Page 57 of Resurrect Me

“What’s so fucking funny?” I shove it harder into his spine.

“You’re delusional, Sol,” Declan declares. “You can only cheat death so many times until the reaper’s had enough of your shit.”

“Maybe the reaper and I are close and personal friends.”

“If death doesn’t come for you, it’ll come for Tacy.” The words drip from his mouth like toxic sludge. “Or perhaps Cammy…or Ben.”

I grab the back of Declan’s neck and move the gun from his back to his temple. “Keep their names out your filthy fucking mouth or I’ll splatter your brains all over the pavement.”

“Drop the gun!” Someone shouts. Three men exit the car and approach us with guns raised.

“Tell you what, I’ll drop the gun when you can ensure me my family is fucking safe. Until then, the gun’s home is right here.” I push the gun into Declan’s temple so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t break the skin. He grunts but keeps his mouth shut.

“That wasn’t part of the deal,” a man with sideburns and a black beanie roars. “We said no weapons. And the boss said nothing about collateral or an exchange of any kind.”

“You’ve got a gun, don’t you? I guess you better get your boss on the fucking phone. My children are to be returned to my wife. Or your sleazy governor here will be chewing metal.”

The bald man accompanying the beanie guy keeps his gun pointed at me but reaches in his jean pocket and slips out a phone. He dials and puts the receiver to his ear. “We’ve got a problem. They’re saying they won’t give us Harvey until the children are returned.”

Silence as the man listens. Then…

“I can’t do that…. fine…yeah, we can handle it.”

He pockets his phone and glares at me with a furrowed brow. “We’ll hand the kids over when you hand us the Governor.”

“No dice,” I say and move the gun to Declan’s other temple. Just so the imprint is symmetrical on each side of his face. “And, hey, listen. I can stand here all night. Or I can pull the trigger and…”

I cock the gun and Declan growls, “tell her to let them go. I know this man. He’ll fucking kill me if he doesn’t get his kids back. Call her. Now.”

I wonder if he’s talking about Judith. Or is it another woman high up in The Org?

The men talk amongst themselves and make another call, just out of earshot. They return with scowls on their faces. A car horn blares in the distance.

“The children are already at home,” the man in the beanie says. “Call your wife.”

I nod and motion to Clyde to take over holding Declan for me. He obliges, and I call Tacy. She answers, voice shaking, and tells me the kids are back in her arms. Safe at home. But then, I hear a voice. The voice of my mother-in-law, the CEO of The Org. Fuck. I have to warn her. But I can’t say it over the phone. I don’t want her to hear me.

“Your mother is in on the whole thing, Tacy,” I text. “She’s a member. Maybe even set up the whole thing.”

“No, you’re wrong, Aris,” she types back. “There’s no way.”

“Think about it, Tacy,” I reply. “She’s always there when things go wrong. Almost like she already knew about your abduction. The break-in. All of it. Just get her out of there, now. And watch your back.”

“Okay,” is all she sends back. “I’ll take care of it.”

I slide my phone back in my pocket and motion to Clyde. “Let him go.”

Clyde hesitates but lowers the gun to his side. Then shoves Declan forward, sending him toppling into the ground. Declan stands, then turns to us and says, “you’re on borrowed time, Solomon.”

“Solomon’s dead, Declan,” I retort. “My name is Lazaris.”

“Get the fuck out of here,” Clyde shouts at Declan and tosses the cuff keys to the man in the beanie. “And don’t fucking look back or I’ll change my mind and erase you from the fucking planet.”

The men laugh as they work to remove the cuffs. “Night, Boys.”

They hop in a black Benz and speed away, leaving Clyde and I in the dark. As we climb back into the boat, Thor and Reggie join us above deck.

“You know how we’ve been planning the takedown for next week? It goes down tomorrow.”

---