Robbins came back a few hours later. Joe wasn’t even sure how long they’d been there by that time. It was getting light out though so he knew it was morning. Robbins walked over to Joe this time, and stood looking down at him. “So, Sinclair … how you feeling?”
Joe looked up at him for a long moment. He was sitting up, his head feeling a little better. He had found the bloody cut on the back of his head a little earlier. As Joe watched, Robbins pulled out Joe’s own gun, much as he had with Midnight’s almost a month before.
“Now, Sinclair, there’s some information I never got from your partner … and I want it now.” He leveled the gun at Joe. “I want the addresses of all the members of FORS, and you’re going to give them to me or I’m going to take you apart piece by piece, you got it?”
“Go to hell, Robbins,” Joe said, his voice calm and clear.
Without a word, Robbins fired a single shot into Joe’s shoulder. Joe cried out involuntarily, his cry echoing in the room. Randy screamed Joe’s name.
“Now that you know I’m not kidding …” Robbins said, his voice icy. “Start talking, Sinclair.”
“What the hell are you doing!” Tasha’s voice came from above them. She descended the stairs two at a time.
“Trying to get our friend here to talk,” Robbins said, looking over at her.
“Oh Jesus!” Tasha said, seeing the blood flowing from Joe’s shoulder. She grabbed a nearby towel and walked toward the bed. Robbins’ hand stopped her.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice angry again.
Tasha looked at him, and then down at Joe, who was looking up at her through pain-clouded eyes.
“If he bleeds to death, Daniel, you won’t get anything from him.” She moved around Robbins and knelt next to Joe. She pressed the towel to his shoulder. Joe jumped at the pain it caused.
“I’m sorry,” Tasha whispered to him.
“Well, if I can’t get anything from Sinclair …” Robbins said as he backed toward Randy. His intention was clear as he put the gun down on a nearby table.
Joe could see that Randy was in tears, and she was shaking. He noticed that Robbins was still focused on him and Tasha. Tasha was leaning over him. She was on his right side, and the gunshot wound was in his left shoulder, so she leaned across him.
He made a quick decision. “So …” he said, his voice soft, but loud enough for Robbins to hear. “This is what happened to you?”
“Shut up, Sinclair,” Tasha said, pressing the towel harder into his shoulder, causing him to wince in pain and let his breath out in a hiss.
“It’s just a shame … ya know … we had somethin’ good goin’. The sex was always great …” he said, his voice trailing off as if he really missed it.
“She doesn’t want you anymore, Sinclair,” came Robbins’ voice. He had taken a few steps forward away from Randy, in his urge to protect what he considered his property now.
“No?” Joe said, his eyes looking up at Tasha.
“No, she doesn’t,” Robbins answered for her. “Tell him, Tash.”
Tasha looked down at Joe, her eyes giving her away. She did still want him, but there was still the glint of hate and anger in her eyes too. Joe knew he was playing a dangerous game, but it was worth it if it kept Robbins away from Randy.
“Yeah,” he said seductively, “tell me, Tash …”
His right hand touched her waist and he felt her sharp intake of breath. She leaned down then and kissed him, her mouth all but devouring his, he had to force himself to kiss her back. Her hand touched his face and trailed down to his neck. Her nails were as long and manicured as ever, and they raked a bloody path down his throat from his ear when Robbins dragged her away from him and carried her from the room.
Joe looked over at Randy when they were gone. He could see trust in her eyes, there was no accusing look. Once again, she had faith in him. He felt strengthened by her devotion to him, and he knew if they were going to make it through this, he would have to continue to draw on that faith.
He got up from the mattress, feeling a little lightheaded from the pain in his shoulder, but knowing that this may be his only opportunity to check around. He walked over to Randy first and kneeled in front of her. She had a slight bruise on her cheek, but she looked otherwise unharmed.
“Joe …” she said, her voice agonized. She couldn’t touch him because her hands were tied. Her eyes were on his shoulder that was still bleeding. Then they trailed to the bloody welts that Tasha’s nails had left on his throat.
“It’s alright, babe,” he told her.
“Who is she?” Randy asked.
“Her name is Tasha Wood. I dated her a while back.”
“Was it serious?” Randy asked.
“Not as serious as she wanted,” Joe said wryly.
“What does that mean?”
“She wanted me to stop seeing Midnight. I refused and it pissed her off. The scary thing is that she works for the confidential records section of DMV. It’s probably how Robbins got Midnight’s address.” He said, grimacing as he did. “Look, I’m gonna look around. I don’t know when or if the cavalry will arrive and I don’t want to take any chances of us losing this round.” His words were light, but the look in his eyes told her that he was afraid for both of them.
He touched her cheek, and leaned over to kiss her. When he pulled back, her eyes were watching him and he could see that she was afraid.
“We’ll get out of this … somehow,” he said, trying to make his voice sound confident.
She nodded, her eyes wide. He stood and walked around the room. He walked over to the stairs that led down from the main part of the house, then he checked the walls to see if there were any other doors. There was one, but it was locked. He tried a couple of times to force it, but to no avail. He walked back over to the mattress and checked the window there. It was locked but there were no bars. It wasn’t very wide though, he didn’t think even Randy could fit through it. He looked over at her, and he saw that she was watching him still.
He walked back over to her and kneeled down. He put his uninjured arm around her and hugged her to him as best he could.
“It’ll be okay, babe … we just have to hold on for a while longer … ” He looked down at her, her eyes were filled with tears. “Don’t do that, babe please …” He hugged her to him again.
He wanted to stay near her, but he knew he shouldn’t. He didn’t know if Robbins knew how serious he was about Randy, but he knew that any extra affection shown right now, would tip that. Robbins would be doubly interested in raping Randy if he knew that Joe was in love with her and that they were engaged.
He suddenly remembered the ring. “Randy, the ring … do you have it on?” He looked at her hands and saw that she did. It had taken some work to make it fit her small finger temporarily, but she wanted to wear it. It was his. “Shit, Randy you have to take it off … ” he said, reaching for her hand. “Robbins won’t know that ring, but Tasha will, and if she sees it …”
“Sees what?” came Tasha’s voice from behind him. It was a casual drawl, but when he turned, he saw that she was staring down at him.
She was standing twenty feet away. Joe’s body still blocked Randy so he made a quick ditch effort to try to pull the ring off and pocket it, but he couldn’t manage. He stood, looking down at Randy, his eyes going to the ring again. Then he turned and walked over to the mattress, easing himself down in a sitting position, his eyes watching Tasha.
“Sees what?” Tasha repeated, her hands on her hips. She was looking from Joe to Randy.
“Nothin’,” Joe said, his eyes showing indifference.
“Bullshit, Sinclair,” Tasha said angrily. “What don’t you want me to see?” She looked at Randy then, her eyes trailing over the younger girl. She started to walk toward her.
“Tasha,” Joe said. His voice stopped her, and she turned to him, her eyes wary.
She walked over to him, and got down on her knees in fr
ont of him. She traced her fingers down the marks she had left on him earlier. Then her hand moved to his wounded shoulder. Her eyes turned to ice as she pressed her hand against it, causing him to gasp in pain.
“What are you hiding from me, Sinclair?” she asked, her voice as cold as her eyes.
When he only returned her look she pressed harder into his shoulder. He cried out then, the pain was excruciating.
“Tasha!” Randy yelled. “Leave him alone!”
Tasha’s head snapped around and she narrowed her eyes at Randy. She stood, and walked over to her. Joe was half-unconscious from the pain and had been close to passing out when Randy had yelled to Tasha. He watched Tasha cross the floor to Randy. Tasha stood over Randy in a very threatening manner. Randy looked up at Tasha, her eyes shooting sparks of anger at the older woman.
“I know you weren’t talking to me, little girl,” Tasha said, her voice cold and hard. Randy continued to stare up at her, her eyes narrowed. “’Cause what you don’t realize here is that I have all the power, you have nothing, you got that?” Her voice grew strident on the last part as Randy shook her head.
“You’re wrong,” Randy said, her voice surprisingly calm. “Robbins has the power; you’re just a pawn to him, an easy one.”
Tasha’s hand whipped back and slapped Randy so hard the younger woman’s head snapped back. But Randy didn’t cry out, she turned her face back to Tasha and gave her a knowing look, shaking her head again.
“You bitch!” Tasha screamed, slapping Randy again.
“Tasha!” Joe yelled, starting to get up. But Tasha whirled around producing a gun, and pointed it at Joe.
“Don’t fucking do it, Sinclair!” she said, her voice sounding harsh and partially hysterical. “I’ll kill you, I swear!”
The look in her eyes told Joe that she meant it. He stayed where he was, afraid to anger her further, lest she turn on Randy with the gun. He had been surprised at Randy’s courage; her interruption had given him the opportunity to regain his strength. But he couldn’t let Tasha continue to slap Randy. Tasha backed up, keeping Joe in her sight, but getting behind Randy.
“You think you’re so smart, little girl, you think you got Joe? You don’t, he doesn’t commit to anyone. He just fucks ’em and leaves ’em, don’t you Joe?” Her voice was derisive.
When he didn’t answer, she drew the gun back threatening to hit Randy with it.
“Yeah, okay, yeah!” Joe said, putting his hand out in a halting gesture.
Tasha smiled, enjoying having power over Joe again.
“So, Randy,” she said then, her voice making a nasty word out of her name. “He’ll be doing the same to you … no matter what he told you … he lies you know, don’t you Joe?”
Again, she looked at him, her hand moving back in the same gesture.
“Yeah, Tasha, I do,” Joe said keeping his voice calm, even amiable. He wanted to get her away from Randy, as fast as possible, before she saw the ring. He was willing to admit to anything to make that happen.
He wanted her to think that Randy was just a passing thing, then maybe she wouldn’t want to kill Randy so much. He knew if she saw the ring, that was it for her. Glancing at Randy’s hands, he noticed she had crossed her right hand over her left, covering his ring. Good girl! he thought to himself. His eyes went back to Tasha. She was still watching him with the gun pointed at him, he read both indecision and longing on her face.
“You lied to me, didn’t you Joe?” Tasha said then, her voice touched with ice.
Joe didn’t answer, he wasn’t sure what she expected him to say.
“Didn’t you, you bastard!” Tasha screamed hysterically.
Joe tensed as he saw her finger tighten on the trigger. She walked over to him again, staring accusingly up at him. She stayed just out of his arm’s length, not taking the chance of getting close enough for him to be able to grab the gun.
Her eyes grew unfocused as she started to talk. “You lied to me, you let me into your world, you gave me your lips, your hands, your body, but you wouldn’t give me your heart … why Joe? Wasn’t I right for you? Didn’t I do everything that you wanted, and more? I gave you my heart … my soul, but you didn’t want it … why?” Her eyes grew wintery again. “Was it Midnight? That bitch always got in the way, I should have taken her out myself … but Robbins wanted to do it his way.” Her voice was derisive of Robbins’ methods, and she shook her head in confusion. “What does Midnight do for you, Joe? What could she possibly do?”
“Love me,” Joe said simply, trying to draw her in closer so he could grab the gun.
Her eyes flashed with anger then. “You fucking bastard, I loved you! Don’t you know that? I loved you and you didn’t want me, you didn’t want me!”
She brought the gun up, aiming it at his head, but she had taken a step closer and his hand whipped out grabbing the gun from her grasp. Joe heard a click, right next to his ear. He turned his head slightly, and saw the muzzle of a gun pointed directly at his head. It was Robbins. He had come in during Tasha’s tirade, and Joe hadn’t heard him. Now Robbins stood with a gun to his head. Joe held the gun he had grabbed from Tasha up with his fingertips.
“Take it, Tash!” Robbins yelled.
Tasha didn’t move, her eyes averted from Joe’s.
“Sinclair,” Robbins said then, his voice sounded tired, “you’re really starting to get on my nerves, ya know?”
Joe felt the barrel of the gun pressed to the side of his head. He closed his eyes, not sure if this was it or not. He opened them and saw Randy, her eyes were wide with terror. Tears were flowing down her face, and she was shaking her head, denying that this was all happening. Randy was shaking from head to foot, she was terrified that Robbins was going to kill Joe, shoot him in the head, right then.
There was a sudden crash above them and they all looked up. Joe took the opportunity to dive out of the way of Robbins’ aim, but he landed on his wounded shoulder, which made him drop the gun he still had in his possession. It dropped with a clatter behind him on the cement floor.
“Goddamn it, Sinclair!” Robbins yelled pointing the gun at Joe. But as he fired, Joe threw himself to the side.
“Hold it, Robbins!” came Midnight’s voice from the stairs.
Joe was almost faint with relief at seeing her and Rick on the stairs. Midnight was pointing her gun at Robbins. Rick had his back to them checking the other side of the stairs. Midnight descended the stairs keeping her eyes on Robbins the entire time. Rick followed her down and moved to untie Randy and help her up.
“Put the gun down, Robbins.” Midnight said sternly.
But Robbins had the gun still pointed at Joe, who still lay on the floor, trying to gather the strength to stand.
“Do it, Robbins!” Midnight yelled. “Put it down!”
“Daniel?” Tasha said, her voice showing her uncertainty.
She was standing between Midnight and Joe facing Robbins. Robbins looked at her and Joe used his distraction to reach for the gun behind him. He shoved it into the small of his back. He turned and saw that Randy was watching him. He gave her a lopsided grin, and then moved to stand, slowly. Robbins looked at him again, the gun he held still trained on Joe.
“Get your hands up, Sinclair, let me see ’em!” Robbins yelled, his eyes trying to keep track of everyone.
Rick walked over to them. Randy moved to stand behind and to the left of Joe. Rick was holding a shotgun with it trained on Robbins.
“Do what the lady says, Robbins,” Rick said.
Tasha started to back up, and Midnight took her eyes off Robbins to keep an eye on Tasha.
“Don’t move, Tasha!” Midnight said, but Tasha continued to back up, her eyes on Joe.
Robbins lifted the gun slightly, and Rick could see that his finger was tightening on the trigger.
“Robbins!” Rick yelled then, stepping forward.
Without warning, Robbins turned the gun on Rick and shot him. Rick stumbled back with the force of the shot and
dropped to the floor.
“Rick!” Midnight screamed, training her gun back on Robbins. “You fucking bastard, if he’s dead … so are you!” Robbins was smiling evilly.
Midnight moved to Rick’s side, he had been hit in the chest. Midnight couldn’t stop the tears that started when she saw all the blood.
“Now you put down the gun, lady,” came a voice from behind all of them. One of Robbins’ men came out from the shadows.
Joe noticed that the door that he had tried earlier, stood open now. Midnight looked up, her hand tightening on her weapon, but she could see that the guy already had a pistol trained at her head. She looked at Joe who was watching Robbins, his hands at his side, but his fingers were working, like a gunfighter before a fight.
“Do it, bitch!” the same man yelled at her.
Midnight held up her hands, her gun swinging from the bottom of the trigger guard.
“Now this I’m gonna enjoy,” Robbins said, lifting the gun to Joe’s head again. “Goodbye Sinclair,” he said, as his finger tightened on the trigger.
“Wait!” Tasha yelled, moving to stand between Joe and Robbins.
She faced Robbins. “Don’t kill him yet,” she said, her voice persuasive.
“Why?” Robbins asked derisively. “And keep your hands up, Sinclair!” he said, seeing that Joe was dropping his hands. “Why?” he asked Tasha again. He’d been thrown by her statement.
“I want him to get a taste of what he’ll be missing in the next life,” she said, and turned to Joe, looked at him seductively. “You still want me don’t you Joe, you don’t want to, but you do.”
Joe looked down at her for a long moment. She had moved to stand right in front of him and her hands reached up to touch his chest. He pursed his lips, as if trying to decide.
“You don’t know?” Tasha said then, her eyes gazing up at him in alluring way. “Well I can make you, you know.” She pulled him toward her.
They kissed, her hands gliding through his hair as she pressed her body against his. Joe caressed her back then he moved one hand slowly to the back of her head. Without warning, his hand tightened on a handful of her hair and he spun her around, twisting his hold on her hair even tighter. She cried out. Joe kept her in front of him as a human shield, and he backed up.
Empires Fall (MidKnight Blue Book 2) Page 9
