Page 51 of The Fighter
“They only knew each other for five days but he was insanely proud of being her husband.”
Laura moved to the door. “Let’s get out of this attic. It gives me goosebumps.”
Michael and I followed her, and we were coming down the narrow staircase when suddenly Laura gave a shout.
In the door opening onto the apartment we had just been inside stood a middle-aged man with spiky hair and crazy eyes. “Someone broke into my place.” He was pointing a gun at us, and in reflex Laura pulled out her numb-gun.
“It’s okay, don’t shoot,” I urged him. “Michael, tell him you showed us the apartment.”
Michael, who was behind me, was trying to push his way past me on the narrow staircase. “Jenson, you insane old fart, drop that gun right now.”
When the man didn’t lower his gun, Laura warned him too, “Put your weapon down, right now.”
The horrible thought of Laura getting shot had me pulling my own weapon and pointing at the man. How would I explain it to Magni if his wife lost her life in the same place as his sister?
“I’m not fucking around. Put down the gun or I’ll roast your thieving asses,” the man threatened.
“No one stole from you. It was just me showing these women the apartment I used to live in.”
Jenson was holding his gun with both hands stretched out as he was staring at Laura. “You put down your gun first.”
A “pop” sound made me suck in a breath in fear. Had the man fired his gun? My finger was on the trigger, my heart racing with fear, but it only took a split second before Jenson’s body froze and he fell to the floor.
“You didn’t have to shoot him, Laura.”
“It’s so typical of men to expect women to back down. I’m done with that.”
Rushing to the man’s side, I made sure he was breathing and that he hadn’t cracked his head open in the fall.
Michael kneeled on Jenson’s other side. “Maybe it’s better if you two leave now. I’ll take care of Jenson – he’s a bit of a hermit and as you can see his social skills are lacking.”
I looked into the eyes of the older man. “We didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m very sorry for the pain you’re experiencing but the good news is that it was just a numb-gun. Soon you’ll be able to move again.”
He couldn’t respond so I left him with Michael and nodded for Laura to come with me.
“If I’d know how trigger-happy you are, I wouldn’t have brought you.”
Laura grinned. “Told you I’ve wanted an opportunity to try my numb-gun again. What better time than when a stranger is pointing his gun at me?”
“We could have de-escalated the situation.”
Laura smiled. “Yeah, probably, but where would the fun be in that?”
Now that the adrenalin and fear were leaving my body, relief that we were both unharmed made me laugh a little. “God, you’re such a Northlander sometimes, Laura.”
“What? You mean badass and amazing?”
“Yeah, and a little mean too.”
Laura climbed into the drone. “There has to be balance in the world and with all you nice Motlanders around, I figured I have some wiggle room.”
I buckled up and gave her a mischievous smile. “You must be confusing me with Mila.”
“My bad. I shouldn’t have insulted you by calling you nice, Raven.” Laura’s tone was vibrating with irony.
Closing the doors to the drone and taking off, I looked over at her. “So, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“About Michael and Henry being lovers?”
