Her Road|Book 2|

Day 40|II

"No screaming now, sweetheart." The voice behind the gun spoke. Slowly, the familiar feeling of panic and hysteria set in, numbing everything.

Except this time I was determined to stay focused. Nothing like a single black hole containing a deadly bullet to focus the mind, body and soul.

"Penn." Harry's voice pierced through everything in the room. The man turned towards him but left the gun pointing at me.

I jerked forward. My heart nearly stopped as the wheelchair was pulled back, further from the bed and into the corner of the room. I hadn't even noticed that there was another person in the room. It scared me more than the gun pointed at me.

The first man, Penn, turned and pointed his gun at Harry who sat exactly the same way he had before they appeared. He was dressed suitably with a tight, long sleeved black tshirt, accentuating his muscular frame. His skin had the normal Ridgeway glow to it with his black hair clipped short at the sides.

His black eyes stared at Harry in a way that made me tremble. Not in a cold-killer way but a we're-rivals-somehow. Even looking at him, it felt like I'd seen him before somewhere.

"Malakai. Not like you to make it easy." He said slowly. The other guy, a boy just a bit older than us, stood in the corner opposite to me watching us all.

"Really dedicated to killing me, huh?" Harry met his eyes, unmoving. Like before he was clearly handling this better than I was.

"Just business, mate." He sighed as his finger seemed to tighten around the trigger. "Any last requests before..?"

If I wasn't trying to keep my eyes on Harry, I would've missed the quick glance he gave me. It was so fast that I couldn't discern the meaning but it was a welcomed change to his usual coldness.

"Yeah, one. You have a cigarette?" The room stilled. Out of everything that was going on, the bizarreness, I was not expecting Harry to ask for a smoke. I never even knew he smoked in the first place.

Apparently Penn didn't think so. He scoffed and, with a smirk, reached into his pocket. He pulled out a single cigarette and moved closer to Harry, hovering it infront of him. Harry slowly leaned forward and took it between his teeth. Penn lit the tip with his cheap lighter and put it away.

Harry's unbroken hand came from under the blanket and took a puff. Watching him, in such a weird situation, made the scene kinda taboo but somehow sexy. Badass even. His cheeks hollowed as he drew the cigarette out of his mouth. He slowly opened his mouth, the white smoke releasing in a cloud and traveling up in his nose. Finally he blew everything out.

If Harry didn't smoke, he surely knew some tricks for a newbie but, then again, nothing like a few near death experiences to make you want to try new things.

"So is this a 'statement' or did she send you?" Harry's voice rasped.

The other guy in the room opened his mouth but Penn held a hand up, stopping him. "Sometimes the justice system is just too slow. A mother losing her children will do that."

"You missed your shot though." Harry drew in another puff. Why were we talking so much? Was this until Harry was finished with his 'final wish' ? "Why wait? You were there at the strip, no?"

"Too many people," He answered. ", but I decided on the trip back due to time. Hopefully you wouldn't be reached while we were still in the area."

Harry nodded and continued. "So for the mother then? I would've thought it was for reputation."

Penn's face split into a grin as if the thought amused him. He seemed at ease around Harry. Maybe because of the control he had in the situation or maybe it was some other twisted similarity they shared. I hate to admit it but I could see it. Something in the way they spoke with each other, handled each other.

"Please! For my reputation?" He paused as he lowered the gun to his side. A knot inside me slightly loosened. "Do you know what the bosses in the big cities call you? Oh, everybody knows about you Harry Malakai. The entire underworld. America's worst call you a born killer.

"I understand why too. Though self defense, you kill in a specific way. A toothbrush through the eye, puncturing the brain. Another's head smashed in before being shot. And the last having the entire clip loaded in his chest. You're something us bad guys don't see too often."

I didn't want to but a part of me shuddered. You'd think after been involved in a potential school shooting, a fight and a drive by, there wouldn't be too much that terrified and disgusted me. Surely nothing that I didn't know at least. But the way Penn described how those three boys had died... He had no reason to lie. I couldn't help but wonder how Harry could do something like that. Even in self defense and yes, I knew Penn was putting it in an even more unflattering light. Still, I'd wanted those bloody hands to touch me...

"Any last words, Malakai?" Penn once more pointed the gun at Harry. The cigarette wasn't done but I could tell Penn wasn't gonna wait till it was.

"Do you watch peeky blinders?" Harry took a puff, the smoke flowing up his nostrils before blowing it out.

"No. " Penn sighed. His finger tightened around the trigger. "Can't say I-"

Click.

My eyes widened as I tried to disgust what had happened. Penn's cool collected exterior melted away. The kid in the corner stumbled as he realized what had happened faster than I. He quickly pointed his own gun at Harry but before he could do anything, Penn held up his hand.

"Smart. You knew?" Penn's voice was barely audible but it filled the room regardless. His eyes flicked in annoyance around the room. "This room?"

"Wired." Harry answered, his hand left the cigarette in his mouth and moved his blanket lower until a glock of his own pointed at the gangster. "Too predictable, Penn. No security in front of the door?"

Slowly, it was pieced together. The room had been wired for conversations like the one Harry had had with Penn. The gun was there in case he needed it, but who..?

"Naomi, right?" Penn frowned and glanced at the door. "But if she was listening, she'd have a team rushing in right about now."

We all paused as if expecting exactly that to happen. But nothing did.

"Naomi wanted that. She wanted to swoop you up and put you in county for what you did." Harry sighed, his hands flexing around his gun. "But there are other uses for it, no?"

"A deal then?" Penn guessed.

"If you can even call it a deal." Harry continued. "Leave me, my family, her and her family as well, alone. All of us."

Penn turned to me, his eyes narrowing. "The sweetheart's father is the new lawyer, yes?"

"All of them, Penn." Harry calmly said. "Otherwise-"

"Otherwise you arrest me and anybody connected to me for attempted murder and murder for hire. I got it." Penn sighed and placed his gun in his waistband. He nodded to his parter who seemed to have trouble believing what was happening. "You're a worthy adversary, Harry Malakai. For that I'll sweeten your deal. I'll pay for the damages on your car."

Harry said nothing but watched as the two of them stepped out of the room. Watching him, I revised my previous thoughts of Harry's killing capabilities. Sitting there with a cigarette, a gun in hand and anger blazing away, I could see him killing someone.

Notice
Wow! The next chapter will unfortunately take a while because I've got a few surprises for you (including a surprise casting). So if you don't see a chapter next week, please just be patient. It's going to be so worth it.