Page 103 of Taking Care of the Target

“Go on,” he spat, jostling her. She kept her lips clamped, refusing to lure Vince into a trap.

Jackhammer spun her around, and she immediately recognized his face—it wasn’t one you easily forgot. Riddled with scars, completely flat nose, and a large caveman-type forehead she imagined he’d slammed into people back when he was a boxer. When he came into Rossi’s, Mia had called him Jack and told Cassie he used to be New Jersey’s pride and joy fighter.

“You get one more chance.” He gripped her arm until the bones protested and then backhanded her with his gun. Pain exploded behind her nose, dark spots crept into her vision, and she would’ve fallen over if he hadn’t had hold of her.

“That wasn’t even one of my good punches.” He maneuvered her back to their original position, her body in front of his, only with his arm across her shoulders. She tasted blood, from her nose or her lip, she wasn’t sure. Everything hurt.

Tears slid down her cheeks, and she didn’t know whether to call out to Vince to tell him she loved him one last time or to tell him to run. Either one would only bring him to her, unless he was…

Her brain shut that possibility down. No going there. Just the thought sent agony rushing in, the internal ache fighting for more attention than her external injuries.

Her vision blurred, and she closed her eyes.It was worth it for a little more time.

I love you, Vince.

“I’ll make you pay for this later,” Jackhammer said, taking the gun from her temple and pointing it ahead of him.

“Vince! If you’re alive and you want your girl to stay alive, come on out.” Jackhammer swung his gun, always keeping her between him and the living room where Vince and the other man had disappeared. “I can see why you like her. She’s feistier than I expected. Pretty, too. Even covered in blood.”

Chapter Forty-Seven

Vince must’ve blacked out. The bastard shot him in the shoulder before Vince killed him, and raising the gun…that’s when he faded for a moment. Or maybe a bit longer than a moment.

He scrambled for his gun when he came to, gritting his teeth through the pain, and then Jackhammer had called out. Ice spread through Vince’s body as the wordscovered with bloodechoed through his head.

A quick press of his thumb that shouldn’t have hurt as much as it fucking did released the clip in his Beretta. Two more bullets. If he didn’t take down Jackhammer, the former heavyweight would kill him and Cassie both. The guy grew up using his fists and he liked to use them until his opponents couldn’t swing back.

The body of the bastard who’d gotten a round off before Vince shot him sprawled on the floor, empty eyes on the ceiling. Vince grabbed the dead guy’s gun and pushed to his feet.

“I’m coming out.” Vince tucked the spare pistol into the back of his jeans and gripped his own gun. With his right shoulder on fire, that entire side was useless. He switched the gun to his left; it didn’t feel as comfortable, but he could lift his arm, which made it the winner.

Gun out, he stepped into the hallway. He swung the barrel toward Jackhammer, who was using Cassie as a shield. The ugly asshole quickly turned his gun on her, pressing it to the side of her head.

Everything inside Vince turned to rage and stone as he looked into her bloody, frightened face. His finger tightened around the trigger of his gun.I’ll fucking kill him.

He just needed to be smart. Find a way to get them both out of here alive, regardless of how shitty their odds looked right now.

Cassie’s eyes widened as she took in his appearance, the concern in them clear. He didn’t dare look, but he could feel the blood running down his arm, and the blood loss or pain—or most likely all of it—made him dizzy. It was just like her to be worried abouthimwhen Jackhammer had a gun to her head.

“You think Carlo’s going to pay you?” Vince asked. “His assets have been seized, and I’ve already given my testimony. There’s tons of evidence against Carlo, and he’s going to jail. I could pay you double. I’ll do whatever you want. Just let her go, and you and I can work out a deal.”

“Nice try, but I don’t deal with rats. And according to Carlo’s lawyer, Cassie here’s a more reliable witness.” He gripped one of her backpack straps, securing her tighter against him. His gleeful gaze locked on Vince as he licked the side of her face. “I’m here to make sure she doesn’t testify.”

Red tinged Vince’s vision, and Jackhammer’s grin widened. He got off on fear and anger. Vince wished he could hide his and not make this more fun for him, but he was beyond playing it cool now.

I just need an opening. A couple inch window to send a bullet through.With his right hand, he’d feel more confident about how little that window could be. He told himself he could do it with his left, but if he hit Cassie, he’d welcome death, because his life would truly be over.

Sparks of light danced across his vision. He blinked them back, keeping his arm raised and frowning when the bead on the barrel wobbled around. Damn bullet wound was going to get them both killed.

“I won’t testify,” Cassie said, the desperation in her voice cutting Vince to the core. “I’ll disappear. Just let us go, and no one will ever hear from us again.”

“Nice try, sweetheart,” Jackhammer said, and Cassie winced as he pressed the metal against her head, so hard that her neck tilted from the strain. It gave Vince a one second almost opening, but then Jackhammer ducked his head behind hers. “Drop your weapon, Vince. Or I’ll pull this trigger, and you’ll get to watch her die.”

After I drop it, he’ll relax his guard as he starts preparing whatever torture he’s got in mind, and I can use the gun at my back.

Vince lowered his gun, squatting toward the floor. His vision clouded, and Cassie mouthed something. He blinked, and she mouthed it again.“I’ll drop…”Her eyes showed him her intended path.“You shoot.”

“Cassie,” Vince said as the security of the gun left his fingers and the metal clunked on the hardwood floor. “I want you to hang in there and do exactly what he tells you to.”Please, please don’t get yourself killed.

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