In The Safety Of A Lie - COMPLETED!

Chapter 14

CONTENT WARNING!: Language, Intense Scenarios Regarding Violence, Mention of Suicide.

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Joey stared off the edge of a building. It was only a few stories up; not enough to hide away too much noise. He had been instructed to meet Jimmy here for a job. It was odd they didn't drive together, but it wasn't completely unusual. He had hitched a ride with Peter Santito per Jimmy's request. He didn't know the man as well as Jimmy, but he trusted him just as much. It was necessary for the positions they were continually in.

He glanced down at the watch on his wrist. He was on time, but Jimmy was late. Unusual for a man known to be on time.

A creaking of the rooftop door opening alerted him that he wasn't alone on the rooftop anymore. He spun around, hand on the gun in the small of his back. He left it as soon as he saw his friend, followed by Trevor Jericho and Lucas McComick. Once again, unusual, but not completely unheard of. The trio was a powerhouse of muscle and determination. There was no doubt they had a job to do. The question was, who was it this time?

"Took you long enough." Joey eyed up the body hanging over Jimmy's shoulder. He could tell it was a woman just by the shape of the body and with how easily Jimmy toted her around. A twinge of uneasiness swept over him considering how much power Jimmy had with for one woman. "Who's under the bag?"

The man slid the body down from his shoulder, standing the person up to face Joey; his face as serious and solemn as they came. This was business as usual. He supported the person from tipping over from the unyielding grasp of the zip ties. "Someone who you shouldn't have gotten in bed with, Joey."

Joey's heart clenched with the knowledge that this was someone he knew, but he was oblivious to what Jimmy was talking about. Nobody in particular came to mind. He hadn't been with anyone since Ev, and that had been months ago. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jimmy. I haven't been with anyone."

Jimmy grabbed the bag and ripped it off the woman's head. She flinched from her hair obviously being pulled with the bag removal. Her long, blonde locks hung tangled around her shoulders. A white rag was tied tightly around her mouth, gagging her from saying anything, but not tight enough to refuse a whimper from sliding from her lips.

Joey swallowed hard. Ev's eyes were wide and scared. She'd put on a little more weight than he remembered, but she looked good. She looked healthy. Maybe she had moved on without him. Even the thought of that couldn't stop the fear of what Jimmy was proposing to do.

Jimmy signaled for his men to grab Joey's gun before he had a chance to pull it out, right before he gave a sharp nudge on the back of Ev's legs, forcing her down to her hands and knees. He pulled his revolver out and pushed it into the back of her skull. "Stay put."

Evelina eyed Joey up, still unable to say anything with the gag in her mouth. Her eyes pleaded with him for help, not that there was too much that he could do with three other guys beside Jimmy Valdez being up on the rooftop with them. She could see the worry in his eyes, possibly even the panic. Not even the five months of being apart could shake her from being able to read some of his emotions. She remembered them like she had just been with him yesterday.

"What are you doing?" Joey barely could hold himself back when Jimmy took aim at Ev's head, praying he wouldn't pull the trigger. Time felt slow, fraying his nerves away with each passing heartbeat. He couldn't be angry with Jimmy for doing his job, but he would do everything he could to protect Ev. He couldn't let them hurt her.

"You were warned that relationships were off limits. I warned you." Jimmy pulled a knife out with his free hand and cut the zip tie off of Evelina's wrists. He pulled off her gag before standing up to face Joey. The gun hadn't moved. "But you didn't listen to me."