CHAPTER THIRTY
STRAY
“Very funny.” Forgetting about Codie, Noah stepped toward Rebel, his gun raised. “Get inside and close the door.”
Completely unafraid, Rebel tilted his head to one side as if considering the instruction.
“Let Codie go first. She has nothing to do with any of this, and you damn well know it. Since when do we bring innocent parties into this shit? Is that really the way you want to do things? Didn’t you learn from River’s mistakes? ”
Noah’s face reddened. His finger tightened on the trigger. Honestly, I was surprised that he hadn’t already blown a hole in Rebel’s head. I got the feeling that he didn’t want to rush that moment. He wanted to savor it.
“Fair enough. Let’s have it your way. Colt, untie Codie.” Not once did Noah take his icy stare off Rebel.
Colt made a noise of disappointment but did as he was told. He cut through the ropes holding Codie, allowing her to get off the chair. She staggered as she took a few steps. Her legs were likely numb from the rope.
“I don’t want to leave without Stray.” Her worried gaze darted to me.
“Leave now or you don’t leave,” Noah snapped.
“I left my keys in my car,” I said. “Take it and get out of here.”
She hesitated near the door. She knew this was her only chance to escape, and yet she struggled to leave me behind. Fuck, I adored this woman. Right now I needed to know she was safe and alive. Nothing else mattered.
“It’s all right, strawberry. Go ahead. Get out of here while you can.” I nodded, doing my best to silently tell her I would be fine. I would see her soon.
With a muffled sob, she slipped past Rebel and disappeared into the night. My shoulders slumped in relief.
Colt kept his gun on me while Noah aimed at Rebel. The situation wasn’t looking too good. Especially not when Noah told Rebel to sit on the chair Codie had just vacated.
Hands stuffed into his pockets, Rebel sauntered across the room toward the chair like he didn’t have a care in the world. Even I envied his composure. I was ready to snap.
Rebel sat down on the chair, scrutinizing Colt’s technique as he began to tie him up. “Really? This is how you’re going to kill me? Tied to a chair? That’s pretty fucking pathetic.”
Instead of using the gun, Noah pulled a knife on Rebel, pressing it against the side of his neck. “You’ve got a lot of attitude for a man that’s about to die. Are those your final words?”
“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. Those knots might have held Codie but they sure as hell won’t hold me. Maybe you should Google how to tie a proper knot.” Rebel’s grin grew wide. He was enjoying every moment.
That’s why we were best friends. We were both more than a little crazy. This life wasn’t for everyone. One needed to be a little unhinged to handle it.
“Maybe you need to start taking this a little more seriously.” Moving swiftly, Noah stabbed the knife into the top of Rebel’s thigh.
That’s when the back door of the warehouse opened.
Casper, Dom, and Auryn filed in with guns held ready.
As Colt turned to take a shot at them, I leapt from my place on the floor, tackling him down.
I wrapped my hand around his, keeping him from firing the gun.
After slamming my elbow into his face, I was able to tear the weapon from his grasp.
“Back the fuck off.” Dom pushed forward, shoving his gun in Noah’s face. “Drop your fucking weapons.”
Noah let the knife fall to the floor with a clatter. He dropped his gun next. Both hands raised, he seemed to be inwardly cursing himself for taking his eyes off the cameras outside. Did he really think Rebel would come alone? Did anyone ever?
“Son of a fucking bitch.” Pressing a hand to his bleeding thigh, Rebel picked up the chair he’d been sitting on and smashed Noah in the face with it. “You stabbed me, motherfucker. Big mistake. Do you know how pissed my fiancée will be?”
“Tie them both up,” I said, shoving Colt onto his knees. “Dom, do you have the revolver?”
We all preferred semi-automatics for how easy they were to use and reload. However, there were times when a revolver proved useful. Dominik often carried both.
“I sure do.” Dom pulled the gun from the small holster strapped to his belt.
“Good. Colt and Noah are going to play a little game. Empty the chamber of every bullet except one. Give it a good spin.” These fuckers were going to regret ever touching Codie.
They knew exactly what was up. Colt paled, obviously panicked now that he wasn’t in control. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Really?” Noah sneered from where Rebel and Casper tied his hands behind his back before shoving him onto his knees. “Russian roulette?”
“That’s right.” I kicked him hard in the ribs, making him double over. “As much as I would love to kill you both, I think we’ll let the gun decide. Keeps things exciting.”
Rebel nodded. “Works for me. Whichever one of you walks out of here alive gets to tell Damon that the clock is ticking on both of you.”
Noah and Colt exchanged a look. While Noah remained composed, his expression neutral, Colt began to meltdown.
“Please don’t fucking kill me. I’ll do anything. I swear.” He sounded as pathetic as he looked.
“Shut the fuck up, man,” Noah hissed. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
As much as I hated the man, I respected Noah’s ability to face potential death without turning into a begging and pleading little bitch. He genuinely was the hardass he presented himself as.
“Screw you, Noah. This was all your idea. You’re supposed to be the leader without River and this is the kind of shit you get us into? I never should’ve listened to you.” Colt completely turned on his companion, willing to say or do anything to save his own ass.
“It was your fucking idea to grab Codie Edwards. Did you forget that part? God, you’re fucking useless.” Noah shot a scathing glare at Colt.
Dominik emptied the revolver chamber of every bullet except one. He gave it a spin as he locked the chamber back into place. “Who wants to go first?”
He stared especially long at Noah. Such vehemence burned in his dark hazel eyes.
I studied him for a moment. Even though I’d been joking around with him about Noah the night of the accident, something told me I wasn’t wrong.
Dominik looked at Noah like he wanted to choke the life out of him with his bare hands. And yet, I sensed something more there.
“Colt,” I said. “Colt goes first.”
I had no way of knowing who was going to take the bullet. It might be the first shot, the last, or any in between. Colt had been the one putting his hands all over my girl though. I may have been biased but I wanted to see a bullet in his forehead.
With a nod, Dominik pressed the barrel of the revolver against Colt’s head. He counted slowly to three, making the moment extra dramatic and tense. Then he pulled the trigger. A click and nothing more. Bummer.
Turning to Noah, he placed the gun against Noah’s head and again counted to three. Was it just me or did Dom’s finger hesitate on the trigger? If so, he recovered quickly. Another click.
Noah didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink. Unlike Colt who was a shaking mess, begging us for mercy. We were entirely unmoved.
The third pull of the trigger was also an empty chamber. That had Colt completely coming apart. He was almost in tears.
“Come on,” he begged. “I’ll do anything. Give you any information I can. Whatever you want. Cut me a break here.”
“Should’ve thought of that before you groped my lady. You wanted to fuck her in front of me. Did you forget about that?” Taking the gun from Dom, I held it on Colt, ready to fire every single round into his face until the bullet fired.
Somehow, I managed to resist. I’d started this game, and I would finish it. I aimed at Noah for the fourth shot. Another click. We were getting close now.
Colt’s begging had turned into senseless mumbling. A few tears streaked down his face. I had no sympathy for him. He’d crossed a line that he could never come back from.
When I aimed at him for the fifth shot, a sense of satisfaction overtook me. This was it. This was the one. I could feel it.
“This is for Codie.” I pulled the trigger, watching as the bullet fired, burying itself in his forehead.
Colt pitched over backwards, going down on the concrete floor. Although it had been enjoyable, it didn’t feel as satisfying as I’d hoped. Maybe it had been too fast. Too easy. I should’ve tortured him first.
“Looks like it’s your lucky day, asshole.” Placing his boot on Noah’s chest, Dom gave him a hard shove. “Have you learned your lesson yet?”
A scream from outside broke through the relative quiet. Codie’s scream. Leaving the others to deal with Noah, I ran for the door.