Beyond the Breaking Point - Lori Sjoberg Page 0,109
couples did? Good, bad—she’d already seen the ugly. Carmen would always hold a place in his heart, but he wanted a future with Hope, and that meant sharing the things he loved with the woman he loved. It felt a little strange, and it probably would for some time, but he supposed that was part of the process.
Clouds were building in the morning sky, with a low rumble of thunder in the distance. If they didn’t waste time, they could stop at the market and get home before the storm broke. Besides, even if they wanted a taxi, he didn’t see any on the street.
Matter of fact, there weren’t any cars on the street, and a sense of foreboding crept over him.
Senses pricked, Wade scanned his surroundings as they walked along the cracked, uneven sidewalk.
This wasn’t a bad neighborhood. Any other day, the street was a hive of activity, with people coming and going, haggling at the markets, and trading neighborhood gossip. But today, there wasn’t a soul in sight. The street was eerily quiet.
It might be because of something unrelated to them, but he didn’t want to count on the assumption. Always bet on the worst-case scenario, and you were rarely disappointed.
A wicked feeling of déjà vu knotted Wade’s gut as he tilted his head toward Hope. Voice low, he told her, “When I say go, I want you to run as fast as you can.”
She stiffened, a flash of fear in her eyes as she peered up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Maybe nothing, but I doubt it. If things go to hell, don’t try to help; you’ll only get in the way. Run, and don’t you dare fucking stop until you reach the house. Don’t argue with me on this,” he added when she opened her mouth to do exactly that.
Footsteps sounded behind them. Wade flicked a glance over his shoulder and caught sight of two men about fifteen feet back. Ahead, an old sedan with faded brown paint pulled up to the curb. The engine cut off, and four men climbed out. They all had the same basic look: Converse All Stars, Dickies pants, and a tank top under an open shirt with a button done at the top. None of them looked particularly intimidating, but six against one were shitty odds. Not to mention, the bulges beneath their shirts made it obvious they were armed.
In all likelihood, they were Aranza’s goons. Wade didn’t have time to figure out how they’d found them, or how long their movements had been monitored. From what he could tell, their orders were to capture. Otherwise, they would have opened fire by now. That meant Aranza wanted the pleasure of torturing him—and Hope—before he killed them.
No way was he letting that happen. He’d rather die than let Hope suffer the same fate as Carmen. As they walked, he quickly sized up the men and formed a plan in his mind. If he played his cards right, he could keep them occupied long enough for Hope to escape. Perhaps he’d escape as well, though he considered that scenario optimistic.
“Are you armed?” he asked in a lowered voice.
“Yes.” Her hand instinctively went to the bag hanging off her shoulder.
“Good. If any of them try to follow you, don’t hesitate to use it. And none of that aiming at the legs shit. Go for the center of mass.”
The men from the car crossed the street and started toward them, while the pair behind them picked up speed, closing the distance to less than ten feet.
Wade drew a deep breath and let it out slowly as his stomach tightened, his muscles tensed. Adrenaline flooded his system. Things were about to get real ugly, real fast.
Might as well get this party started.
“Run,” Wade said as they neared the entrance to the alley. It was narrow—barely large enough for a car to fit through. If he created a bottleneck, it might give her enough time to get away.
Her eyes widened. “But I—”
“Now, Hope. Down the alley, hook a left at the laundromat, then go over the fence behind the dumpster. Cut through the café—second door on the left—and take a right on the street out front. The house is about a block north.” It was a long, convoluted path to safety, but there was a pretty good chance that Aranza’s men were lying in wait along the more direct route—it’s what he would do—and this gave her a much better chance of avoiding capture.