Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
People are shouting and waving their hands. I take advantage of the situation by easing my way toward Frankie. If I can just help him get back on his feet, maybe we’ll have a fighting chance.
As I hold my hand out, I try to keep Andretti in my sights. He’s the first person I have to subdue, but also the one who is the most protected. He’s focused entirely on me since I’m the one with the gun. But as I narrow my sights on the weapon and my enemy, Harlan comes at me from behind.
I should have paid more attention, since I did little to put him out of commission. He has blood trickling down his collar, but other than that, he’s fine. He wraps his arms around me, drawing the gun down with them. I’m pointing the weapon at the floor and I can’t get away.
“Stop!” Andretti yells.
The water is still spewing out of the sink, creating a racket, and drowning us all in fat droplets. Frankie manages to climb up to his knees. The men surrounding him have backed off just a little, until they can get a better sense of what’s going on.
The guy still on the floor rolls over and moans. He puts his hands around his knee like he knows it’s messed up. Frankie is halfway to his feet, but Andretti won’t let him get that far. As I’m struggling with Harlan, Andretti turns his weapon on Frankie.
We’re about to be killed, both of us. I can see my life flashing before my eyes. I remember the last conversation I had with my parents when I begged them to run for their lives, and they refused. I can only hope that the blood shed today will assuage Andretti and that he won’t go after my family. But that kind of thinking won’t get me anywhere. I need to focus on what’s happening now or I might wind up dead on my kitchen floor.
I don’t have a lot of leverage, but I know my kitchen well. In addition to the refrigerator and the sink, there is also a metal trash can against the wall. I lean back, using all my weight to throw Harlan off balance. I time it perfectly, and his knees hit the trash can a moment later.
He releases me when he loses his balance, toppling over onto the floor. I rush out to the living room to get away from him, but there’s not a lot of space for me to move. Andretti spies me and brings his weapon back up.
Frankie hauls himself to his feet, shaking his head to clear it. We’re back together again, but with the water shooting out at me, everything is happening in slow motion.
Andretti raises his gun at me but thinks better of it. Frankie has almost positioned himself between us again, but I’m the one who’s armed.
The guy on the floor scoots away and climbs up with the help of the coffee table. The two other goons step back, waiting to see how it will all play out.
“Drop the weapon,” Andretti growls.
“You first,” I snap.
Andretti points the barrel at Frankie’s head. We’re standing so close, it would be point-blank. I have a terrible feeling that he’s going to fire. He doesn’t believe I have the guts to do it, even though the odds are clearly matched. Behind me, I can hear Harlan cursing. I’m just seconds away from being attacked from behind again.
Andretti glances over at Harlan. They share some kind of secret message between them, and I’m all but certain I know what it is. I can’t cover two angles at once. If I keep my eye on Andretti, I lose sight of Harlan. Time is running out.
Andretti narrows his gaze. I must make a split-second decision. I’m sure he’s about to fire his gun and blow Frankie’s head to smithereens. Then Harlan will come up behind me and wrestle me to the ground, where I’ll be forced to wallow in Frankie’s blood until my time is finally up.
It only takes me a second to make my decision. My heart stops as I pull the trigger. I’ve never done something so violent in entire my life. The sound of the explosion rocks my world, not just because it’s so close, but because it signals the end of my innocence. I want to hit him. I want to kill him and that’s something that will haunt me for a long time.
I try to remind myself that this is the man who killed my brother. No wait, that’s the man behind me. But the person I’ve just fired upon ruined my life, and they hurt Frankie and his family. He’s no innocent wallflower and it’s come down to him or me.
The moment the gun goes off, I feel a pain course through my whole arm. Not only have I never once tried to kill anyone, but this is the first time I’ve fired a gun. I’m not prepared for the recoil, and I falter.