Page 65 of Property of Prowler
“Fuck you, Travis. I want half. You only owe the Kings a measly fifteen grand, add my fifty. We agreed to ask for one hundred just to square up, but you wanted more and changed the game. Now I want more, and I’m changing the game.”
Travis pulled a gun and stuck it in Billy’s face. “You’re not in charge. I am. You’ll take the fifty and be grateful I gave it to you instead of blowing your brains out now and keeping it all for myself.” Travis really was arrogant enough to think he had the upper hand, but he was woefully outmatched by Billy.
“And just so you know, Mykayla knew nothing about your stash. Rookie move keeping it in the same place all the time.”
Billy was a crazy motherfucker, and Taylor knew from experience that shit was about to go south real fast. She could practically see his temper rise and hear the blood pounding in the vein at his temple. The one that visibly pulsed right before he’d swing on her.
“You don’t have the balls,” Billy taunted and leaned closer to the gun, puffing up his chest.
When Travis didn’t respond right away, the smile that slowly curved Billy’s lips gave her flashbacks. Travis had crossed a line. One he wouldn’t come back from if she were a betting woman.
Lightning quick, Billy’s hand came up and batted the gun away. It landed with a dull thud on the carpet. He rushed Travis and was on top of him, pounding his face in the blink of an eye.
Taylor swallowed her scream, not wanting to draw Billy’s attention, and continued to poke away at the tape. She was making progress. Just a little bit more, and she’d be able to hook it on something and pull down to rip the tape.
Without warning, the dull thuds of Billy’s fists on Travis’s face stopped, and the sputtering started. She’d had Billy choke her unconscious enough times to recognize the horrifying sound.
She refused to watch as Billy choked the life from Travis. She couldn’t even bring herself to feel sorry for the bastard. What did that say about her?
Billy stood with bloody hands and a gleam in his eyes, stalking toward the bed. Grabbing her legs, he started removing the tape from her ankles.
“What … what are you doing?”
“Whatever the fuck I want to do.”
He started on the tape at her thighs.
“After I have you, I’ll go find that pretty little thing Travis couldn’t shut up about. I’ll fuck every one of her holes bloody, then I’ll take her with me when I split. They’ll never come after me if I have the president’s little girl.”
Before she could scream no, the bell rang, and Billy covered her mouth. “Don’t make a sound,” he rasped.
The bell rang again, followed by a knock. Whoever it was, wasn’t leaving.
“I’m going to remove my hand, and you’re going to tell them you’re coming, understand?” She nodded.
“If you do anything to tip them off, I’ll kill whoever it is, and it will be your fault.” She nodded again.
When Billy removed his hand, she shouted. “Be there in a minute.”
Billy finished removing the tape from her legs, and when he got to her hands, he tsked. “You’ll pay for this.” He indicated the tear in the tape.
“Now go.” He pulled her from the bed and shoved her forward. “Get rid of whoever it is and don’t let on, and don’t fucking run or else …” He let the threat hang with a bullet to the brain motion.
Taylor smoothed her hair as best she could and answered the door while Billy was just out of sight, watching.
“Oh wow, Miguel.” Her heart sank when she saw his wife and two kids in tow.
“Maria insisted on meeting you and bringing you some tamales.”
Maria held up a covered plate. “Hi, when Miguel said he met you the other day, I couldn’t wait. I hope you don’t mind.”
The other day? How long had she been drugged?
“Of course, I don’t mind. Who are these strapping young men?”
“This is Aiden and Isiah.”
Miguel raised a steamer pot. “We can help you set this up if you want.”
