Page 84 of Protected

“You?You honestly think you can take me?” He rushed toward her, and Parker stiffened when the idiot grabbed the front of her hoodie.

She can take care of herself, Parker reminded himself seconds before Chelsey throat-punched Terrance.

Then with the quickness of a ninja, she kicked his legs from under him, sending him crashing to the floor face first. Nobody saw it coming, especially Terrance who was laid out gasping for air and holding his face.

“Get away from him!” Asshole #2 yelled, aiming the gun at her.

“Maaaan,” Parker growled, his hands balled into fists while he struggled to stay seated.

He had to stick to his plan. Sit tight until Wolf arrived. But that was hard to do while watching this shit. Chelsey might’ve been well trained, but guns could accidentally go off.

“Get the gun out of my face,” she said calmly.

“Not until you get the fuck away from him!”

She struck. Grabbed the barrel of the gun, twisted it back toward the man until he couldn’t hold onto it. Then she pointed it at him.

“Now, get on your knees!” When he didn’t move, Chelsey cocked the gun, and he hurried to his knees with his hands up.

“Damn, woman.” The words slipped from Parker before he could stop them. “I think I just fell more in love with you.”

She grinned. “Baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Wait until I hogtie them and put them out by the dumpster.”

Parker couldn’t stay seated any longer. He stood to help her but stumbled when his legs gave out. Catching himself, he stood still until he got his footing.

“You okay?” Chelsey asked. She kept the gun trained on the guys while she rustled through the toolbox.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” When she pulled a roll of tape from the box and handed it to him, he almost laughed. “Great, more duct tape.”

They made quick work of slapping tape over the guys’ mouths, and then dragged them out back. Tying them up with the rope Terrance had brought with him was tricky, but they got it done.

“How do you want to handle this?” Chelsey asked once they were back inside.

After shoving Asshole #2’s gun into the back of his waistband, hidden under his shirt, Parker retook his seat. Chelsey placed the tape back around his wrists and ankles, but in a way he could easily break free.

“I’d prefer we get out of here and let the authorities deal with Wolf and Elder, but I need to confront him. I just don’t like the idea of you being here, but I know I’ll be wasting my time asking you to leave.”

She placed a lingering kiss on his lips. “You know me so well.”

“I do, and if you don’t leave, at least stay out of sight. Once Wolf gets over the initial shock of seeing me alive, he’s going to want to inflict his own level of punishment. I’ll be able to handle him as long as I know you’re safe.”

Chelsey shook her head. “I don’t like this. What about the others?”

“Wolf won’t let them touch me.”

“Maybe we should stick to the original plan of letting the authorities…” Chelsey’s words trailed off when they heard a door open, and voices filtered in.

Parker didn’t have to tell her to get lost. She squeezed his arm and ran to the back wall where tons of tires and pallets were located. He hoped they were enough to keep her hidden.

Two men came into view. One was Asshole #1—the guy who had first approached Parker at the restaurant. The other man walking beside him—Wolf.

But where was Elder?

As Wolf talked to the guy, asking him where the men who were supposed to be watching “Junior” were, all Parker could do was stare.

All thoughts of anything else flew from his brain as his past life flashed through his mind like a black-and-white film.Gangs. Drugs. His mother’s death.

Asshole #1 stood back while Wolf approached, walking slowly as if approaching a dead body in a casket.

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