Page 109 of Truck Stop Titan

“Aw, Trailer. You ain’t foolin’ no one. You won’t let me shoot this little princess. Any jackass can see you got a thing for this baby girl. After all, she looks exactly like that cousin of yours, the one you couldn’t save.” He made a tsk sound, shaking his head. “Sweet piece-a-pussy, that Addy. Real tomcat. I mean, take a look. Same hair color. Same damn freckles. Same sweet, fuck me lips.”

His sinister smile sparked a violent shiver, and sent a hellacious wave of nausea through me, every muscle in my body clamping tight as I fought to remain seated.

Until the bastard brushed a thumb under Mim’s bottom lip. I lost all control, throwing myself over the table, screaming, “Get off her!” at the same time Mim opened her mouth and bit down on his appendage, hard enough to make him howl.

The second Hammer flinched, Mim slid under the table. Dane attacked, and fast as a blink, the men were tangled on the ground, tables and chairs flying. Somebody screamed. I reached down for Mim, but she was gone.

Pinned between the bench seat and table, and two brawling men, I had nowhere to move, but Mim managed to crawl away, scrambling toward the kitchen.

“Mim!” I yelled, but she pushed to her feet, escaping behind the counter.

“The fuck, Dane?” Tango burst through the swinging doors and jumped in to stop the fight, grabbing Dane by his nape, slamming a palm into Hammer’s chest, unaware of the weapon, clueless to the danger.

An ear-shattering crack split the air, and I slammed my hands against my ears, against the pain, my body going ice cold. Dane crumpled, releasing his hold on Hammer. Tango fell to his knees, covering his ears, and Hammer pushed to stand, gun aimed at Tango.

A dark pool of crimson puddled under Dane’s leg. My vision blurred, and I moved toward my fallen man. Hammer’s aim shifted to me, and I froze.

“Nobody fucking move.” Hammer staggered, his left eye swollen and bloody. “On the floor. All of you.” He gestured toward Charlie. “You, fat fucker in the kitchen, out here. Now.”

The man at the bar was the first to obey. He lay on his belly at Dane’s feet. I followed suit, then the waitress. Charlie moved slow and steady from his post, and last to comply was Tango, who seemed to weigh his options before conceding.

“Mim!” Hammer yelled, though his words sounded muffled, everything was muffled. “Time to go, little dolly. We have a necklace to find.”

Silence.

“Blondie, I know you’re back there. Bring me that little bitch, or all these people die.” He stepped toward the bar. “You want all of these people to die because of you?”

Still nothing, then again, I could barely hear a thing through the ringing in my ears.

“Okay!” he shouted, waving the pistol from head to head. “Who’s first?”

He pointed the gun at my face, flashing another sinister grin. “One.” He waited three heartbeats for a response.

“Two.” He swung his arm and pointed the muzzle at Charlie.

“Three.”

Slade burst through the doors, hands in the air, face pale but determined.

Hammer stepped over the waitress and aimed the weapon at Slade. “Where is she?”

Slade pursed her lips, and slowly shook her head. “You’re not laying a finger on those kids.”

Movement caught my attention out the window. Unfortunately, Hammer noticed as well.

Rocky and Mim ran hand in hand across the lot, heading toward the hill that led to Tango’s home.

Tango had seen them as well. He pushed to his feet and dove at the gun-wielding psychopath. Two seconds too late.

Hammer swung, striking Tango with the butt of his gun, then sprinted out the door, shouting, “Fucking cunts!”

That man would not touch my Mim. Adrenaline fueled my limbs and kick-started my brain. I gave chase.

The kids continued forward, their little legs no match for Hammer’s long strides. He gained ground.

“No! God, no!” I sprinted behind, pushing harder than I’d ever pushed. The wind rushed through my pounding ears, my heart protesting the pressure, and I focused ahead, forcing one foot after the other.

Up ahead, Rocky tripped and fell, but Mim continued up the hill.

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