Ramsey Security (Ramsey Security #1-3)(58)

"Yeah, we're just better at our jobs."

"If he'd hired us, we'd already have you back to him."

"Why are you telling me this?" I whimper.

"So you'll see things clearly," Troy explains. "When those killers show up to start trouble, they'll face killers. We're not cops, and we don't care about the law. As much as I don't want to hurt innocent people, the people in this room matter more to me than a stranger. I'll do whatever the f*ck I have to do to keep you safe. So when you think about Locke being scary, you need to remember we're scarier."

I look at Minka and then back at Troy. Despite what they say, I can't imagine them as the bad guys. When I think of them killing people, I assume their targets were bad people. Naive or not, I refuse to think of these two people as monsters.

My silence leads Minka to check the cameras. She's tense but hides it better than Troy. His body remains tight, and his heart beats too quickly. The hard thumps remind me that even these professional killers worry about what's coming.

I suspect they're not really as scared of the bad guys attacking as they are of how I'll respond. I'm weak and easily frightened. Tears still wet on my cheeks, I promise myself I'll be ready when Locke's men attack. I'll do as I'm told, and I won't freak. As I did on the day I ran from Mister Pain, I'll remember to be Darla rather than Rose.





42


~~~

Darla

Storm Brewing

Downloading the Tom Petty song The Waiting, I set it on repeat while working on my puzzle. Troy smiles, but Minka doesn't. She claims Tom Petty's voice gives her menstrual cramps. I offer her some Midol and keep listening to the song.

An hour later, no one can take another chord. I turn off the music and eat chicken fried rice at the table with Minka and Troy. They take turns checking the security camera, and I imagine strapping on the bulletproof vest Minka brought to the apartment.

We play Uno for over an hour until Minka forfeits. "I've never played cards for this long, and it's a frigging kid game."

Troy studies me holding dozens of cards, and then he looks at his handful of cards. "You win. Can we stop?"

"No."

A long minute passes while Troy stares into my eyes begging for the game to end. The entire time I struggle not to laugh. Finally, I grin, and he knows I'm messing with him.

Troy stands from his spot on the couch and leans over to kiss me gently. Minka stretches nearby.

"I don't want to cramp your love life but leave the bedroom door open. If there's trouble, I don't want to waste time worrying if you can hear me."

"Sure, boss. Anything else you want to put your foot down about?"

"Hey, I'm all about teamwork, but I'm planning to live a long life like Sammy Popsicle."

Troy sits behind me on the couch and plays with my blonde hair.

"Who's Sammy?" I ask, glancing back at him.

"He's still an assassin even at 73 years young," he explains.

Minka laughs. "The guy's quite a character. He's been in the business for longer than Troy and I have been alive."

"He claims to be unkillable and says he's been shot, stabbed, electrocuted, drowned, and hung."

"Don't forget poisoned," Minka says, laughing. "He showed me the bullet wounds, so I know he's not completely full of shit."

Troy grins. "The guy is a legend."

"I'm assuming Popsicle isn't his real last name," I say.

"No, it's because he used to keep bodies on ice for other killers. That was during his family man period. He's had a few of them, but no Missus Popsicle ever lasted."

Frowning, I assume they mean he killed his wives, but Minka shakes her head.

"Apparently, Sammy ain't much of a lover. The women get bored and leave him. He's too big of a softie to kill his kids' moms."

"Unlucky in love," Troy says softly while staring down at me.

"If you ask me, a guy in his line of work shouldn't have a family. It's why I retired."

"Yeah, you're a f*cking *cat now," Troy mutters.

His expression makes me smile. Minka grins until the crack of thunder. Now she wears a cold mask that would scare the shit out of me if we were strangers and hadn't talked about feminine products two hours earlier.

Troy says nothing before leaving us to check the cameras. I turn my gaze to Minka and study the expression on her beautiful face. Ready to kill someone, she's forced to wait for her target to come into view. She and Troy are predators before a hunt. In their presences, I feel like a baby gazelle barely able to stand, let alone save myself.

"Do you think something will happen tonight?" I ask.

Minka nods. "I don't know why, but I feel it. Something about the silence online. Locke's lackey was very chatty online before suddenly going silent. In my gut, I feel them coming."

Troy returns to the living room. "The weather will give them better cover."

"They'll likely set off the fire alarm and force everyone into the halls and stairwells. In the chaos, they'll kill us and take you."

I glance at the front door. "What will we do?"

"We can't stay in the apartment if they set a real fire. In that case, we move you to the roof where we'll have the upper hand."