Page 53 of Before the Storm
“Our? My daughter is living here? In sin?” Her dad lifted his chin. “Tsk-tsk. You really are going to hell, Sister Aura.”
“Don’t call me that. My name’s Janelle.”
“You can change your name out here in this godforsaken place, but you are and will always be my daughter. Now let me in. We have some things to discuss.” Her father took one step.
Phoenix pulled out his weapon, but he didn’t aim it anywhere. Just made it known he had a gun. “I doubt you’re supposed to be outside the state of New Mexico. Be warned, I’ve called the police. Now, please leave.”
“I’d put that thing away if I were you, son.” Her dad smiled that evil grin when he had something up his sleeve to get what he wanted.
“I’m not your son, so fuck off.” Phoenix inched closer, puffing out his chest. “I’m not the kind of man you want to mess with. I served in the Army. Special Forces. I could kill you with my pinky if I wanted to.”
“I’m not afraid of you and I’m certainly ready to meet my maker when the time comes.” Her dad leaned closer. “But today is not that day.” He held up his cell. “Bring the car forward.”
Headlights appeared. “I do my homework and I know what kind of man you are. You’ll do anything for a damsel in distress. I’ve read that about you. So, you’re not going to let anything happen to the two girls in the back seat of that vehicle.”
“Who did you take? Who are you holding hostage?” Janelle tried to step around Phoenix, but he held out his arm.
Her father laughed. “You should be careful who you talk to, young lady.”
The driver of the vehicle opened the passenger door and yanked Gina from the back seat. Her hands were tied behind her back, her mouth covered with duct tape.
Then came Pam.
Same thing.
Janelle gasped. “You bastard. They haven’t done anything to you.”
“That reporter has,” her father said. “She helped spread lies about me. She poisoned my own daughter against me.” He shrugged. “And the other one. Well, she wanted to hurt him—and you—and told me all sorts of lovely information. She’s collateral damage.”
“You’re a stupid man,” Phoenix said. “Like I said, I’m not the guy to fuck with. And you won’t get away with this.”
“But I already have,” her father said. “Now, this is how things will go down. I’ll let those two walk away if you’ll hand over my daughter. It’s that simple.”
“Not going to happen,” Phoenix said, slamming the door shut.
“Why the hell did you do that?” Janelle glared. “Pissing him off is going to make those two women pay in ways I’m not willing to let them.”
“Trust me.” He squeezed her shoulder. “This will all be over in a matter of minutes.”
Janelle wasn’t so sure.
Phoenix lifted his cell and read the texts from his family. “Your father has four men surrounding the house. My brothers are working on quietly taking them out. I need to wait for word that they’ve done that before we act, but I also need to give them a little time to do that.”
Janelle continued to glare at him as if she wanted to punch him in the throat. “My father is probably having his goon beat the crap out of those girls as we speak.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to them.”
Pop!
Janelle jumped. “What was that?”
Shit. Nothing good. Phoenix pushed her out of the way and opened the door, holding his weapon at the ready.
Adam still stood in the doorway. “You shouldn’t have done that.” He waved a gun. “The next time I shoot, I will kill someone.”
Phoenix glanced toward the vehicle. Pam hunched over the hood. Blood trickled down her shirt. He narrowed his stare.
Flesh wound. Nothing serious.
