Page 167 of Serving the Mogul

If he saw the blow coming, he was too dazed to move, because I drilled the blow straight into his face—right into a nose that I knew was broken.

He fell straight forward, not making a sound.

Flat on his face and not moving, I saw the gun he’d tucked into the back of his pants. I grabbed it. The weight of it in my hands was awkward, but I didn’t plan to shoot unless it was needed.

I checked the safety, my dad’s instructions ingrained in my memory from when he gave me my first shooting lesson. Safety engaged. Okay, is it loaded…?

“Dumb ass,” I muttered. He’d been carrying a loaded gun in his pants, with the safety off, like some idiot from a bad TV show. I used the butt of the gun to wack Cecil in the back of the head, just to be safe.

Simone yelped when Cecil collapsed, but her surprise hadn’t lasted long.

She screeched, “You stupididiot. What’s the matternow?”

What did she think happened? This room connected to the other by an open doorway, the door itself long gone. Cecil had stumbled forward when I hit him. Facedown and still, most of his body was in this room with me, leaving only his lower legs in the other room.

It was a gamble, but maybe Simone didn’t realize I was free.

“Cecil!” she snapped.

I made a noise low in my chest and kicked some of the debris on the floor, hoping she’d think it was her partner.

“Getup.” Her voice was closer now, closer…closer. “If I have to look at the bitch’s face aminutelonger than necessary, I’ll…”

I stepped into the doorway, one foot on Cecil’s upper back and his gun in my hands, a bead drawn at her skanky forehead.

Simone’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open in a stunned gasp.

“Back up,” I warned. “I’d just as soon not use this, but I will if I have to.”

She tried to speak, and nothing came out but a few stuttering noises.

“Guess it’s not so much fun to threaten me with a gun aimed at your head, huh?” I smiled. “Just so you know, itisloaded. And…” I paused. “Now the safety is off. I grew up an Army brat with a dad who taught me how to shoot. So... with this gun and at this range...I can blow a hole in you so big, a bowling ball would fit through it.”

“You wouldn’t.” She backed up a step but froze as I lifted Cecil’s gun.

It was a Desert Eagle and the only good thing I could say about it was that it caught attention. “Oh, I would.”

Her eyes widened, tears suddenly filling them. “I…please…it was…”

“Stop,” I said, cutting her off. I spied extra zip ties on the table with the remains of their meal. “Get those and tie his hands behind his back.” She hesitated. “Now.”

Luckily, Cecil remained knocked out until she finished, although I’d heard a groan or two.

“Now what?” Simone demanded, in a sulking tone.

“Turn around.” When she didn’t obey, I sighed and lifted the heavy-ass gun once more. “You’re pissing me off, Simone.”

She actuallygrowledas she turned and shoved her hands behind her back.

After putting the safety on, I clubbed her over her head. She dropped. I didn’t hit her as hard as I’d hit Cecil. I nudged her with my toe to make sure she wasn’t faking—and to make sure she was breathing. Then I jerked her hands to the small of her back and secured them with a zip tie. And maybe I jerked it a little harder than necessary.

I made up for it, though. I rolled them onto their sides and made sure both were breathing.

I nabbed Cecil’s cell phone and stood, bracing a hand against the wall, when my head began to spin. Tightening my hand on the phone, I started for the door.

Simone moaned, and I paused to look back. As her lashes fluttered open, I remembered something.

“What?” she hissed as her eyes locked on me.

---