Page 143 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

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Who needsto enjoy the afterglow anyway?

Having just charged my phone, I sit bolt upright as I take in the timing of the last message on the exchange with Jaine last night.

Padraig:Who was it, darlin’?

There’s nothing afterward. No more messages. No missed calls. Nothing. It’s not a good sign. Not at all.

“Where’s the bullet, Jessie?”

“It’s in the pocket of my leather pants. Let me fetch it.”

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” I grimace at the screen before squeezing my eyes tightly shut and throwing my head back against the pillow.

“What, again?” She chuckles, and I can’t help but smile. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll be good to go.” I’m joking. Well, half-joking at least.

She passes me the bullet that went clean through the head of the short Colombian before crawling back into bed beside me.

“I have to say I was impressed by Molly. Your brother will be rushing her down the aisle after she saved his ass. I didn’t think she had it in her.”

“She didn’t. She hasn’t.”

Jessie frowns at me. “What do you mean? I know everyone was carrying a weapon, but she was the only person with their hands not taped up.”

I pass her the bullet, and she studies it.

“Yup. It’s a bullet. A pretty one, but a bullet all the same. It’s not one I’d use, but….”

She shrugs and passes it back to me.

“Whose gun did Molly have?”

“Mine.”

“And what did you just say?”

“It’s not one I would use… shit.” She sits up and kneels beside me. “It wasn’t fired from my Glock, was it? Let me see that.” She snatches it back from my hand, a frown marring her forehead.

“Well, I’ll be damned. It’s got an X engraved on it.”

“And what does that tell you, Jessie?”

“That he’s real.” She stares at me in shocked disbelief.

“The Exterminator is real. Yes.”

“And he’s the one who saved Eoin’s life?”

“Yes.”

“So, it wasn’t Molly?”

“Correct. That girl can’t shoot for shite. She discharged the weapon as we all heard the gun go off, but her bullet likely wound up in the floor or the ceiling. We should be grateful she didn’t accidentally end one of our lives.”

“But she took full credit?”

“You sound surprised. Of course she did. She was always going to, and she will continue to until someone proves otherwise.”

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