“Quiet, slut,” Derrick snarls.
His men chuckle behind him. They vary in age, from Derrick’s twenty-something to around my age, and all of them have the glassy eyes of junkies.
When I hear him call my woman a slut, I take several steps forward, intent on ending his rat life, only stopping when Mom lets out a whimper of pain.
I step back, my fists clenched tightly, ready to stomp this bastard’s face into the concrete.
“Let’s not be stupid here, Miller,” Derrick says, with a sick smile on his face. He even licks his lips, the sick fuck. “All I want is a fair trade. I’ll give you dear Mommy if you hand over my property.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Macie yells, directing her question at the men now rather than Miller. “Why would you go along with this?”
She pauses, tilting her head, and then lets out a vicious laugh.
“Oh, I see. Your inheritance. Jesus, Derrick. You’re using your inheritance to try and kidnap me?”
“Who the fuck has the hostage here?” Derrick roars, losing his temper like all steroid junkies do. “Or do you want me to rape this fucking old cunt right here in front of you? Is that it?”
That’s twice he’s insulted the women I love. I make a silent promise to bust his goddamn face open when I get my hands on him.
Mom holds herself with her regular dignity, despite the circumstances. She straightens her shoulders as much as she is able with his hand on her wrist, stiffening her lip.
“Don’t do what he says, dear,” she says, staring at Macie with so much affection in her eyes it makes me want to pound my chest in victory despite the circumstances.
Whatever else this proves, it’s that my mother and the love of my life have bonded already.
“Quiet,” Derrick snaps. “I’ve told you once. What’s it going to be, Miller? Some bitch you barely know, or your dear old ma?”
“I’m sorry,” Mom says, her eyes widening in fear and pain. “He said his dog was hurt and his cell phone had run out of charge. I followed him down here. I’m an idiot.”
“Yes, you are,” Derrick snarls. “But I’m pretty sure I told you to shut your bitch mouth.”
“You stupid fucking boy,” I growl, taking a step forward and leveling my gaze at him. He flinches as I stare hard at him, revealing his deep-set fear even if he’s trying to act tough. “You’ve insulted my mother. You’ve insulted the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. Do you really think I’m going to let you get away with this?”
Derrick tosses his head, causing his lank black hair to shift around his face. “Are you people stupid or do you just act like it? I’m the one holding all the cards here, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“Okay,” Macie says, walking up beside me and placing her hand on my shoulder.
She gives me a short squeeze, full of meaning.
“We’ll do the switch.”
“No, dear, no,” Mom cries. “I won’t allow that.”
“It’s not your choice, you old hag,” Derrick snarls.
Macie must be able to sense the rebellion happening inside of me, because she squeezes my shoulder again, silently screaming at me to go along with this. I know she’s planning something, but the protective impulse inside of me roars out to stop her…
But then that means leaving Mom in the hands of this lunatic.
This is a mess.
“See.” Derrick smiles, his eyes glimmering like he’s going to burst into tears as he stares at my woman. “That’s all I ever wanted, Macie. For you to see sense. We’re meant to be together. I hate that you drove me to this, that I had to go to these lengths to make you see something that should’ve been so obvious.”
“I know,” Macie murmurs, letting go of my shoulder and walking forward.
I prime my body, stalking subtly after her, my eyes scanning the way the men move. They’re low-rent thugs, and none of them are carrying weapons if their bearing is anything to go by.
But what if I’m wrong?
What if one of them has a gun and they pull it the second Derrick gets his hands on my woman?
I move after her, relieved Derrick is keeping his gaze on Macie. The sick fuck is captivated by her, a caricature of the way I feel about her.
I can read the evil glint in his eyes.
I can see that he’s going to do unspeakable things to her if I ever let him get his hands on her…
Not that I ever will.
My mind is filled with primal efficiency, with a song of pure war, as I get ready to take this man and his goons out.
Six against one are bad odds for anybody, but I’m driven by something far more potent than this bastard could ever understand.
I’m driven by love.