Page 133 of Fish out of Water
Then I heard the evil laugh coming from the tiny woman still mostly strapped to the chair next to his writhing body.
“That’s what happens when you fuck with me.” Sylvia pursed her lips and spit at him.
Or at least she tried to.
“Damn it.” She licked her lips. “I’m dry as hell.” Her eyes came my way, one already starting to slant from the swelling rapidly taking over her cheek. “Julia, spit on that fat-ass for me.”
The guy was holding his crotch with his hands like Sylvia hadn’t just shoved both balls up into his pelvis. It almost made me feel a little bad to spit on him.
Almost.
But he’d just slapped one of my most favorite people in the world, so I even hocked a little to make sure it was good and messy before shooting what I worked up right at his face.
“Yes!” Sylvia’s evil laugh was back. “That’s my girl.”
I couldn’t keep myself from smiling. I’d be Sylvia’s girl anytime.
Unfortunately, her nut crushing display distracted me.
“I got her.” One of the other men rushed me from the side, tackling me and trying to take me to the ground. He was red-faced and smelled like day-old garlic bread.
No way was I ending up smashed under him. He’d probably get off on it and that was even less appealing than his stink.
I spun as he grabbed me, managing to take Vito out with our wrestling bodies. It shouldn’t make me as happy as it did to see Vito’s eyes as he tipped over, forced to watch Stinky falling his direction, unable to do anything to stop it.
Both men grunted as their bodies collided with each other and the dirty floor.
“Get the hell out of here, Julia.” Mrs. Sherling’s voice was sharp. “We’ll be fine.”
“I’m not leaving you.” I jumped over Vito and Stinky as another of the four men started my way.
“We didn’t live to be this old by being pussies.” Mrs. Sherling jerked her head toward the door. “Go.”
I pulled the pipe still in my hands back over one shoulder, ready to crank it at the last two men who were now prowling toward me. “You guys should just walk away now. It will be better for you in the long run.”
“I doubt that.” One of the men gave me a gross grin. “We’re in this for the long haul, sweetheart.”
“I don’t think you are, Love Muffin.” I backed up as they came closer. “This isn’t going to go the way you think it will.” I worked my way around the space, looking for any sort of escape there might be. “There wasn’t that much damn money in that envelope. It can’t be worth it to end up on Elaine’s bad side.”
It was a gamble. I didn’t really know how much power Elaine held, but it seemed like a lot.
Love Muffin laughed. “We’re not fucking scared of some East Coast princess.”
Well.
Shit.
I could see why Grant was tired of Vito’s shit. “I don’t think you understand what’s going on here.” I glanced to where Vito was tipped sideways, looking fresher than a man who claimed to be held hostage for a week should.
Holy hell.
I shook my head at him. “You idiot.” He was lucky I couldn’t hit him from where I was or I’d spit in his face too for putting his sister and niece in this position.
Not to mention poor Mrs. Sherling.
He’d convinced these men he could get them even more than what was in the envelope.
“They’re not going to give you guys any money.” I kept edging toward the only door in the place. “That’s why you couldn’t find the money anywhere. They’re not paying off Vito’s debts anymore.”
