How the Hitman Stole Christmas - Sam Mariano Page 0,15
as I pull into the dumpy little roadside “inn,” I get a good feeling about it.
The road sign looks like somebody made it in Microsoft paint, and the place is located directly next to an adult store. There’s even a cock on the motel sign—albeit, a rooster, but every room has its own private door and I’d bet good money they rent out rooms by the hour when requested.
This is exactly the trashy paradise I was hoping for.
The only problem I see is that I need to go into the motel office to pay for our room, and I can’t trust Autumn to wait for me in the car.
It’s probably gonna piss her off, but I’m prepared for that too. She shrinks away from me as I lean over toward her seat, but I ignore that and reach into the glove box for an emergency restraint kit I keep in there. It’s not the type I want to use on her. Zip ties are a hell of a lot less comfortable than some alternatives I’d rather use on her delicate skin, but she won’t have to wear them for long. I just need her to stay put for a few minutes, then I’ll cut her free.
“What are you doing?” she cries, her voice rising with fear when I grab her wrists. She tries to fight me, but I’m a lot stronger than her, which she realizes immediately. “Jasper, what—”
“Making sure you don’t go anywhere,” I tell her, as I secure the zip ties and chain her little ass to my door handle.
“Who keeps zip ties in their glove compartment?” she demands.
“A man who likes to be prepared for any eventuality.” I settle back in my seat and look at her.
Her body is turned away from me since both her hands are stuck by the door now, but no matter how much she pulls and tugs, she’s not going anywhere until I let her.
“Stop doing that. You’re gonna agitate your skin.” Drawing out my wallet so I’m ready when I walk into the motel, I add, “I’ll be right back and then I’ll cut you loose; there’s no point chafing your wrists in the meantime. Just sit tight for a couple minutes while I get us a room.”
Rather than listen to me like a sensible person, she keeps thrashing about like her little ass is going to be able to pull off my door handle.
Girlfriends. They can be so crazy sometimes.
“Don’t scream when I open this door,” I warn her, giving her a serious look. “If you do, there’ll be consequences.”
“What kind of consequences?”
“The kind you won’t like.”
I don’t offer anything more, but I think I’ve given her an adequate amount of information. She’s not in any real danger, so I don’t know why she can’t just settle down.
I’m really pulling for her to be obedient in this instance and keep her tempting little mouth shut, so I am pretty disappointed when I push open the door and she screams.
“Help me! Please, someone, help me! I’m being held against my will—”
I shake my head, slamming the car door shut. I take a casual look around as I step onto the sidewalk, but there are no immediate indications that anyone heard her.
A motel like this probably has thin walls, but there’s also a decent chance the shady kinds of people it attracts are not the type to poke their nose into another lodger’s business.
That’s only a guess, though, and not one I’m willing to bank on. Knowing the damned girl is probably out there screaming her pretty head off every moment I’m away, I’m antsy and impatient to get this over with.
The woman at the desk might notice, but she doesn’t seem to give it a second thought. I guess she’s used to people acting squirrelly when they’re paying for a room here. That’s a very good sign.
“Do you have an end room available?” I ask.
She nods without looking up. “We’ve got one vacant. Only one double bed in that room, though.”
“That’ll be fine.”
I pay cash for the room and she passes me the key. I head back out to the car, hoping no one has heard Autumn, but knowing they probably have since I can hear her from the sidewalk.
Well, I warned her.
No white knights have come riding to her rescue, so she shrinks back a little when I get back into the car.
“Was it that hard to do what I asked you to do?” I ask, not really expecting a