Pretty Dirty (Dirty Bad Things Book 2)(32)

And I snap.

The gun raises in my hand in slow motion. I pull the hammer back. I look at her, the girl I love more than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything in this world. And I know right there that I’m going to break a promise to myself.

Tonight, I’m going to kill.

I level the gun at Joey as he raises a hand to hit her again. He never gets a chance to do it. The gun roars in my hand, and Zoe screams as the shot hits Joey dead center of the chest and sends him flying backwards into the wall.

There’s a stunned look on his face as he glances down at the big hole in his chest, and he blinks in shock.

“Fuck, man,” he groans, blinking at the wound before he looks up at me with a sober look.

“Fuck, man.”

He drops to the ground like a rock.

Zoe’s stills screaming as I cross the room in seconds. I hug her fiercely, wrapping her in my arms and pulling her away from the violence on the floor.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper into her ear as she goes quiet and hugs me back. “I’ve got you, pretty girl.”

She sucks in air, shuddering against me as I stroke her back.

“You came back,” she says quietly.

“I was worried about you.”

She’s quiet for a second.

“No one’s ever come back for me,” she whispers.

“I’d come back through fire for you,” I growl, hugging her close. “I will always be there for you, beautiful.”



“Thanks, man.”

I’m standing at the elevator half an hour later.

Roman nods grimly. “No problem.”

He glances down at the huge, rolling suitcase next to him. “I know a guy who owns a trash compactor out on route fifteen.”

“You want a hand getting this into your car?”

He shakes his head. “Nah, I’m good. You got the story straight on the gun?”

We’ve been over this ten times since he showed up after I called him. Roman and I, and Dylan for that matter, have seen our fair share of shit when we were Marines. But I know there’s no way I could do Roman’s job. Roman, who knew exactly how to clean blood off a wall. Who knew to fish the bullet out of Joey before we stuffed his body in the suitcase “just in case,” so it would never come back to me.

Grizzly shit, I’ll say that.

The story with the gun, if any of my neighbors ever question it, is that Zoe and I were cooking pasta, left the lid on too tight, and then didn’t notice until the steam popped it and sent the lid slamming into my fridge. Roman even insisted on making a big fucking dent in my sub zero to make sure the story held.

Dick.

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

He just shakes his head. “You don’t have to thank me, man.”

“Yeah, I do.”

He grins and shrugs. “I’ll call you when it’s done.”

I take a deep breath, nodding.

“Look, keep cool, stay oblivious, and just act naturally. There’s gonna be some hell when Joey just disappears, but honestly, no one fuckin’ liked the guy.”

“He’s a made guy, Roman. The Morettis are going to be looking for him.”

“Yeah, they will, but play it cool and I promise you, no one is going to come after the damn lawyer looking for a smoking gun.”

I grin tensely.

“She gonna be alright?” He nods at the door to my condo, and I know he means Zoe, who’s been waiting inside.

“Honestly? Yeah, she is. She’s a little shook up, but she’s going to be okay. She’s strong,” I say quietly. “Real fucking strong.”

Roman grins. “Good. You could use one of those. Listen, I got this, and you’re going to be okay with all this shit. Just act normal.”

“So, just continue being the retained counsel for the biggest crime family in Las Vegas while one of my friends drives a body in a suitcase to a trash compactor and the other one shoots a fucking porn?”

“Exactly. Normal.” Roman grins as he hits the elevator button. “Stay well, man. And hang on to that girl.”

“I plan on it.”





17





Zoe




“Come on.”

“I’m fine.”

I say it tersely, still sitting in a chair by the window and chewing on my nails. Gray’s friend Roman has come and gone, the two of them dealing with Joey while I sat here replaying the whole thing in my mind.

“Zoe—”

“I’m fine, okay?” I snap.

It’s not fine, and I’m still shaken. And while I want to just throw my arms around Gray and never let him go after everything that’s happened tonight, there’s still something blocking it. There’s still the little flash into his past that I shouldn’t have seen, but now I can’t get out of my head.

That damn picture.

“Gray, it’s fine.”

“It’s not,” he growls, and suddenly, his hands are pulling me up out of the chair. “C’mon, I’m cleaning you up.”

“You don’t own me,” I hiss petulantly. I try and shake out of his grip, even if I know it's just me being petty and jealous, but he holds on anyways.