Page 67 of Ruthless Heart

“I don’t give a fuck what she said. Do you not recognize her? Take agoodlook,” he roars.

The gunman from the front seat narrows his eyes. “Patrick.”

“That’s right. You grabbed one of the fucking Patrick girls.”

“We didn’t grab her, boss.She came,” Slick says.

“Is that right?” Giovanni scrutinizes Ash, then addresses her. “You think you being here will save her?”

I shudder at the bleak menace in his tone.

“Nothing’s happened yet,” Ash says softly. “If you drive away now, it was just you putting a scare into us. Trick wouldn’t start a war over something like that.”

“What’s your name?” Giovanni says.

“Ashling.”

“Well, Ashling, your brother of all people will understand why I’m doing what I’m doing. Since we’re talking about a deadsister.”

“No.” Ash shakes her head. “This is definitely not Trick’s style. Innocent women and children? Pregnant women with babies at home? Never.”

“Who’s pregnant?” Giovanni asks, glancing at me and then her.

“Both of us.” Ash says it so smoothly I almost believe her. “Nothing’s happened to us.”

“Here’s what I think,” Giovanni says to his men. “A hysterical high school friend would call the police. But Trick Patrick’s little sister knows better than to do that. Throw her in the trunk. When we’re long gone, we’ll call C Crue and tell them where to find her.”

The gunman stalks up to Ash.

A second later, there’s a sharp crack and he drops to his knees. Behind him, Ash dives to the ground on the far side of the car. Everything happens so fast, I don’t understand what’s going on. There are two more cracks, and the hiss of air escaping tires.

“What the fuck?” Giovanni roars, dragging me toward a car that’s farther away. When we get to it, though, the back tire is already flat.

Giovanni pulls me in front of him as a human shield.

“Sorry about your guy,” Ash says in a voice that’s so sweet it could attract flies. “Didn’t want to do that.” She sighs. “Just send Liv to me, okay?”

“Ash, look out!” I scream as our car’s driver starts to round the car where she’s taking cover.

Another crack of gunfire, and the driver falls backward.

“C’mon, Giovanni. Please?” Ash’s voice is calm and almost cajoling. It would be completely unsettling if she wasn’t on my side. “Send Olivia over here,” Ash continues. “You go outside and get picked up. Olivia and I will stay right here until you’re gone. I give you my word on that.”

Giovanni’s arm tightens over my throat, making me gasp.

“You toss your gun out, or I will choke the life out of this bitch and her bastard child right now.”

No!Adrenaline pours into my veins. My already galloping heart pounds with panic.

Ash stands, holding a gun in a dangling position by her thumb and index finger. “This is not a good idea, Giovanni.”

“Toss it.”

Slick from the backseat has taken out a gun, and it’s pointing at her. The gunman she shot first, continues to lie on the ground but pulls a lethal-looking knife from his boot.

The pressure on my throat increases, and my hands grab Giovanni’s forearm as I struggle to breathe.

I need air. My hands scratch desperately at Giovanni’s arm.

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