Be With Me(97)

“What did he say?” Daniel demanded, and Hutch marveled at how childlike he sounded.

“Just that you two used to have some good times,” she said in a calm, measured voice. Damn she was good. “What a sorry bastard your father was to both of you and how he regretted that you didn’t get out with him.”

Somehow, she’d managed to get a grasp on the situation. Either that or she was a damn good guesser. But she’d plunged right into the heart of the matter.

“Yeah, right,” Daniel spat. “He felt real bad. He got everything. A mother. New brothers. You. He got you.

I want him to watch al of you die. I want him to know what it feels like to lose people he loves.” The knife dug deeper into his skin and more blood slid down his neck. Christ. This wasn’t good.

Reggie raised the gun and leveled it with an ice-cold look. “Put the knife down, Daniel. You don’t want to do this.”

“Back off!” Daniel screamed. “I’l kil him right now.

It won’t matter if you shoot me or not. I’l slice his neck before I die.”

Reggie hesitated, and her eyes narrowed in concentration. Obviously she was judging his determination. She relaxed and lowered her gun.

Maybe she realized he wasn’t bluffing.

“Al right,” she said soothingly. “Let’s do this your way. I’l put my gun down. You let Hutch go. It’s me you want, right? You want Hutch to watch me die. He can’t do that if he dies first, Daniel.”

“Reggie, no!” Hutch bel owed. “What the f**k are you thinking? Shoot him. Do it now.”

She ignored him and crouched down, hunkering on the floor. She laid the gun on the carpet and slowly stood again. She kicked the gun away and it went spiraling across the floor.

“There. Gun is gone. Now show me some faith here. Let Hutch go. You’l have me. I’m who you want.

He loves me, you know. You kil me and he’l suffer.”

“Reggie. Goddamn it. No! ” He wouldn’t let her sacrifice herself for him.

But the choice wasn’t his. He found himself shoved forward, fal ing to the floor with a thump. He rol ed, desperate to see what was happening around him.

Reggie crouched in a defensive position as Daniel closed in on her. Hutch yanked at the ropes around his wrists, uncaring of the fact they were shredding his skin. He couldn’t let her face Daniel alone. She didn’t stand a chance against the big son of a bitch, no matter how good she was.

Daniel lunged, and she ducked then launched herself across the floor toward her gun. She hit the carpet with a thump when Daniel snagged her ankle.

“Bitch,” he snarled. “You’l pay for this. He’l watch you die al right. And it won’t be quick. I’m going to enjoy taking you apart, piece by piece.” She whipped her other foot out and connected with his jaw. He grunted but held on to her ankle and slowly dragged her toward him.

Hutch yanked frantical y, trying desperately to loosen the ropes. He wouldn’t watch her die. Damn it, where were the cops she promised were showing up?

Daniel let go of her ankle, but grasped her shirt in his beefy hand and yanked her to her feet. He held her up so that her feet dangled from the floor. And then he backhanded her, sending her reeling.

Son of a bitch! Fury ignited like a brushfire. One of the ropes gave way and he had his hand free. He tore at the ropes that were slick with his blood.

Reggie recovered quickly and backed away, keeping space between her and Daniel. Her gun was behind Daniel.

Good, keep him away from you, baby. Please.

The final piece of rope fel free, and he reached for the bonds circling his ankles.

Keep him busy. Just a few more seconds. I won’t let you die for me, Reggie.

Daniel grunted in pain, and Hutch looked up to see Reggie on bended knee, her fist buried in Daniel’s bal s. Good girl.

But then she went sprawling when Daniel clipped her with one of those big-as-a-brick fists.

Her cry of pain split the air. Hutch cursed his numb fingers as they fumbled with the ropes.

There was a flurry of action when Daniel went after Reggie and she came up fighting. She connected with a roundhouse kick that managed to knock Daniel back a step. She pressed her momentary advantage by throwing a barrage of punches to his midsection, and then she clipped him with an uppercut.

She was a blur of elbows, fists and feet as she continued to back Daniel across the floor. If Hutch hadn’t been so damn scared for her, he’d have admired the way she total y kicked ass.

Blood poured from her nose, but she didn’t even stop to wipe it as she continued her relentless assault. She executed a mean jab and must have found the bul et wound, because Daniel’s muffled cry of pain echoed across the room.

Final y the rope came free, and Hutch scrambled to his feet. He launched himself at Daniel, and they went down in a heap. His brother was built like a damn cement block. It was like hitting a brick wal going sixty miles per hour.

Hutch played dirty. He rammed his fist into the shoulder that had taken the bul et. Daniel grunted but threw a punch of his own, knocking Hutch off him.

As Hutch struggled to his feet, Daniel charged him, bel owing like an angry bul .

Reggie stepped in front of him and went down under Daniel’s assault. Rage blinded Hutch. Fury that Reggie had placed herself in front of him, fury that Daniel had hurt her.

Reggie reared back with her head and butted Daniel right in the nose. Blood spurted as Daniel howled in pain. Hutch leapt for him, knocking him off Reggie as they rol ed in a mass of twisted arms and legs.