Page 117 of Crush

"What now?" I questioned Kinlan as I stood there next to the guy who should have a bullet in him. The mobster quirked a brow as he lowered his gun before shoving it inside his jacket.

His men kept their weapons trained on Harker and me. My fingers itched with the need to attack, but I knew doing so at that point would be suicide. Any sudden moves would be fatal. I wished I’d pocketed my phone to signal Gabe somehow but it had fallen into the footwell when I’d rammed the limo. On impulse, my hand must have slid to my pocket as Kinlan suddenly said, “Keep your hands where I can see them sunshine.”

“I thought you were supposed to be on my side,” I sneered. Where was that honour that Gabe spoke about?

“I’m on the side I’m always on. Mine,” he replied smoothly.

My eyes narrowed as Kinlan washed a hand down the scruff on his jaw, giving me a thoughtful look, before turning on Harker. I wondered if I’d get my wish for the opportunity to unleash hell. As the mob boss stood there weighing up the options, I realised there was a reason for the saying; be careful what you wish for.

"I think you should settle this big dick contest the old-fashioned way. It will be more fulfilling."

“Just shoot the fucker,” I snapped.

Kilan blew out a breath and quirked his brow, “Where’s the honour in that?”

“You want us to fight?” Harker questioned, as dumbfounded as I was. Under any other circumstances, it would have been funny.

“Call it an initiation,” Kinlan replied.

"So, we fight, without any interference from your men?" I questioned, jumping straight on board withthatidea. I was desperate to lay Harker out cold.

This got me a sarcastic clap from Kinlan, “So, you’re not just a pretty face,” he said, sneering at me. If he weren’t so certifiably schizo and surrounded by armed guards, I’d have twatted the fucker.

“How can I trust you?”

“I give you my word.” Like that was worth shit.

My eyes flicked to Amber's. Her face showed how terrified she was and I longed to console her, make her see she had nothing to worry about. I glanced over her body, she didn’t look injured, just very out of place in tight skinny jeans and a pink GAP sweater. I wondered fleetingly if her feet had healed.

The guy I now thought of as my biggest mistake, switched focus to where I was looking and signalled for his man to let her go. Thank God for small mercies.

Amber was poised and ready to run to me but I shook my head at the same time Kinlan said, “Stay where you are princess. You don’t want to get mixed up in this business.” She settled, remaining where she was as the man who had held her withdrew a gun and nudged her in the ribs with it. Amber was shaking as she glanced down at the cold hard steel pressed into her side. What had I done? I shouldneverhave involved these guys.

“You better not hurt her,” I growled at Kinlan and he rolled his eyes.

“You know me, I don’t hurt women. Unless I’m forced to.” No, you just tie them to a chair and terrify them. I felt like saying. Thinking back to that day we got Leonie back.

Amber’s gaze scoured the party of thugs before resting on me and I sent her a soft smile of reassurance. It was all I could do as she clearly didn’t understand what was going on. And how could she? She wouldn't know who Kai Kinlan was or what they were doing there. And in all honesty, at that point, I had no way of knowing whose side he was on. The two criminals knew each other but they didn’t appear to be on friendly terms.

What if they went way back? I inwardly kicked myself again about going to see the mafia in the first place. Kinlan was a criminal and they made up their own rules. So much for Gabe's opinion that he believed his high school acquaintance had some moral compass.

“How about you let me end him with a bullet so we can get this over with quickly? I have money. You take the money and I get the girl. That’s all I want,” Harker said. That was sonothappening.

“Over my dead body,” I growled.

“That would be a bonus,” Harker sneered before turning back to Kinlan who looked on with veiled interest. “Take the money and let me leave with the girl. You can do whatever you want with that.” He flicked his head my way at the word that.

Kinlan remained silent.

“Or you could just put a bullet in him and I’ll sign the warehouses over to you for free,” I offered in a gruff voice.

Kinlan shrugged and leaned back against the SUV behind him. “Wow, so many offers. It feels like Christmas,” he snarked.

“I think a fight to the death is more manly, don’t you? So many people rely on weapons these days.”

“And the winner gets the girl?” I questioned, glancing towards Amber.

"Why not? It should prove entertaining."

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