Page 67 of Hidden Ties

Gingerly, she stepped closer to the ledge. The only reason she could see so clearly up here was because the full moon illuminated the rooftop as if it were a spotlight. She could almost swear it looked kind of blue.

Click.

The sound of the safety on the gun being disengaged was unmistakable, letting her know the severity of her current situation before Edmond had even told her.

“Time’s up.”

TWENTY-FIVE

YOU SURE YOU’RE JUST A LAWYER?

Click.

“The only person whose time is up is yours, motherfucker,” Sal said, pushing the barrel of his gun into the back of Edmond’s skull. He would have blown his brains out sky high over the Kansas City skyline if Valerie weren’t so close to the edge of the roof.

Unable to concentrate on Valerie, he could only hope his soldier wouldn’t fail him, like he hadn’t yet. If it weren’t for Vincent, she’d be dead already—never would they have gone to the roof.

“Put the gun down, and I’ll let it be quick, Edmond. If not, you’ll have to answer to Lucca.”

Sal knew those words were about the only thing that could put enough fear into the man to drop the gun. Edmond was out of his mind and thinking irrationally, but he was certain the man was of sound enough mind to understand that much.

“Last chance to drop the gun and meet the devil instead.” Sal pressed it harder into his skull, trying to entice him into making a decision. “Or you’ll be taken to a visit with the Boogieman soon.”

Still afraid to pull the trigger, as it might cause Valerie to fall to her death, Sal was only going to give Edmond another moment more to decide, when the sound of a rock falling to the ground made Edmond turn his head toward it.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Sal pistol-whipped the asshole in the same moment he saw a flash of Vincent’s form running for the edge of the building, toward Valerie.

Bang!

Certain the bulletthat whizzed above her head would have taken her out if it weren’t for the man squishing her into the rough ground, she could have cried realizing who it was.

“Vincent! You got my messa—”

“Stay down!” Vincent ordered before leaving her.

Doing as the made man asked, she quickly knew why he had left her so suddenly when another shot rang out.

Bang!

Sal had only lookedover to Valerie for a second to make sure she was still on the roof and hadn’t gotten shot when Edmond turned the gun on him. His mistake was not letting himself hit Edmond hard enough in the head, wanting him to live for the torture he was about to endure for the rest of his short life.

Looking down at his abdomen, he saw the pool of red blood beginning to coat his white shirt under his suit jacket. The image was reminiscent of the wound his mom had suffered those many years ago under a full moon.

He lifted his eyes to the current moon as his knees dropped to the ground with one final, lasting thought that he finally understood why his mother hadn’t been able to tear her eyes away from the moon as she’d died.

What a beautiful night to die.

“Sal!”Valerie screamed, running toward his fallen body with tears streaming down her face. “What do …? What do I do?” she screamed out for help, but Vincent was still beating Edmond senseless.

She needed a hero to come save Sal, and her prayers were answered as yet another man joined them on the rooftop.

“Apply pressure to the wound,” Kent carefully instructed her, moving into action like he had done this only a million times before.

“Sal! Sal!” she sobbed, realizing how precious life was and that it was definitely nothing like in video games. “Is he dead?” she cried out hysterically to her lawyer. How he had gotten up here and was involved, she had no idea.

Kent turned Sal ever so slightly to check for an exit wound. “No, it went right through him. Beside it hurting like a motherfucker, he’s just had the wind knocked out of him.”

“How do you know?” Valerie sniffled, desperately trying to blink away the flood of tears rolling down her cheeks while his blood began to cover her hands.

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