Page 71 of An Eye For Illusion

Donovan peers out the window, his gun in his right hand. The truck door swings open, and a man steps out. “It’s Carlo, and he’s not alone.” Something in his voice changes with the last part of his statement.

Carlo crosses his arms and holds his chin high as he waits for us to get out of the truck. Ignoring the urge to pull my gun, I get out first and make my way to the back of the truck to hook up the trailer. Carlo makes a move to come towards me.

Donovan swings his door open and gets out. “Whoa, Carlo, what’s the deal man?” His voice is calm, but his eyes dart between Carlo and the passenger in Carlo’s truck.

“I’m taking this car to Vinny,” he says firmly. He shifts his jacket back, showing us his gun.

Donovan must have holstered his before he stepped out on the truck. He pats his hip holster in response to let Carlo know he isn’t the only one who came prepared.

“Vinny gave this job to me, Carlo. I’m taking the car to him.” I continue to hook up the trailer to the truck. Donovan has my back, so I’m not worried. I connect the trailer lights and rise to my full height, staring Carlo straight in the eyes.

“I know you aren’t who you say you are,” Carlo says.

My heart rate picks up a little, but I don’t let it show. “Oh yeah, who am I? And who are you? Carlo Fucking Knowitall?” I won’t allow this guy to intimidate me.

Carlo’s face turns red with anger, and he pulls his gun from his side. On instinct, I step behind the bed of the truck and get down to protect myself, but Donovan doesn’t do the same. Watching under the truck, I see his feet moving towards Carlo. I scramble back to a standing position and rush around the truck, determined to protect Donovan.

Carlo aims his gun at Donovan, and everything seems to happen both quickly and also in slow motion. Keeping low, I approach from the side with rapid, quiet steps. Once I’m within a safe distance to pull his attention to me but not allow him enough time to train the gun on me, I charge him. Our bodies go airborne momentarily before slamming onto the pavement.

A gunshot rings out as we hit the ground, and I hear a woman’s screams over the ringing in my ears. Realization sets in that she’s not just screaming. She’s screaming, “Donovan!”

When I take in the fact the body below me isn’t fighting back, I risk pulling away enough to see Carlo is knocked out, a little blood running down onto the concrete. He must have hit his head on impact, and I count my blessings.

I force myself back to my feet and turn to look at my colleague. Donovan’s eyes are locked on the woman in the truck. Now that his attention is on her, and she’s realized he is unharmed, her screams have stopped. I glance between them a time or two before getting my bearings and turn my attention back to the task at hand.

I quickly grab Carlo’s gun before ejecting the mag and clearing the chamber. I remove the slide, wipe my prints off on my shirt and toss it on his chest.

Petty as it is, I want him to know he’s a bitch, and we took him down. Leaving him the most useless part of his own gun is the best way to do that without leaving him a hilariously well-written note and pinning it to his shirt.

Once I’m done there, I put the main piece in my jacket and pocket the magazine and bullet. The whole process takes less than a minute, which is great because unconscious people don’t usually stay unconscious for long.

“D, we have to go. If anyone heard that shot, the cops will be on the way.” He doesn’t respond, his eyes still fixed on the woman in the truck. I step toward him. “D! We have to go. Now.”

He walks over to Carlo’s unconscious body and punches him right in the face. Without another look at the mystery woman, he walks back to the truck, climbs inside, and slams the door.

I hurry back to the driver’s side of the truck, swing the door open, and climb inside. My door barely latches before I start the truck and slam it into drive.

Donovan is deathly silent. His body is completely still as he stares out the windshield.

We only make it about a few miles down the road before I hear several police sirens. I quickly turn down a side road, headed in the opposite direction. We left Carlo lying on the ground, and the mystery woman inside the truck watched as we left the parking lot as quickly as we could.

What the fuck was that about? And who the fuck is that woman?

Chapter 24

Jade

I want a hole to open and swallow me whole. Maybe a tornado could come through to sweep me far, far away from this place so I can never look back.

Am I being a little dramatic?

Maybe…

Do I give a shit?

Not in the least.

“Honey, you don’t like it?” my father asks from the pink velvet couch sitting in front of the little runaway the bridal store has set up.

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