bleeding mass of moving limbs, dodging the next two shots. Hair-curling screams become gurgles as blood fills the man’s throat. I finally reach the pair and grab his gun hand.

He squeezes the trigger three times in his fight to retain control of the weapon, but the bullets are sent toward the trees. I snap his wrist, and the gun falls uselessly to the ground. A hard kick sends it skidding across the patio, and I command Piper to let go of the man’s neck.

After getting a good look at what’s left of his throat, I command Piper to watch him. If he moves again, she’ll finish what she started. He’ll die anyway, but I don’t want to take any chances while I check on Marisol and find Ronaldo.

“Marisol, come here.”

She peeks around the corner and rushes toward me when she notices the scene. I take the gun from her trembling fingers, and she throws her arms around my waist.

“You’re okay?” I ask.

She nods into my chest, refusing to let go. “Yes. I left Piper to deal with the guy on the inside and came around the front to help you.”

The gunshot inside makes me worry about Piper, but I can’t stop to check on her now. “Get behind me and follow my every step.”

Marisol nods and crowds against my back. I move through the door, heading left, where I’m sure the shot came from. I don’t have to search long. Ronaldo is sprawled out on the floor in the hall. Both arms are a shredded mess, and he’s leaning against the wall as the blood drains from his body.

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