Page 128 of The Slayer
“No.” She stood her ground, because she did not for one minute believe Tino would shoot her. She knew Tino. He’d been part of her life for two years. “You bought me a Christmas present last year. You cannot point a gun at me and kidnap me.”
“I can, though, ’cause I am.” He jammed the gun toward her as he said it. “I’m the motherfucker with the gun, and you’re the one who is going to get in the car and come with me to save Chuito from doing something stupid, because I can’t leave you here. I can’t risk that. Hopefully you have a brain inside that pretty head, and you’ll walk before I have to get mean.”
“What happens when you get mean?” she asked as she eyed the gun. “I need to know my options.”
“You have no options.” Tino grabbed her arm and pulled so hard she had no choice but to follow him.
There wasn’t much room on the stairs, and she had to walk behind him, but his hold on her wrist was iron tight. He had just stepped off the bottom stair when Jules opened the front door to the house and frowned at the two of them.
Tino slipped his gun into the back of his jeans before Jules could see it and said under his breath to Alaine, “Do you love him?”
Tino looked at Alaine, his dark eyes narrowed as he studied her, and she couldn’t help but nod. “Yes, very much.”
“Lie,” he whispered, giving her one more intense look. “Help me save him.”
“What is going on?” Jules asked as she tied her robe closed and walked out to the driveway. She stared at the garage and frowned. “Where’s your car?”
“Yeah, funny thing.” Tino walked over, pulling Alaine with him as he pointed to the garage. “Chuito sorta borrowed my car.”
“What?” Jules turned back to them in horror, glancing from Tino to Alaine, and then stared at Tino’s tight hold on her wrist. “Was Chuito here?”
“This is very complicated. It’s”—Tino turned back and looked at Alaine—“kinky. You don’t want to know about it. I need the Ferrari.”
Jules gaped at them. “Kinky?”
“We need the Ferrari,” Tino repeated rather than explain. “We gotta go get him. My car broke down. He went to go get—”
“Patrón,” Alaine added when Tino seemed at a loss.
“At ten in the morning?” Jules tilted her head and gave them a look of disbelief. “On Saturday?”
“That’s the perfect day to drink Patrón at ten in the morning,” Tino said simply. “Alaine doesn’t have to work tomorrow, and we were just gonna, you know—”
“No, I don’t know. Explain.” Jules raised her eyebrows.
“We were gonna get fucked-up and party all day,” Tino said as he pointed to Alaine. “I mean, why not make a few poor life choices? We’re young—”
“And healthy,” Alaine added with a smile.
“And healthy,” Tino agreed with her. “And good-looking. Very good-looking. You think I’m good-looking, don’t you?” he asked Alaine as he gestured to himself. “Sexy.”
“Very much so,” Alaine said, and it wasn’t a lie. Tinowashandsome. A total pig, but handsome. “I’d have to be blind not to notice.”
“And I think she’s hot,” Tino said as he winked at Alaine. “I have a thing for redheads. You know that, Jules.”
“There is no way in hell I believe this,” Jules cut them off. “Let’s try again.”
“It’s true. It is. Look.” Tino reached over, tugging on the neckline of the sweater Alaine was wearing. “Madonn’.” He stepped up and pulled it down more, exposing all the love bites on her neck and shoulder. “Holy shit, it was kinkier than I thought. I’m sorta impressed with myself.”
Alaine pushed him away with a glare.
“I’m gonna go get the keys. I’ll be back.” Tino stepped up to Jules, whose eyes were wide as she stared at the love marks on Alaine’s neck. “Not too many questions, mama. It’s sorta like an experimental thing for her. Strong, independent woman. Bossing around two men. Just breathe. It’s a good thing. Girl power. You’re into that.”
Jules just stood there as Tino ran off, and then opened her mouth, as if searching for the right words. “Did you sleep with both of them?”
Alaine grabbed the neckline of her sweater and pulled it up. “Like I told you at the office, my life is sort of complicated right now. I’m going through a thing after breaking up with Edward.”
“A thing?”
