Page 50 of Protector

I’d let myself feel it, just as soon as they were dead.

She looked down at the floor with a nod. “I’m so sorry—”

My breathing gradually evened out, and I relaxed my shoulders before looking up at the clock on the wall.

“Don’t be sorry,” I snapped. “I’m so sick of everyone being sorry. I just want to get this over with so that I can go back to my life.”

“Absolutely. Where’s your gun?”

Heat flooded my face as I admitted, “I, um, I didn’t bring it.”

“What do you mean you didn’t bring it?” She narrowed her eyes, hands already moving up onto her hips. Any minute now, she was going to use her ‘mom voice’ on me.

“Well…” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat. “You see, there’s actually a really good explanation. A gunshot is going to attract the attention of every man in that motel and, according to the cleaning lady, the windows don’t open. So, obviously, I’ll need to find a quieter method for… all that.”

With a heavy sigh, Molly sank down onto one of the worn beanbag chairs. “That makes sense, but how exactly were you planning on handling ‘all that?’”

I pulled the bodice of the dress away from my body to reveal the boning knife hidden in my corset bra. “With this.”

She dropped her head down into her waiting palm with another sigh. “We’re dealing with hardened criminals here, and you’re bringing a knife to a gunfight. Literally. Please tell me you have a backup plan.”

“The knife is my backup plan.” Her head shot up hopefully. “I’m going to lead with jiu-jitsu, disarm him, and then just…” I gestured toward my throat with trembling hands. “Just do the… thing.”

“Jesus Christ, Celia. When you said you were ending it tonight, I sort of thought you had some foolproof plan in place.”

I straightened the dress. “It is foolproof! Tony said I was quickly becoming one of the best students in my class. I can take down men twice my size—”

“We need to call the club. Grey was ready to kick my ass for bringing you toLeather & Lacefor fight night, can you imagine what he’d do to me if I let you get yourself killed?”

“You really think he cares what happens to me now? I threw him out, Molly. Four years ago. Have you seen him around anywhere? Because I sure as hell haven’t.”

I snagged the small purse from the table and headed toward the door. “Either you’re helping me or running to the club to tattle, but you can’t do both.”

“I want to help you,” she pleaded. “But think about the girls, Celia!”

“Did you already forget the threat against Kate? I am thinking about the girls. I’m doing this for them.”

She followed me down the stairs. “Celia, what happened to you that night? I want to help you, I do. But I can’t if you won’t open up to me.”

Molly meant well; I knew she did, but giving my demons a voice wasn’t going to help anyone. Once she realized she wasn’t going to get an answer out of me, she let it go and got in the car.

We’d decided on our drop-off location after following Manny for a week. He and his friends congregated every evening in the parking lot of a sleazy by-the-hour motel just off the interstate, just blocks from where the local prostitutes gathered. Wanting to keep the list of potential witnesses at zero, we found a spot in between the two, near a towing company.

“It’s not too late to back out,” Molly blurted out as she pulled up to the curb. “I just mean, I don’t want you to feel like this is all on you.”

The dome light kicked on as I opened the door, illuminating a face that had gone white as a sheet. She looked as if she was going to be sick at any moment.

“Hey,” I reached across the console to squeeze her hand. “It’s going to be okay. If I’m not back within an hour, you have my blessing to call in the cavalry.”

She looked at the glowing green numbers on the dash and then back to me. “One hour. Please be safe.”

“Who knows? He might be in the mood for a brunette tonight, in which case, I’ll be back sooner than you think.” I laughed, even though the thought left me feeling hollow inside.

This had to work.

I didn’t have a plan B.

As I teetered down the block, it quickly became apparent that I was never going to master wearing heels. Nothing about my movements screamed grace or sexiness; if anything, I resembled a drunk toddler.

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