Page 26 of Deuce

I pulled my gun and held it by the barrel, safety on.I didn’t want to kill him, but you don’t have to shoot a pistol for it to hurt.

“Fucking pervert.”He took another swing at me with the bat.

Okay, now I was pissed.“You want to die, old man?”

“Could ask you the same question, pervert.”

“You brought a bat to a gunfight, old man.”

“Looks like you don’t know which end of the gun the bullet comes out, pervert.”

I sneered at him.“Thought I’d take it easy on you given your advanced age.”

The guy snorted like he thought that was funny.“Still young enough to lay you out alongside your buddy.”

I’d worry about Tiny once I’d taken care of this guy.

“Don’t think so.”I hefted the gun, estimating how long it would take if I needed to reverse my grip and shoot the guy.Didn’t have to be a kill shot but I didn’t want to get blood on Sophia’s flooring.

The faint sound of motorcycles approaching filled the hallway.Rattler and Beast.The old man’s eyes flickered toward the sound right before he rushed me.I turned, letting my left shoulder bear the brunt of the first strike.He outweighed me, and his attack took me to the ground.He landed on top of me and sat up, straddling my chest.

I took a swipe with the pistol, and the blow glanced off his chest.He dropped the bat and started to pound me with his fists.I twisted, trying to free myself, and hit him again.He grunted, but didn’t stop pummeling me.

The door slammed open so hard it bounced off the wall.Rattler stood in the doorway, his shotgun pointed at the old guy.“Hands up or I shoot.”

The old guy didn’t even bother to look up.“You shoot, we’re both dead.”

“Guess we’ll do it the hard way then.”Striding into the hallway, Rattler clocked the guy on the side of the head with the stock of the shotgun.The old guy collapsed on top of me, out cold.

Beast entered, shaking his head at the sight.“The old guy got the drop on you, Deuce?That’s sad.And where the hell is Tiny?”

I squirmed out from under the old man, feeling the side of his neck for a pulse.It was strong.He’d live to answer a few questions.“Don’t know.Guessing this guy took him out.And yeah, he jumped me when I came in.”

“Tsk, tsk.”Rattler looked amused.“Didn’t think I’d live to see the day you’d get taken by a grandpa.”

“Funny.He’s a tough old geezer.Go find Tiny.Hopefully he’s still breathing.”

“Found him.”Beast’s voice came from the kitchen.“All trussed up like a pig ready for roasting.”

I got to my feet and dusted myself off before holstering my weapon.Rattler followed me into the kitchen.Beast was busy cutting freezer twine off Tiny, who looked as angry as a hornet.

“Old guy did this?”

He nodded.“I asked how he got in the house, and he made like he was confused or something.Stumbled over his own feet, and when I went to help him, he clocked me.Bastard!”

It was my turn to chuckle.“Wily old bastard.He jumped me from behind the door when I came in.Had a bat aimed at my head.”

Beast raised his brows.“So that geriatric old buzzard out there managed to get both of you?”

“He looked old.I didn’t want to hurt the guy.”Tiny looked sheepish.“Didn’t expect human traffickers to be guys in their sixties.”

He did have a point.The guys in the van had been younger.Much younger.

Something here didn’t make sense.

Chapter Six

Sophia

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