Page 56 of The Associate

“We are looking out for our dear Johnny in there,” big guy number one steps closer to whisper in my ear.

I move my hand down to the holster on my leg. Empty. “Fuck!”That is not meant to be said out loud.

Big guy number two holds up a small gun. “Looking for this, princess?” He mocks. “It’s a little small, but it’s cute.”

He throws it onto the counter. I am small and nimble, I can easily duck underneath him, take the gun, put a bullet somewhere on his body and then get the other guy. Small height and speed are on my side.

“What do you want with me?” I ask them, watching their two brain cells bounce between one another.

“Your friend will notice you are not in the shadows,” big guy one says.

“But by then you will be dead,” says the other.

“Now you see boys, that’s where you’re wrong,” I smile. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve and my friend out there wouldn’t have left me alone if he didn’t trust I could take care of myself.”

In reality, Mason thinks we are alone with Johnny. He hadn’t been expecting these two to be here.Come on Mason, please notice I am gone,I think as one of the big guys blocks the view of the doorway.

The second guy starts to walk towards me. His head tilts to the side in confused interest. “Who are you anyway?” he asks. “I know that’s Viper in there, everyone knows who he is, but you are a mystery.”

“That’s none of your concern.” I put my hand into the back pocket of my jeans.

Smart enough to take the gun, dumb enough to leave the knife. These two aren’t going to be alive for long.

Taking one step to the left towards where my gun lay, I watch them. They move in the opposite direction, clearly forgetting they had put it there in the first place.Dipshits.I take another step.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the first one asks. “Stay still.”

“Sorry boys, I had one too many energy drinks today and I can’t stay still.”

“If you don’t stop moving, we will make you.” The first guy steps up in front of me.

I hear a bang come from the other room.About fucking time,Iinternally berate him for not realising I disappeared sooner. I can keep this pair occupied but for how long?

As if on queue, the big guy I had been talking to steps up towards me, raising his hand – and the next second it is coming down to connect with my face, but instead connects with the sharp blade in my hand.

He roars in pain, holding his hand against his chest, my knife still sticking out of it.Sorry, Mason. It was do or die.I sidestep the big wall of muscle coming straight at me.

Swiping my gun off the table, I pull the slide back.

Bang!

Down goes number one.

The other guy stares at me in shock. His friend lay lifeless on the floor, a bullet hole in his head.

Holy shit, I just killed a guy.

That felt amazing, I feel alive.

“You fucking bitch!” the living guy yells. “You killed my brother!”

Looking down at the body on the floor, I smile. “I guess I did.” I turn my gaze back on him. “And you’re next.”

I don’t have time to pull the trigger on number two before Mason comes bursting through the door, letting off another shot, and the other guy drops to the floor next to his brother’s lifeless body.

“Genevieve?” he calls.

I lean against the wall and slide down it until I am sitting on the ground, my hands instinctively moving to my side where I had been stabbed only weeks ago. I stare at the bodies in front of me.

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