Page 110 of Panther's Magpie
“Stop talking,” Monster hisses.
I watch as my sister’s eyes bug as he squeezes her throat.
Motherfucker is a dead man.
“Let her go, Monster,” Asher says calmly.
I don’t miss the way my sister’s eyes slide to the man next to me.
“You’re a fucking cop?” Monster sneers. “I should have known. I told him you were a piece of shit.”
“I’m not going to ask again, Monster. Let. Her. Go,” Asher says calmly as the sound of bullets stops from outside.
“Yeah, Monster, you hear that? All your help is gone. Cut your losses now before it’s too late,” I tell him.
“Fuck you,” Monster says.
I watch as he moves his gun from my sister’s head and points it at Asher. Before I can even fire, he does, hitting the man next to me. Asher stumbles back, and Monster smiles.
What Monster wasn’t expecting though was for my sister to go limp in his arms, giving me the space I needed. Without second-guessing, I pull the trigger.
A dime-sized hole appears in the center of his forehead as he drops like a ton of bricks.
“Aspen.” I quickly holster my gun as she rushes toward me. She hits me so hard that I stumble back.
“I knew you would come for me,” she murmurs against my chest.
I take a second and hold my sister close, thankful that she’s still alive.
“Are you okay?”
She nods. “I’m okay.”
I can tell by the tone of her voice that she’s far from fine, but I don’t call her out on it. Not here and now.
Gasping has us looking down.
“Shit, are you okay, man?” I ask as I drop to my knees.
“Hit the vest. Hurts like a bitch.”
“If he hit your vest, where the hell are you bleeding from?” Aspen asks.
“I’m fine,” he lies.
“Help me get him up.”
Together, Aspen and I get him up. With his arm slung over my shoulder, we head outside.
“Coming out,” I yell as we step outside.
My brothers relax when they spot us.
“Need some help with this one,” I tell them.
The guys help me load Asher and Aspen into the bullet-ridden SUV.
“Let’s hope it starts,” I mutter.
