ZEKE’S BABY

by Evelyn Glass

  “Rack it.”

  Gabriel gritted his teeth and did as he was told, the final bullet flying out. He tossed the now useless gun onto the bed. “Give me Stella and I’ll tell you the combination.”

  Tony grinned and shook his head. “No deal. Open your vest so I can see.” Gabriel did. “Is that a knife? Take off your vest, remove your knife, then turn around slowly.”

  “Tony! Please!” Stella begged, as Gabriel complied, then gasped as a trickle of blood oozed from the point of the knife.

  “I wasn’t going to hurt her. All you had to do was give me the combination. I was going to leave her tied up, here, in the room. Once I had the money, I would have called you and told you where she was. Now you’ve ruined everything. Now I’m going to have to take her with me.”

  “You’re not leaving this motel with her.”

  “How are you going to stop me?”

  “I don’t have to stop you. Blade, Hammer and Goon will. They’re outside right now, waiting for me or you to come out. If it’s you, you’re a dead man.”

  “You’re lying! Nobody was out there when we came from Wendy’s.”

  “You’re right. They hadn’t had time to get here after I called them. But they have by now.”

  “I guess I’ll have to take my chances, then. What’s the combination?”

  “47 03 75,” Gabriel rattled off.

  “Write it down!”

  Gabriel moved to the table between the beds, picked up the pen, and wrote the combination down.

  “Back away,” Tony ordered. He backed up to where he was then Tony inched Stella toward the table. “Pick it up.”

  She picked up the pad. The three numbers were written on it, along with I love you and I’ll be there for you, always.

  “This had better be the combination.”

  “That’s it. How’d you get the key?”

  Tony froze. “What key?”

  “It takes the combination and a key. You have to turn the key before the combination works. You don’t have the key?”

  Tony thought furiously, trying to remember if he saw a key on the door or not. “You’re lying! There’s no key!”

  Gabriel shrugged. “You’ll see when you get there. Since you didn’t ask for the key, I assumed you already had it, but I guess not. Hoss, I think you’re fucked.”

  Tony began to back toward the door. “I think you’re lying. I don’t remember seeing any key.”

  Gabriel grinned, following them across the room but not getting any closer. “Like I said, you’ll see when you get there.”

  “Open the door,” Tony growled.

  Stella swallowed hard. This was her only chance. Gabriel hadn’t given up on her. He knew Tony didn’t have the key all along and knew even if he’d told him the combination he couldn’t open the safe. He’d played him until he could track him down. He loved her and he’d come for her. She reached behind Tony and fumbled the door.

  “I can’t reach it,” she whimpered.

  Tony growled and released her throat, fumbling behind him for the door knob, but still held the knife to her with his other hand.

  “I love you,” she said before grabbing Tony’s arm and pulling it down and away with every ounce of strength she possessed.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  As Stella twisted away, Gabriel exploded into motion. Tony still had his knife and gun, and he had to get in and disarm him before he had time to react.

  He knocked Stella down as he rushed past and grabbed the wrist of Tony’s knife hand and slammed him into the door with his body. Tony grunted from the impact but was far from out of the fight. Using the door as leverage he shoved Gabriel back and twisted away from the door. He tried to free his knife hand from Gabriel’s two-handed grip, but couldn’t.

  Gabriel had the knife pinned down against Tony’s own leg, but with both hands on his wrist and being bent over as he held the hand immobile, he had no leverage to do anything else. Tony reached around his head and grasped his chin, and though he resisted with every ounce of strength he had, he couldn’t prevent Tony from turning his head.

  The two men grunted and panted as they engaged in a battle of strength. Tony’s knife hand slipped from his leg, throwing Gabriel off balance. He stumbled with the sudden change in his balance, falling to his knees on the floor and making the entire room shake.

  Stella stood in the corner of the room, her hand at her throat as Gabriel went down. She didn’t know anything about fighting, but it seemed obvious the first one to lose their footing was in trouble, but at least as he fell he maintained his grip on the knife and dragged Tony down with him.

  Tony fired one, then two lefts into the side of Gabriel’s face. He took the blows, not even trying to defend himself as he concentrated on breaking Tony’s grip on the knife. He twisted Tony’s wrist, causing his hand to spasm open as Tony roared in pain and flung himself back. Now he only had to lock him up before he could draw his weapon.

  Tony was reaching behind him as he backpedaled, trying to draw his pistol, but he wasn’t fast enough. He reflexively squeezed the trigger as he tried to bring the gun around to point at Gabriel, but nothing happened. He hadn’t had time to release the safety. Gabriel hit him like a linebacker, legs pumping, driving through him and lifting Tony from the floor, causing Tony’s gun to fly from his hand with the force of the impact and disappear under the bed. Gabriel drove Tony back until his legs hit the bed. They landed on the bed with a bounce then tumbled over the side, slamming into the wall as they went down between the bed and the wall.

  This was Gabriel’s strength, locking his opponent up in a ground fight. The two men twisted and squirmed in the narrow space, grunting and gasping in silence as each fought for advantage. Both men were immensely strong, and it quickly became apparent Tony had special skills. Every time he tried to twist him into a joint lock, Tony would counter and squirm away. Worse, he almost put him into a lock several times.

  She stood, frozen, unable to move as the two men grappled, out of sight, the only noise the thumps and bangs as they struggled, the bed bucking and sliding ever farther from the wall. Finally, Gabriel appeared, rising up from behind the bed, drawing his arm back to deliver a punch, but before he could release the blow, Tony’s hands appeared, one grabbing Gabriel’s arm, the other grabbing his shirt and pulling him back down.

  They were quiet for a moment then the bed thumped again before becoming still. Not knowing what to do, she rushed from the corner she had retreated to and grabbed the knife so Tony couldn’t use it again, then crept along the wall. If she had a chance, she would drive the knife into Tony to help Gabriel. The two men were locked in an intimate, but deadly, embrace. Gabriel was astraddle one of Tony’s legs as he lay across him, their legs tangled as they held each other by the head. There was no pleasure, only pain, their faces twisted into silent snarls as they strained to subdue their opponent.

  Gabriel gritted his teeth against the pain, his neck almost ready to snap. They had tangled each other until they were frozen, neither able to break the hold or finish the other man. Now it was a war of attrition as they tried to hold each other in vice-like grips until one of them lost the will to fight. It was clear Tony was a wrestler at one point and could counter nearly anything he did. He could feel his strength fading, the strain of holding Tony in check taking its toll, but if he was weakening, Tony had to be, as well. Using the last of his strength reserves, Gabriel lunged forward and up and felt Tony’s grip slip.

  As she watched, franticly trying to figure out a way to help Gabriel, he moved. Suddenly there was a flurry of motion, the stalemate between the men broken. They tumbled, spinning and kicking, freezing for a moment, before tumbling again. They froze again, Gabriel’s face twisted in a mask of pain as Tony got behind him and twisted his arm into a painful-looking angle. Gabriel reached up and back, grabbing Tony’s hair, and hauled his head down before he dove free. For a moment she thought the fight was over but then Tony bound to his feet and charged his opponent.r />
  Tony nearly had him that time. Had they not been wedged between the bed and the wall Tony would have broken his arm. He’d been lucky and managed to pull Tony’s head backwards by his hair, breaking his hold so he could lunge away. He scrambled from behind the bed trying to get some space. He was tired of them trying to tear each other’s heads off because they were hemmed in and couldn’t move. Away from the bed he spun to face Tony, knowing he was coming. He braced to accept Tony’s charge but it wasn’t enough. Tony slammed into him and drove him back, their hands under each other’s chins to force their heads back. Off balance, Tony drove him a backwards a step and into the dresser.

  She watched as Gabriel crashed into the dresser, breaking the mirror on the wall with his back and head, before sliding down and lying across the top, knocking the ice bucket, coffeemaker and television onto the floor. The men’s shirts were hanging in tatters, their skin cherry red from being twisted and gouged. They were both grunting and gasping as Tony leaned into Gabriel, their teeth bared as if they wanted to rip their adversary’s throat open.

  Gabriel twisted, trying to free his head, rolling Tony to the floor. They went down with a crash, Tony roaring in pain as he landed on the television. That was the break Gabriel needed. He jerked his head away and drove a short jab into Tony’s throat. He didn’t hit him hard, not wanting to crush his throat because he needed to be able to tell them where the safe was, but it was enough. Tony’s eyes bulged and he let go of Gabriel’s head, but he wasn’t out of it yet. As he drew back to fire a hard right into Tony’s face, Tony’s twisted, spoiling his punch and throwing him off balance.

  When Gabriel tumbled to his side, Tony scrambled to follow up and threw a hard left, but Gabriel saw it coming and twisted away, the blow only glanced his head before impacting the floor. Tony reared back with another bellow. He was losing it, and Gabriel wanted to take advantage while he could. He forced Tony higher with a shove, then curled his back, catching Tony around the neck with a leg and pulling him down. There was no way Tony could resist the core strength of his body, not from on his knees like he was, but he managed to get an arm between his body and Gabriel’s leg.

  Stella’s breath caught in her throat as Gabriel wrapped his legs around Tony’s head, but with a snarl, Tony twisted, squirting free.

  Gabriel knew he wouldn’t be able to hold Tony long with his arm in there, but the effort Tony expended to slip his hold was telling. Tony tried to roll to his feet, but Gabriel was quicker, hitting him as Tony was still rising to his feet. Again he drove through Tony, driving him backwards the three steps until they crashed into the sink.

  Tony bellowed in pain as his back contacted the sharp edge of the sink. The fight was going out of him, but Gabriel wasn’t taking any chances. While Tony was stunned, he drew back and threw a hard jab into his face, snapping Tony’s head back. Tony tried to counter, but Gabriel ducked under his wild swing and fired another jab.

  She covered her mouth, whimpering, as Tony powered off the sink, trying to drive Gabriel back, but it quickly became clear Gabriel was gaining the upper hand. He moved with Tony, slipping past him, then grabbed him from behind, sliding his arms under Tony’s and locking his hands behind his head as he passed.

  Tony roared again, his arms locked helplessly above his head as Gabriel held him tight. Tony twisted, trying to throw Gabriel off, but he held to him like a barnacle. He drove Tony face down on the bed and lay across his back to keep the pressure on.

  “Give it up!” Gabriel growled.

  It took two tries, but Tony succeeded in rolling over so he was now lying on Gabriel. It was the move Gabriel was waiting for. With Tony’s head clear of the bed, he quickly shifted his hold, wrapping his arm around Tony’s throat, using his other hand to force Tony’s head forward and to lock the hold in.

  Stella watched Tony struggle, trying to tear Gabriel’s arm from his throat, her heart thudding in her chest. This was clearly the end game and Gabriel was going to kill him. After a moment Tony went still. Gabriel held the grip a moment longer, then released him with a gasp, shoving Tony off of him and into the floor.

  “Is he…?”

  “No,” Gabriel gasped as he sat up and panted. “Just sleeping.” He took a couple of deep breaths then staggered to his feet, stepping over Tony to his gun and knife lying on the other bed. He picked them up, sheathed his knife, then slid the magazine back into it weapon and racked the slide. Pointing the now deadly weapon at Tony, he reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out.

  “Fuck,” he muttered and toss the phone aside. It had been smashed beyond use in the fight.

  Tony began to stir. “Give me your phone,” Gabriel ordered as he stepped back but kept his weapon pointed at Tony.

  Stella nodded and opened the drawer where she’d seen Tony put her phone. She pulled it out and handed it to Gabriel. He handed it back.

  “Unlock it.”

  She did and handed it back to him.

  “You move and you’re dead,” Gabriel warned Tony as he started to rise. Tony rolled over and sat up, wiping blood from his face, but didn’t attempt to rise from sitting on the floor. “His gun is under that bed, somewhere,” he said, nodding his head in the direction of the bed. “Look under there and find it. Don’t touch the trigger.”

  As Gabriel held his gun on Tony, she did as he ordered, squeezing under the bed and dragging the pistol out.

  “Do you know how to safe it?” he asked when she popped up with the gun, holding it in two fingers by the butt. She shook her head. “Okay. Go lay it in the sink.”

  Keeping an eye on Tony, he dialed Stella’s phone. “Get over here. Room 206.”

  “What are you going to do?” she asked quietly when he hung up.

  “I’m going to wait for Hammer to get here, then I’m taking you home.”

  She kept her distance, not wanting to risk getting in the way or being used as a shield again. “Good. I’m ready to go home.”

  Less than five minutes later there was a knock at the door. Gabriel rose from the corner of the bed he was sitting on and moved to the door, steering Stella along with him but never taking his eyes off Tony. He took a quick look through the peep, then opened the door.

  “Shit! What happened to you?” Hammer asked as Blade and Goon followed him into the room.

  “We had a difference of opinion,” Gabriel said. “His weapon is in the sink,” he said as he tucked his weapon away then took Tony’s knife from Stella and handed it to Blade. “His knife.”

  Tony stared at them from his position on the floor, his eyes wide with fear, but said nothing. He hadn’t said a word since he woke up.

  Now that he had backup, Gabriel turned to Stella and tipped her head back so he could look at her neck. She had a small puncture wound, but it had already stopped bleeding. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  “I’m okay, and no he didn’t hurt me. Not until you got here.”

  Gabriel pulled her to him and held her. A moment later she began to cry, burying her face in his chest. She wept for time, then gathered herself and stepped back, sniffing and wiping her eyes before she smiled at him as she touched his face gently. She had so many things she wanted to tell him, needed to tell him, but not here. What she had to say was for him and him alone.

  “Take me home?”

  He smiled and nodded. He took stock of his appearance then shook his head in annoyance and tore the rest of his shirt off before shrugging into his vest. He walked her to the door but then stopped before he opened it, looking back to Tony, now sitting on the bed as his brothers hemmed him in. “Break him,” he growled then opened the door and guided Stella out without a backwards glance.

  “What will happen to Tony?” she asked as they walked down the hall.

  “That’s up to him. I need to use your phone again, then you need to call Connie.” She handed him her phone and he dialed Doc from memory. “We have him. We’re going to need your truck,” he said without preamble when Doc answered. “My phone is broke
n and I’m bringing Stella home.”

  “I’ll work out the details with Hammer,” Doc replied. “I’ll be rolling for your location in twenty minutes. And, Royal…thank you.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, or Wednesday, and give you all the details. Call this number when you have the safe.”

  He hung up and handed the phone back to her. “Call Connie, then let’s get the hell out of here,” he said, as he pushed the door open and stepped into the sunlight and began slowly walking toward the strip mall and their ride back to Greenfield.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  The sun was low in the sky, just kissing the tops of the trees, when Gabriel and Stella rolled to a stop in the On A Roll parking lot. He was hurting…badly. Most people he could take out of a fight in seconds without even mussing his clothes, but Tony had been different. He’d damn near dislocated or broken several bones, not to mention nearly breaking his back on the fucking dresser. He didn’t know how long they’d fought. It felt like hours, and Stella said it went on for a long time, which meant it probably lasted five or six minutes. That’s a hugely long fight, but at least two or three of those minutes had been when they were stuck behind the bed, unable to damn thing with each other except try to break the other man’s will.