Lady Killer (Tangled Desires Book 2) (18 page)

The girl in the stall starts crying, and I’m jolted out of my own panicked focus. “Are you okay?”

“Is that you, Gem?”

The voice is familiar. Is that Chelsea? She didn’t seem sick ten minutes ago. I wonder what happened to make her upset. Swinging around, I approach the row of pink doors. “It’s me. What’s going on?”

“I’m not feeling very well. I’ll be out in a second.” The toilet flushes, and the lock on the stall door clicks as she opens it. She’s shaken and pale and I reach out a hand to steady her as she places the back of her hand over her mouth. “This part has to end soon, doesn’t it?”

This part of what?
I drag my gaze over her, so skinny, pale, throwing up, but the dress she’s wearing is built to hide flaws, and I’ve seen her in jeans. “You’re pregnant?”

Her eyes widen and she grasps my hand, as though she’s only realizing she spoke out loud. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you? You’re not going to tell Tommy?”

Oh my God, it’s his?

She wasn’t on his list, and they were both adamant that they could never see each other like that, but what if they had at some point? It seriously twists me up inside that they could have been together, that they could be having a baby together. My gut clenches, my instinct telling me this has everything to do with Tom’s search for the woman who sent him the pee-stick. “It’s his, isn’t it?”

She doesn’t answer me, because she rushes back into the stall to empty her stomach again. I should hold her hair back, rub her back, or do whatever might comfort her.

Except I can’t. I can’t touch the woman carrying Tom’s baby because I can barely keep myself upright. Is she not on the list because she’s more important than that? Or was it something he doesn’t remember? How can I stay when I would be getting in the middle of whatever could be between them?

I can’t.

I can’t stay, and I can’t let any of them get hurt because of me, when I’m inconsequential anyway.

It’s almost as though I’m outside my body while I stand at the door watching her. I’m falling apart inside, but calm on the outside. All of it crashes over me, and I can’t deal with being stuck in the bathroom with the woman carrying Tom’s kid. So I bolt. Funny how that used to be such a normal part of my life, but now I can only get as far as the foyer before I stop. Out of breath and trying hard not to let the sting behind my eyes turn into waterworks.

All of it fades away, though, when I see Jimmy Santiago striding toward me, three guys on his heels. The last few weeks flash before my eyes as I stare at him in shock. My time’s up, and I don’t know if I can ever deal with Tom’s best friend having his baby, or that I probably won’t see him again. But I would have managed if I’d at least gotten the chance to say good bye and to tell him I’m in love with him.

“Didn’t expect to see me again, sweetheart?” Santiago grasps my waist and pulls me into his side while three other guys in suits surround us.

“Get off me.” Reflexive actions kick in, and I almost shake him off before he presses something small and hard to my back. I freeze, fear destroying my ability to think of a way out.

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” He whispers in my ear, and my skin crawls. “That was a nice picture of you and the Lady Killer. Getting awfully cozy with the man you almost got killed, weren’t you?”

I take a deep breath and try to keep the shake that’s affecting my entire being from my voice. For so long I blamed myself for what happened to Tom, but he forgave me. He never blamed me, because there was only one person responsible that night. “You were the one who tried to kill him.”

“I might try again if you don’t welcome me nicely, like you missed me. Make sure people get the right idea. Do you think his luck would hold a second time?”

“Let me go,” I hiss through clenched teeth as they herd me across the foyer floor.

“Not until we’ve had a little chat. Don’t you think it’s about time?” He nudges me a little harder with the gun to my hip. “I’ve been dying to ask you where you put that thumb drive you stole from me. I know you never turned it over to the authorities after you failed the first time.”

I dart glances everywhere but the foyer is empty except for a lone night man at the desk, and he’s got his head bent over something behind the desk. Inside the ballroom, the party continues as though nothing is out of the ordinary. Life goes on exactly the way it should, except I’m never going to see Tom again. A lump forms in my throat, making it hard to breathe. At least he’s not out here with me.

Then his gaze locks on mine, and my pulse jackhammers. He’s storming across the room, his hands bunched by his sides, his jaw sharp under his narrow, dark gaze. I see him yell something, but I can’t make it out as they drag me out of his line of vision. We’re in the elevator, the doors shutting, when he rounds the corner.

Tom

“Where’s Gem?”

“Wasn’t she with Mace a minute ago?” Mom glances around the room, then points at the door leading out to the foyer. “There she is.”

My heart skids to a halt. One guy in lead, two either side of her, and Santiago brings up the rear as they escort her across the foyer. He’s still a big, ugly bastard. Bending to her ear, he says something to her. The sheer terror in her gaze collides with mine.

“Get Mace,” I thunder as I race after them. Outside the function room I scan for them, spotting the group as they drag her into the elevator. My pulse is racing a hundred miles an hour, and my jaw clenches so hard it creaks, as the doors shut.

I skid to a halt in front of the elevator, and watch the numbers fly up. Thirteen floors. I glance at the stairwell. Thirteen flights. I’m fast, but the elevator is faster. Shit. My fear of elevators hits me square in the face.

I start punching the button repeatedly, until the doors slide open. Taking a deep breath I hesitate, but Gem is up there. I don’t have time to freak out. “Get in the fucking lift, you pussy.”

One foot and then the other, and I’m punching the button for the floor they got off on and the doors are sliding closed. The walls close in on me, the stuffy space stinking with my own fear as sweat beads along my collar and hairline. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tell myself the elevator isn’t going to get stuck between floors, or plummet to the ground, but Gem might.

Off the roof.

This is the only hotel in Reverence where the thirteenth floor is the top floor, with access to the roof. Didn’t the people who built it realize having roof access on such an unlucky number was asking for trouble?

If Santiago and his entourage planned to keep hold of her for a while they would have taken her out the front door, instead of up, wouldn’t they?

I can’t let anything happen to her. I won’t. I made her a promise that trumps everything else. Especially stupid elevators of death.

My cell buzzes. I answer it without looking at it.

“Where are you?” Mace rumbles.

“In the lift.”

“Fuck me,” he says. “What floor?”

“Top floor. There’s four of them. Santiago and three guys I don’t recognize. At least one has a firearm.”

“I’m on my way.”

“She’s fucking terrified, Mace.” I’m fucking terrified. “Fuck.” I punch the steel wall, jumping as it echoes. “If anything happens to her…”

“Pull yourself together, fucker.” Mace growls. This isn’t banter, this is some deep He-man shit pep talk he’s pulling. “Take a couple breaths. If you’re not fucking calm, you’re going to make the situation worse.”

It’s helping. Not much. Part of my chest feels like it’s being crushed in a vise. “How did you do this shit, day in and day out?”

“For God, Corps, Country.” He reels it off by rote, the power of his loyalty shining in his voice, but there’s a burr of regret to it. “Except it was never the woman I loved. And even then, it didn’t always go the way we expected. It certainly didn’t with her. She just couldn’t make up her mind.”

Of all the times he could open up about what’s going on with him, why the heck is it now? My mind firmly focused on him, I barely notice when the doors slide open. “Packing?”

“Always. ETA three minutes. Stall if you can.”

I race along the hallway, past all the doors that lead into suites, until I get to the fire door, still ajar. Pushing it open enough to slip outside, the cool night air smacks me in the face as I spot her. The taller of Santiago’s friends is holding her by the throat against the cement wall surrounding the roof. Even as she struggles, he holds a semi-automatic to her temple. All four of them are so focused on their target they don’t notice me as I join them.

Santiago stalks to and fro in front of her. “I’m going to repeat the question, in case you didn’t understand it the first time. What did you do with the information, Gemma?”

“I-I don’t have it. I didn’t keep it.” She’s shaking, but trying not to give away how scared she is.

“Lying bitch,” Santiago snarls at her. “I know you stole my thumb drive.”

Tall guy lifts her up on to the wall and she screams, scrabbling for purchase on her attacker as he pushes her so she’s hanging half off the building. My heart is out on that ledge with her, and I launch toward her as she starts yammering. “It’s in a safe place. If I die it all comes out. You’ll go to jail for the rest of your life, if your friends don’t kill you first.”

He tips her a little more, and I can see how white her knuckles are as she digs her nails into his hands.

“There you are, princess.” I speak loudly, so they all hear me. It might not be the best idea to give myself away, but I have to take their focus for a couple minutes. Long enough to keep her from falling off that ledge, and for Mace to get his ass up on the roof. I can’t take on all four of them anyway. I could take out two maybe, but three and Santiago? The odds are not in my favor.

Santiago steps forward, staring down his nose at me. Well, trying to, anyway. The asshole doesn’t have the height to pull it off. “Well, well. Lady Killer. I didn’t know you were here.”

Liar.
The only way he would have found her is because of that bloody photographer.

I should have been more protective of her. She’d been in a blind panic, wanting to run. I should have done something to keep them from finding her. If anything happens now it’s on me. “This is my hometown.”

He offers his hand. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

I don’t know why he would expect me to take it. Staring him dead in the eye I widen my stance, and balance out on the balls of my feet. I can’t put it past him not to strike like the snake he is. “Not long enough.”

He looks slightly put out, then his jaw tightens. “You’re fucking the little minx.”

I’m ready to smash him, but I stay relaxed as I dart a glance at Gem. Right now they’re waiting to see what I’ll do, and as long as Jimmy and I continue this seemingly relaxed conversation she’s not in immediate danger. “A fun little ride, am I right?”

“Yeah.” He sneers. “But, she and I have some unfinished business.”

“Is that so? It looks to me like you’re planning on throwing her off the building.” Another darted glance. I never want to take my focus off her again, but I need to keep my attention on Jimmy, because the others are waiting for him to make the first move.

“No, man, no. It’s just a friendly little chat.” He turns to speak to her. “Tell him, Gemma. Nothing to worry about here. He can wait for you downstairs.”

“Tommy,” she whimpers.

“Hell,” Jimmy says. “We used to be friends. I didn’t want to have to involve you in our little quarrel.”

“You already did, when you ran me down three years ago.” I narrow my gaze on him, the desire to make him pay for that night like the crack of a whip inside me. I want to destroy him for that night, for Gem.

For her.

Not for the fact he destroyed my career, not for all the physical therapy, or the nights where I wake up aching after those dreams, but because he came so close to destroying the life of a girl I can’t live without.

He stares at me, expressionless. His friends darting glances at us and each other, as though they may not have known about it. “So what is it, Jimmy, that’s got you ready to kill a girl? I know it can’t be the match-fixing you were doing.”

His face goes red, his lips twisted into a sneer. “She brought this on herself. Thinking she could run from me, that she could steal from me.”

Mace pops his head up so I can see his eyes behind the cement wall near Gem. Must have figured the fire escape would give him the element of surprise, so I try to keep Jimmy talking, focused on me. “Got your corrupt fingers in a whole array of pies, I bet. You always were a dirty bastard.”

“You know, I did want to kill you that night. If it wasn’t bad enough I had to throw that fucking match and let you win, you touched something that belonged to me. Apparently still are.” He smirks. “So I’m glad I get a second chance to do things right.” Then he’s swinging at me, and I have to focus on blocking him. It all moves so fast after that.

Razer bursts through the fire door, at the same time Mace jumps the partition and all hell breaks loose. The guy holding onto Gem loosens his grip on her, distracted by our sudden scuffle, and she’s on her feet, her leg driving up into his balls, while Mace rounds behind him and takes his knees out, coinciding with an elbow to the top of his head.

Jimmy gets in a hit to my jaw, but now I’m fully focused on him, and I drive him back with a quick succession of jabs. He snarls with frustration and comes at me, but he’s too uncontrolled to get past my blocks.

Gem cries out. I hear her voice clearly above the noise of my brothers and the guys they’re fighting against. I snap my head to the side to make sure she’s okay, and Jimmy kicks out my knees.
Shit.

Then she’s on his back, pummelling at his shoulders and neck like a wild cat, and I use the distraction to get my feet under me and spring up. There’s a split second between when he shakes her off and comes at me, and my pushing all my weight into a punch that has his head snapping back with an audible crack. He sinks to his knees, his eyes closing as he topples forward. My heart stutters. In the ring there’s always a chance of death. Fighting is a dangerous sport. I shuffle forward, needing to check his pulse, needing to know he’s still breathing.

Two shots ring out, two clear bangs that pierce through all the other noise and stop me in my tracks before I whip around to see Razer doing something behind the guy he’s subdued. Securing his hands with his tie I assume, since he’s no longer wearing it. The fourth wears a surprised expression, almost comical, his gun aimed somewhere behind me. At Gem? Then his head lolls on his shoulders as he staggers a couple steps and falls backwards near the wall. Even from here, I can tell the shot was fatal.

Something warm trickles down my leg as I turn to see Mace standing beside the guy who had Gem, now sitting against the wall with his hands behind his back, too. Mace holsters his gun and puts his arms around Gem, her face ghostly white.

“Shit.” Razer says, sliding up beside me.

Did I just piss myself?

There’s something not right with my foot. It doesn’t want to cooperate and take me to Gem. Whatever is on my leg is sticky and soaking through my pants, and I’m really struggling to keep that leg under me as Razer pushes under my shoulder. “Steady. It’s going to be fine.”

“What’s going to be fine?” I look down at my leg. There’s no way that’s piss. It’s blood, the smell metallic and a little singed. “Shit, I’m bleeding.”

Gem’s hurrying toward me. “Oh my God, Tom. We need to get you to the hospital.”

That’s when I get it. It registers in my brain seconds before the pain kicks in, and I have to grit my teeth together. “You shot me, you fucker.” That’s why there were two shots. Mace fucking shot me.

“Quit your whining,” Mace squats in front of me, tearing my pant leg apart so he can assess the damage. “It’s a graze. It’s not like I nicked an artery. You’re going to be fine.”

“But you fucking shot at me. My own brother…” I grumble.

He gets under my other arm, supporting me. “You’re lucky. A little higher and you would have said goodbye to your balls.”

Rush crashes through the fire door, and Mace gestures for him to take his phone. “Speed dial, Court McKay. Tell him we have a situation.”

“He shot me in the leg.”

Razer hoists me up a little higher by my waist. “Don’t be such a baby, Tommy boy.”

Gem’s in front of me, tears in her eyes as she reaches out to touch me, then hesitates. I don’t care that I’ve been shot, as long as she’s still here, still with me. Only she drops her hands together in front of her and it leaves me aching. “I’m so sorry.”

“This fucker shot me.” I cock my head at Mace. I am never going to let him live this down. I’m going to remind him that he put a bullet in his baby brother every Christmas, and birthday. I can’t even comprehend that he could miss his target. “I thought you were supposed to be a top notch sniper.”

“Yeah, well.” He glares at the ground. “I used to be.”

“Cops are on their way,” Rush interrupts. “They’re going to have questions.”

“I-I’ll stay,” Gem says. “This whole thing is my fault.”

“Not your fault, pretty girl.” I want to hold her, stroke her hair, and bask in her warmth, but I can’t even hold myself up. “You got mixed up with the wrong people.”

“I’ll take him to the hospital,” Rush says.

“Claire can’t know yet,” I mutter at Razer. “I don’t want to ruin her night.”

“Fine. I’ll sneak him past Mom and Dad, and Claire.” Rush shifts my weight off Mace. “After all, I’m nothing if not superb at sleight of hand.”

“Stay with Gem?” I ask Mace, and he nods, falling beside her, his arm keeping her steady as the shock begins to set in.

“I’ll go down and start winding things up. Once the cops are done we’ll meet you at the hospital.” Raze says, dropping into the empty space left by Mace. “Ready to conquer your fear of elevators once and for all?”

“Already did that tonight.” I grimace. “Before my own brother fucking shot me.”