Page 58 of Saving Bonnie

Fuck.A dull ache spreads through my chest, turning to fury. Why did I wait? I could have saved her.

I palm my gun, letting my fingers settle in place.

I check the row as I pass, making sure I don’t get any surprises. All I can see is pallets of food. Going left, I head behind the building. Something clatters nearby.

“Chingado.”

It’s him. I head in, not bothering to mask my footsteps. A light shines from an open door next to the restrooms. Past that is an industrial-sized freezer.

Conrado Villa comes around the corner, rolling a mop and bucket. He stops, kicking the wheel as he mutters.

After all the hours we put into tracking, this piece of shit is hiding here, with Rick.

“Hey, the wheel on this fucking—” He looks up. His eyes grow huge and his skin goes a satisfying shade of gray. “Fuuuuck!”

He takes off at a run, knocking the mop bucket in front of me.

I push off, breaking into a run. Conrado slips around, his arm extended. Fuck.

A shot rings out. My foot slides, and Montoya’s words flash into my mind.Let yourself fall. I relax my muscles, letting myself go down.

Thwack. The bullet hits above my head. A second shot goes high.

My hand hits the floor and, with the impact, I jerk the trigger.

Conrado screams, crumpling to the floor.

I push up, watching him clutch his hip. Well, son of a bitch. Lucky shot because I would have ended him. As it is, that hip should keep him in place until Dante gets here. I’ve got someone else to deal with.

The door to the freezer opens. Rick steps out, pulling off a heavy jacket. “Did you—” He stops, the jacket halfway off, when he catches sight of me.

She’s gone.

Anger flares into rage threatening to consume my every thought.

His hands are visible. His jeans cover his boots to the ankle. Everything in between is hidden by the jacket.

“Where’s Bonnie?” The edge in my voice is sharp as my knife.

“Hey, man.” He looks past me to the door. “How did you get in here?”

“Where. Is. Bonnie?”

“Rick…” Conrado manages to get a word in. “Help me.” He’s still cradling his side.

The chill of the freezer escapes as Rick shifts his weight to lean against the door. “She was all hot for me, ya know.” He shrugs, but his eyes show how nervous he really is. “She came by. We fucked. She left.”

My voice drops as I gather my calm. “I’m not going to ask again.”

“Look, man.” He jerks his shoulder, letting a sleeve slip down. “You’re just not—”

I pull the trigger, hitting his knee.

“Motherfucker.” He lands on all fours, his damaged leg folding under him. “Argh!” His scream ends, his breath creating a cloud as he pants. Rolling on his side, he tucks his leg.

My only question is which hand is going for a gun. My next bullet hits his right shoulder.

“Argh! Fuck!”

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