Page 108 of Dirty Grovel

Because the fucking coward can’t even go down with dignity.

I walk around to the back of the house with my men at my back. My gun is cocked and ready.

Paul Lipovsky won’t leave this place alive.

33

OLEG

The motherfucker is a coward.

But cowards are at their best when they have innocent lives as cannon fodder.

If I squint, it almost looks like Lipovsky has Sutton in his clutches. It’s enough to make me want to pull the trigger where I stand just to get his filthy hands off her.

He’s got an arm fastened securely around her neck, her body almost entirely covering his. Sydney’s hands are scrabbling at the chokehold, her eyes rolling in pure, animalistic panic.

“Let her go, Lipovsky,” I order.

He shakes his head, sweaty hair flopping over his brow. “You think I’m fuckin’ stupid? I let her go and you blow my brains out. This way is better. Cleaner, too. All you have to do is let us go.”

“Not going to happen.”

He presses the gun a little harder to her temple, making Sydney whimper. “Then I’ll pull the damn trigger and paint the walls with her brains. Is that what you want?”

I shrug, feigning disinterest. “What I want is to bury you so deep in the earth that the heat from its core will eviscerate your bones instantly.”

“You’re a damn fool, Pavlov!” he bellows. “You think you’re so fucking smart, coming here to play the damn hero. The Martineks were right about you. So was Drew. He told me you would do anything to save the Palmer whores. He told me that Sutton had you wrapped around her little finger.” He gulps. “But guess what? This is their schtick. They don’t actually give a damn about anything other than your money.”

Tears are streaming down Sydney’s face, mixing with the blood from her split lip.

I take a half-step forward and Lipovsky explodes. “Not another fucking step!” he roars. “Or I’ll shoot. I swear to God, I’ll shoot!”

A frantic, muffled scream escapes Sydney, her eyes growing wild with fear.

“You’re a fucking coward,” I growl.

“Better a coward than a fucking patsy,” he mumbles on, inching towards the road. “You put your neck out for these two bitches and you’ll pay the price. Trust me—Drew’s got enough dirt on both sisters and now that you’ve gone and tied yourself to one, you’re going to go down with them.”

“You like to hear yourself talk, don’t you?” I ask, trying to buy some time, trying to find a way in.

“You should really be listening, Pavlov. You’re the one with the real problem. This little whore here—” He taps the gun against her temple just in case I didn’t know who he was talking about. “—was actually a pretty great find.Untilthat bitch fiancée of yours got involved. She’s the real problem. Uptight little skank.”

Sydney’s eyes harden. She stops struggling so much as her features twist into a scowl.

Lipovsky doesn’t seem to register the change. He just keeps talking, rambling like he’s coked out of his mind.

“Fair warning—that bitch needs to be put in her place. A good beating every now and again should do the trick. That worked great with this little filly. But I’m guessing you’re going to really need to crack the whip with that little?—”

Before he can finish, Sydney rams her head backwards, smashing Lipovsky right in the nose. His hand drops, relinquishing his hold on her.

The brief distraction is all I need.

I take aim and fire.

I’m not the only one.

Half a dozen gunshots ring through the air and when silence finally settles, Lipovsky is lying crumpled and dead in the dirt, a cavernous hole of bone and muscle where his face should be.

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