Someone moved behind me and I realized it wasn’t just one guy. Three others stepped from where they leaned against a parked car, and at once the street seemed empty. Whoever these men were, they had scared everyone off.
“Yeah, chefe, I want me some meat—white meat.” All of them were dressed alike. Tough-guy tank tops, shorts, tattoos, and lots of piercings. I should have been scared, but I was just plain pissed.
And, call me suicidal, but I was itching for a fight.
The smallest of the group hissed something I didn’t understand and circled me. I took a deep breath. I knew what would happen. I didn’t believe I could talk my way out of this, so I had to be smart and quick if I wanted to get out alive.
I slipped one hand around my keychain mace and pressed the other one against the brick wall behind me. I inched toward the main street, trying to put distance between me and the cramped alley.
“Whatever you have, I don’t want any.”
“Oh, but you do. You just don’t know it yet.” The leader, Mr. Red Bandanna, took a step forward and the other three fanned out. They blocked the exit. No flight outta here. Time to fight.
I mentally put them each in a danger category. The leader was probably the weakest, physically. His gang did all the work, fought his battles, and therefore he’d lost his touch.
Now the little guy, on the other hand, looked fast and deadly. He had more to prove, and usually he was the one overlooked. I wasn’t going to make that mistake. I couldn’t make any mistakes.
Mr. Bandanna moved closer and brushed my breast with the back of his hand. I tried not to flinch. “My name is Hector. You want to remember that name because you will be screaming it, begging for more.”
I lowered my voice and whispered, “Hector, you should step back.”
Hector threw his head back and laughed as if I’d told the best joke he’d ever heard. Then his grin turned into a sneer. He motioned to the two quiet ones who looked so similar they could have been twins. “Take her.”
I held up my hand. They paused. “First you must forgive me.”
Red Bandanna looked at me quizzically. “For what?”
“For embarrassing you and your little girlfriends in front of God and everyone.”
THE TWINS MOVED IN and I sprang into action. Pulling the mace from my purse, I sprayed it into the left twin’s eyes. He screeched like a wounded bird and clawed at his face, gagging. I took advantage of his incapacitation. I nailed him in the balls with my knee and grabbed his shirt at the same time, spinning away from the other twin, before dropping him. He fell to the ground. The smallest guy stood flat-footed and stunned. Lunging toward him, I emptied the rest of the mace into his face. Rolling the empty can into my fist, I landed two jabs—then a fist to the throat instead of a hook. He went down, sucking air.
“You cachorra.” Hector pulled a knife and pushed the remaining man toward me. I hastily backed up. With a surprised cry, I tripped over the guy who was on his back, clutching his throat.
Skidding on the concrete, I scraped my elbows and saw stars. The twin hauled me to my feet and hit me in the midsection. I couldn’t breathe. Pain shot through my gut and chest.
“You like that? You want it rough, that it, little white girl?” the twin said.
My vision cleared. The twin was looking over his shoulder at Hector and held me up by my shirt. Bringing my knee up, I racked him again. When he doubled over, I smashed my knee into his face. Blood poured from his nose and he fell over, gurgling and cursing.
Stumbling backward, I managed to regain my balance and run. Each step hurt. My eyes were burning and lungs gasping from the mace floating in the air.
Hector’s heavy footsteps chased after me, cursing and promising what he’d do to me. Didn’t sound like he was offering a foot massage and pedicure, so I kept running. I thought I was heading in the direction of the car, but I might have gotten turned around. Marco was parked just down the street. Or was he one block over to the left? I couldn’t get my bearings.
Left it was. Dodging a trash can, I almost twisted my ankle. The alley I chose was a dead end … so much for my good female intuition. It smelled like feces and rotting cheese, not a pleasant combo.
A sense of irony hit me. Not too long ago, I was the one chasing someone else into a blind alley. There was nothing I could do—no doors, nothing to fight back with. Even my purse was back somewhere between here and where three guys sucked wind.
Boots grated on the ground and a deep, guttural laugh echoed off the walls. Hector stood at the mouth of the alley. He had a pipe in his hand about the size of a baseball bat. Now I was scared.
He walked slowly toward me. “This is the fun part.”
My fear brought out something in me that liked to fight. The dark monster that lurked, just waiting for someone dumb enough to come close to its cage. And I was dumb enough to voice it.
I glared at him “Fun for me. By the time I get done with you, you’ll be breathing out your belly button.”
Growling, Hector rushed at me with the pipe raised. He was muscular, but he wasn’t fast or flexible. I think those were the only two things I had to my advantage. Swinging at my head, he grunted and I ducked. The pipe slammed into the wall. Hector cursed. I tried to get around him, but he blocked me. He was faster than I’d anticipated.
My head seemed to clear, as if the fog of fear was vanishing, and in its place was the same feeling I felt when I baited and killed Williams. Hector was no different. A part of me wanted to kill him … and not just to survive. “That all you got, little boy?”
Twisting the pipe around, he clipped my shoulder and I went down face-first. My hands took the brunt of it and I rolled instinctually. The pipe hit the concrete where my head had been a millisecond before—that was a killing blow. He was in a rage.
Grabbing a broken crate, I blocked his next blow and kicked him in the knee. I heard it snap and he cried out. But that was like a spear poked in a bull’s side, slowing him down but enraging him further. He raised his foot to kick me—I saw my opening. Jerking my knee up, I swept his leg out from under him. It didn’t knock him off his feet, but it unbalanced him. He staggered back, opening up his chest area. Now was my chance to hit his throat. I pulled the crate back.
But before my blow landed, I heard a hollow thud. Hector hit his knees. I watched as his face smashed into the ground and blood burst from his lips and nose. He was not even a foot away from me, so close that I could smell his sweat and the iron in his blood.
I didn’t move away, didn’t look up—just stared at him. He was out cold and would have one epic headache in the morning. I watched the blood stream down his head and the bruise pool under his skin.
“Sarah.” Solomon’s voice ripped me from my trance. He held his gun—he must’ve used it to pistol-whip Hector.
I lifted my eyes to meet his. “Solomon?”
He helped me to my feet and wrapped me in a hug.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” He held me at arms’ length and looked me up and down. I touched my forehead, where a bruise was forming. He hugged me again, and I went limp in his arms.
“I’m okay,” I said, my voice shaking. “Just had to say hi to some of the locals.”
His eyes lit up, and then he yelled. “What were you thinking?”
SOLOMON MARCHED DOWN THE alley and I followed in silence. A few people started coming out of storefronts and shanties. My purse and sack of clothes lay on the ground and I picked them up. They appeared to be intact with all my stuff still inside.
“I have a car waiting. Marco will take me back to the hotel,” I said.
Solomon didn’t turn around or even acknowledge that I’d said anything. We walked back to the main street and I saw Marco standing by the car with a worried look on his face. Next to his car was a dark blue SUV.
Solomon walked ahead of me, but turned now and again to make sure I was behind him. My whole body was starting to tremble, and my throat clenched so bad it hurt.
; Marco waved when he saw me, and I waved back. His smile turned to a concerned stare when he saw my disheveled appearance.
“Miss Steele, what happened to you?”
Solomon stuck out his hand and flashed his badge. “FBI. Miss Steele was in an altercation. I need to bring her in to get a formal statement. I’ll take it from here.”
Marco stared at Solomon and then shook his head. “I promised I would drive her back to her hotel …”
“No need. I will drop Miss Steele off after we get her statement.” Solomon opened the passenger door and I got in. I nodded to Marco and he grumbled something and got in his car. If I’d been in complete control of my voice, I would’ve said something reassuring to him, but I was too shaken up.
Solomon got in and started the engine. He didn’t look at me, wouldn’t say anything. I got that he was upset because I, well, I guess I’d lied. But I didn’t need him knocking heads when I was fully capable of knocking heads myself.
But then I also realized how completely thankful I was that he showed up when he did.
WE WERE OUT OF the slums and heading back to the hotel. The line Solomon gave about taking my statement was just so he could drive me. My hands were shaking. It wasn’t often that I craved alcohol, but I could really use a drink. Now.
Solomon gritted his teeth and then jerked the wheel to the right, pulling off the road into a small lot next to a surf shop.
“We agreed that you’d stay out of this. That you’d let me do my job.”
“I know, but—”
“But what? This isn’t Boise. You can’t go walking around here alone. Most of all in the slums.”
I swallowed, trying to make my voice sound tough. “Not sure you noticed, but three of the four guys who jumped me were on the ground when you showed up. I know it’s not Boise. What you need to know is that I’m an adult, I can do whatever I want, and I had a lead.”
“A lead? That wasn’t your lead. That was our lead. You gave us the purse—we know that the Blondes shopped at the shoe shop. What do you think this is, some game where you play Nancy Drew and get the bad guy? This gang is out killing people, Sarah, and the point is that you lied to me.”
“You’re one to talk,” I said, then fell silent.
He cleared his throat. “You could’ve been killed out there today. If you had a lead, you should’ve called me. If you want to help, do it by filling me in, not going around me.” Solomon turned in his seat and I could see something in his eyes. It wasn’t anger—that was all over his face, but not in his eyes. What was it? Was he afraid for me? He swallowed. “I don’t want to think about what could’ve happened to you today.”
I stared out the window and tried to be somewhere else, not wanting to acknowledge the warmth I felt at his care. “Just take me back. You don’t have the right to care anymore—you’re just some guy I went out with a few times.” I regretted it as soon as I said it.
I looked at him from the corner of my eye and saw hurt flash in his eyes. “Some guy?” He cursed and slammed the SUV in gear.
I think I just broke up with Solomon. For the second time.
THE ELEVATOR DOOR OPENED and I marched down the hall to my room. Solomon followed me—why, I don’t know. Probably to lock me in. I felt like I was seventeen again, sent to my room for sneaking out.
I pushed in the key card and it turned red. I tried again—nothing. My hands were still shaking from the assault. Muttering a curse, I tried once more and the little light finally turned green. I pushed into my room, turned, and started closing the door to keep Solomon from coming in.
“Sarah—”
“Just leave me alone.” He had his body half in the room and half out. He slipped in without much effort.
“Don’t act like this has anything to do with me, or this case, or even you lying to me. You’re mad about something—”
“Dang it, Solomon, quit analyzing me.”
He turned away, and my eyes started burning.
I turned him back around and pushed him against the door. Heat flooded my system and I was kissing him. He kissed me back and I pinned his arms against the door.
I had never kissed him like this—most of the time, our kisses were tender. This was forceful and aggressive. It made my head swim and my body burn with desire. It certainly wasn’t unpleasant.
“Why do you like fighting in dark alleys?” Spinning me around, he pushed me onto the downy bed.
“Yeah, and you like playing the knight in shining armor.”
Solomon loosened his collar and tossed his suit jacket. How he could wear a suit in this humidity was beyond me.
“I can’t believe you said I was just some guy. You push every button I have.”
I sat up and grabbed him. Pulling him on top of me, I kissed him. His lips anticipated everything I wanted. He put one hand beside my head and the other he wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him. I gripped his shoulders, my heart racing and my breath caught in my throat.
I wanted to forget everything and just lose myself in him. Be in his world, by his side. Yet I knew I couldn’t get any closer to him. How could I feel something so strong for someone I hardly knew?
I couldn’t let myself do this.
With a gasping breath, I pulled away. “Easy, tiger.” I propped myself up on my elbows and tried to keep my tone playful. He kissed me on the cheek and stood. Once again, he didn’t push me.
“I have to go. The local police will have the four men who attacked you in custody by now. I called it in and I can go ID them so you don’t have to. I’ll get your statement later.”
“Okay. Besides a statement, do you need anything else from me?”
Solomon winked. “I need you.” Stepping closer, he moved his hand to my waist and kissed me softly. No matter what my brain was telling me to do or the hurt inside screaming for me to back away, I couldn’t. The fact was, I didn’t want to.
“Now. You will stay here, won’t you?” He put on his suit coat.
“I don’t think you intended that to be a question, did you?”
“No, but I won’t treat you like a child. That was wrong of me. Can you and Mandy just promise me you’ll let me know if you’re going into something dangerous?”
“Sure. Speaking of Mandy, where is that girl?”
MANDY TOOK ME TO a nice, quiet beachside restaurant. It was a luau-style place with the pig and all. I was very tired—all the emotions of the day and the street fight had drained me completely. I craved a good, comforting meal and then a long sleep.
“If not for the kidnappings, murder, and gangs of rapists around here, this could be a great place to vacation.” Mandy grinned like a dork and I laughed in spite of myself.
“Yeah, yeah. We have only two days left here—the time has flown by. So what’d you find out with all your hacking?”
“I think I may have found something, but I need to follow a few more threads. Let’s not talk about it tonight—you and I need a break.” She took a bite of coconut rice. “So, you and Solomon. Spill it.”
“What? Nothing. I mean … something.”
“Uh-oh.”
I wanted to avoid this conversation, but only because I didn’t know what to make of it all. Solomon was not the mouth-breather Neanderthal type. He seemed mature and like he was living up to his potential, which was really all I could ask for. “Why can’t things ever be easy?”
“Because this is how life goes. Life isn’t fair. Things go wrong, people do bad things, and I gain weight when I sit around all day eating Bunny Tracks. Sarah, you are making this hard for yourself.”
“No, I’m not. I want to be happy, to be loved, but …”
“But what? No one knows who you are. You keep it all hidden and it takes a really persistent person, like myself, to dig under that hard shell and see you, the real you. And you haven’t told me anything about your past. Not really. You can be happy, but I’m not sure you really want to. And I think it has to do with all your secrets.”
She was
right. I hated when she was right.
“Why bring out your cattle prod all of a sudden?”
Her mouth quirked up. “I think you really like Solomon. You haven’t ever had a guy who can keep up with you like he has.” She shook her spoon at me. “And I don’t want to see you mess it up. So I’m trying to get to the bottom of your psychosis, which, of course, means digging into your past.”
Biting my lip, I tried my hardest not to fight her. I had a past I didn’t want to think about. I had buried it deep, thinking it would stay buried. “You know about my mom, how she’s in prison for life?”
Mandy nodded.
“I don’t ever talk about it because no one knows the real story, and I’m scared that if anyone finds out, it will—” My throat closed, and I could barely say the words. It had been so long.
“What, Sarah? Do you think you’ll lose Solomon or me?” She reached across the table and took my hand.
“No, I’m scared that I’ll lose me.”
I was scared that I already had.
MANDY ORDERED COCONUT ICE cream and we moved to a private area on the beach. There was a large, round bed to lounge on, and our ice cream came a few minutes later.
“Now this is more like it. Ocean breeze, the sun setting on a cool bed, eating your favorite ice cream.” Mandy was trying to lighten the mood and it was working.
“The food is amazing. Not to mention being here with my best friend.” I took a bite of ice cream and decided I should get it all out. “There is something, Mandy, something that happened after my mom went away. Today reminded me of it.”
She looked out to sea, giving me room to tell the story.
It was now or never. “I first went to stay with my aunt, and I was with her until she died of lung cancer. Somehow I thought it was my fault, not the four packs a day she sucked on. If it hadn’t been for a nice Sunday School teacher, I probably would have lost all hope then. I was ten years old and without any family to speak of, so I was put into foster care.
The Steele Collection Books 1-3: Sarah Steele Legal Thrillers Page 21
