Page 22 of Outlaws' Single Mom
Panic can only give you so much energy. After that, it takes training to maintain any decent speed, and he’s running out of juice. He falls back on old tricks and grabs at a girl who does her best to get out of the way, but not fast enough. He catches her by her purse and yanks her straight into my path. I get a split second to choose between hitting her like a linebacker and losing a little time. Fortunately for the girl, I pick the kinder option, but I’m not sure she’s grateful when I flick a knife out of my sleeve and slice through her purse strap, whipping it out and slapping the guy in the back of the head. He staggers, more surprised than hurt, but it gives Stiff time to tackle him into the side of a building.
He hacks a glob of bloody spit onto the sidewalk at Stiff’s feet. “What the fuck is your problem?” he snarls.
“Hey Jay,” I say in an overly friendly sing-song, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him around the corner where there are fewer curious eyes.
“Do I fucking know you? I ain’t done shit to theSons.” He wiggles his jaw like he’s testing to see if something’s broken.
“You’re awfully jumpy for someone with a clear conscience.” Stiff nudges him idly with one of his boots.
“You try walking into your own home and finding you two fuckers standing there. That’s the kind of shit that makes a man jumpy. You know? Did Sergei let you in?”
“Yeah, because unlike you, he seems to give half a shit that she’s dead.” I can see him calculating his response. Trying to decide what to give us and what to keep hidden.
“Dead?” His eyes widen briefly and then narrow again. “When? What happened?”
I can’t tell if he’s pretending surprise, or really that much of an asshole that he didn’t notice his woman gone for several days. “There was an accident. You didn’t think it was strange that she’s been gone for days?”
He shrugs. “Been out of town, and we don’t exactly keep tabs on each other, you know? She lives her life,I live mine. Doesn’t tell me why the fuck you were in my living room?”
“Pretty sure it’s Georgia’s living room,” Stiff points out.
Jay waves a hand. “Whatever. We’ve been living together for years, ask anyone. Were you fucking her? Is that why you came over? Didn’t know she’d started turning tricks.”
I’m real fucking glad Dakota isn’t here for this. The small knife I used to slice the girl’s purse is still in the palm of my hand. It’s real easy to flick it forward and bury it in his thigh.
Jay screams. “My fucking leg! You’re a psycho!” He struggles to get loose, but I have him pinned to the wall with an arm across his chest.
“Let me tell you how this is gonna go. I don’t give a shit about you, but Georgia’s sister is under our protection, and she’s going to need access to the apartment to clear out anything she wants. You’re gonna hand over your key and find somewhere else to crash for the next couple weeks.”
“You can’t kick me out of my own fucking place!”
“Just kill him,” Stiff mutters, ice fucking cold. “This is taking too long and nobody’s going to miss him.” I can’t tell if he’s saying it to scare Jay, or if he means it. Could be both.
“No! Fine! Whatever,” Jay growls.
“And if we hear you’re giving Dakota any trouble, I’d suggest running again, and don’t stop until you’re out of our fucking territory.”
“Why would I give a shit about her stuck up sister?”
“You really don’t care about your own son?” Stiff asks, lip curled in disgust.
Jay laughs. “Mine? Bullshit. I don’t care what that crazy bitch told you. He could be anyone’s. I told her she could keep the brat so long as she could keep it quiet, but she wasn’t exactly good mommy material, you know? We could’ve sold it for a mint, but she didn’t have the stomach for it.”
“Give me the keys and get the fuck out of my sight.” I smash the heel of my palm into the knife wound and Jay makes a high, thready noise like an injured animal.
“You’re fucking insane, the both of you.” He doesn’ttry to struggle free again, but lets out a dramatic sigh. “Left jacket pocket.”
Stiff does the honors while I hold Jay in place. He’s a fucking worm of a man. I notch my blade under his chin, pressing hard enough that a single drop of blood wells out. Terror slides behind his watery eyes, and his face blanches. He talks big, but he’s a fucking coward.
“Got it.” Stiff pulls the keys out, pinched between his fingers like he didn’t want to touch the bastard.
“Thank you for your cooperation.” I pat Jay on the cheek. He bares his teeth in a grimace, but we both know that there’s no bite in them right now. “You remember the rules?”
“Stay clear for a couple weeks, don’t fuck with the sister. I got it.”
“Good. I’ll leave the keys with Sergei when we’re done.” I back off slowly, not willing to turn my back to him. “Get the hell out of my face.”
He sneers, and for a second, I’m sure he’s going to take a shot at me, but he thinks better of it. Unfortunately. I wouldn’t lose any sleep if he gave me an excuse to take him out.
