Page 88 of Butcher

There was no way I could fight these three huge men, guns or no guns. And they still had all theirs. All I was left with was my knife. Donna was useless in close quarters like this. Well, not completely useless, but not the best close range weapon. And one of the brutes stood between me and her anyway.

Randal laughed. “Shows what you know. You don’t drop a contract like this.”

“Why?”

“Because these people are more connected than you could ever imagine. You double cross them and you’re the one who ends up dead.” He sniffed, tugging at the sleeves of his suit. “And I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.”

Gunfire exploded down below. “You hear that right?” I asked, cocking my head. I was doing my best to keep my eye on all four of them. Well, eight of them, since I was still seeing double. I was screwed if I lost focus and one of them came my way. All it would take would be one haymaker and I’d be out like a light. “They’re coming for you.”

“I’m not worried about them,” Randal said with a wide smile. “My men will take care of them.”

It took all my self-control to hold back a snort of laughter. He clearly hadn’t been paying attention. The four men down below were decimating his guards. Idiot.

One of the mountains moved my way. I jerked to the side and let Stabby fly. When she landed solidly in the man’s shoulder, versus his heart, I swore and moved my fingers. “Sticky,” I muttered. “Those girls are going to get a talking to about touching my stuff.”

I bolted out of the way as the second and third guard came my way, but there was nowhere for me to go. I was caged in by walls of muscle and a three story drop off. I ducked as one ape made a grab for me and I managed to get behind him and grab his gun. But I was outnumbered and these men weren’t worried about hurting me. As soon as I turned, I was backhanded so hard it knocked me on my ass.

“Pretty,” the man grunted as he grabbed me by the throat.

I couldn’t respond because the asshole hauled me up and was holding me in the air.

“Too bad.” His eyes were soulless and the only thing I could see in them was a perverted heat. “Waste of good meat.”

He turned, took two steps, and dangled me over the edge of the roof.

I wasn’t sure if I was scratching at his hands to let me go, or to hang onto him so he didn’t drop me. The fear was overwhelming. I always thought I’d face my death with dignity and pride, but that wasbefore I had someone else to live for. Before I’d known what love was. Now that I had so much to lose, the thought of dying had panic ripping through me.

“Butcher!” Randal called out.

The firing below ceased, and silence descended.

I could barely breathe. I certainly wasn’t going to land on my feet if I fell, though. This was a shitty situation overall. The sound of a wounded animal roaring was all I could hear as I lost consciousness.

CHAPTER 30

Butcher

Ididn’t know how to describe the emotions clawing at me when I looked up and saw Isla’s limp body hanging from that fucker’s hand. I didn’t know if she was dead or alive. But if he dropped her there’d be no fucking question about it. It took me a minute to realize the bellow of fury and pain had come from me, but I was already charging up the stairs. The world was going to pay for taking my Terror away from me. This goddamn country would burn. I’d kill anyone standing in my path.

I was panting by the time I gained access to the roof, but I didn’t stop to examine whether it was from the rage or exertion. I had tunnel vision and the only thing I could see was Isla dangling and that piece of shit holding her. I charged, not caring if we all went over the fucking side of the building.

The monster of a man standing in front of me clearly didn’t want to die that way, though, because he pulled Isla back in and tossed herlimp body a few feet away. She landed with a skid. As much as I wanted to run to her side, my desire to kill him took priority. We hit with a bone jarring crunch. He was too fucking low to deserve a bullet. I was going to beat him to death with my fists.

“Ah, ah, ah, Drop it.”

I heard from behind me. It was Toxic. I knew my friend was taking care of the other men on this roof so I could focus. I swung my fist around and caught the big bastard in the side. His grunt of pain was like music to my ears. I wasn’t paying any attention to the blows he rained down on me, because I was returning them with interest.

“You better drop that gun or I’ll put a bullet between her pretty gray eyes.”

I growled at Randal’s order, but there wasn’t much I could do right now. I had to trust my brother and our friends to take care of my girl while I fucked this piece of shit up. Though, it did add to the urgency, so I stopped punching and locked both hands around his neck. I squeezed and twisted at the same time until I felt the crunch and pop in my fingers. His eyes bulged and reddened like they might explode. He was done. His trachea crumpled beneath my fingers as he gasped for breath.

The man stared at me with a shocked expression. I didn’t bother to finish him. He was going to be dead in minutes. I grabbed the gun from where I’d shoved it in the back of my pants and turned. One of the guards was standing over Isla, his gun pointed at her. Randal was on her other side. The third was a few feet away from them. They thought they had some kind of standoff. I didn’t hesitate, just pulled my gun out, aimed and fired, sending my round through that man’s worthless brain.

“Stop!” Randal shouted, but there was no longer excitement and victory in his tone, like there’d been when he’d called my name earlier. Now there was fear. “Unless you want her dead.”

My eyes dropped to Isla and the relief nearly buckled my knees when I saw her chest rising and falling. She was still out, but at least she was alive. I focused back on Randal. “You’re already dead.”

His smile was uncertain. “I’m the one with the upper hand here, Butcher.” He motioned down toward Isla. “At least, I am if you care anything about her.”

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