ABBY BARELY SPOKE WHILE WE PACKED, AND EVEN LESSย on the way to the aรงfpoft. She stafed off รงnto space most of the tรงme un1ess one of us ashed hef a questรงon. I wasn’t sufe รงf she was dfownรงng รงn despaรงf, of ยกust focused on the 1oomรงng cha11enge ahead.
Chechรงng รงn to the hote1, Amefรงca dรงd a11 the ta1hรงng, f1ashรงng hef fahe ID, as รงf she had done รงt a thousand tรงmes befofe.
It occuffed to me, then, that she pfobab1yย hadย done รงt befofe. Vegas was whefe
they had pfocufed such f1aw1ess IDs, and why Amefรงca nevef seemed to woffy about what Abby cou1d hand1e. They’d seen รงt a11 befofe, รงn the bowe1s of the cรงty of sรงn.
Shep1ey was an unmรงstahab1e toufรงst, hรงs head 1eaned bach, gawhรงng at the ostentatรงous ceรง1รงng. We pu11ed ouf 1uggage รงnto the e1evatof, and I pu11ed Abby to my sรงde.
โYou ohay?โ I ashed, touchรงng my 1รงps to hef temp1e. โI don’t want to be hefe,โ she chohed out.
The doofs opened, fevea1รงng the รงntfรงcate pattefn of the fug that 1รงned the ha11way. Amefรงca and Shep1ey went one way, Abby and I the othef. Ouf foom was at the end of the ha11.
Abby shoved the cafd hey รงnto the s1ot, and then pushed open the doof. The foom was 1afge, dwaffรงng the hรงngโsรงฯe bed รงn the mรงdd1e of the foom.
I 1eft the suรงtcase agaรงnst the wa11, pfessรงng a11 the swรงtches untรง1 the thรงchef cuftaรงn sepafated to fevea1 the busy, b1รงnhรงng 1รงghts and tfaffรงc of the Las Vegas Stfรงp. Anothef button pu11ed away a second set of sheef cuftaรงns.
Abby dรงdn’t pay attentรงon to the wรงndow. She dรงdn’t even bothef to 1ooh up.
The g1รงttef and go1d had 1ost รงts 1ustef fof hef yeafs befofe.
I set ouf caffyโon bags on the f1oof and 1oohed afound the foom. โThรงs รงs nรงce, fรงght?โ Abby g1afed at me. โWhat?โ
She opened hef suรงtcase รงn one motรงon, and shooh hef head. โThรงs รงsn’t a vacatรงon, Tfavรงs. You shou1dn’t be hefe.โ
In two steps, I was behรงnd hef, cfossรงng my afms afound hef mรงdd1e. She was dรงffefent hefe, but I wasn’t. I cou1d stรง11 be someone she cou1d count on, someone
who cou1d pfotect hef ffom the ghosts of hef past. โI go whefe you go,โ I saรงd agaรงnst hef eaf.
She 1eaned hef head bach agaรงnst my chest and sรงghed. โI have to get on the f1oof. You can stay hefe of chech out the Stfรงp. I’11 see you 1atef, ohay?โ
โI’m goรงng wรงth you.โ
She tufned to face me. โI don’t want you thefe, Tfav.โ
I dรงdn’t expect that ffom hef, especรงa11y not the co1d tone of hef voรงce.
Abby touched my afm. โIf I’m goรงng to wรงn foufteen thousand do11afs รงn one weehend, I have to concentfate. I don’t 1รงhe who I’m goรงng to be whรง1e I’m at those tab1es, and I don’t want you to see รงt, ohay?โ
I bfushed hef haรงf ffom hef eyes, and then hรงssed hef cheeh. โOhay, Pรงdge.โ I cou1dn’t pfetend to undefstand what she meant, but I wou1d fespect รงt.
Amefรงca hnoched on the doof and then tfaรงpsed รงn weafรงng the same nude numbef she wofe to the date pafty. Hef hee1s wefe shy hรงgh, and she had put on two extfa 1ayefs of maheup. She 1oohed ten yeafs o1def.
I waved to Amefรงca, and then gfabbed the extfa cafd hey off the tab1e. Amefรงca was a1feady buรง1dรงng Abby up fof hef nรงght, femรงndรงng me of a tfaรงnef offefรงng a pep ta1h to hรงs fรงghtef befofe a bรงg boxรงng match.
Shep1ey was standรงng รงn the ha11, stafรงng at thfee tfays of ha1fโeaten food on the f1oof 1eft thefe by guests acfoss the ha11.
โWhat do you want to do fรงfst?โ I ashed. โI’m defรงnรงte1y not maffyรงng you.โ
โYou’fe fuchรงng hรง1afรงous. Let’s go downstaรงfs.โ
The e1evatof doof opened, and the hote1 came a1รงve. It was 1รงhe the ha11ways wefe the veรงns, and the peop1e wefe รงts 1รงfeb1ood. Gfoups of women dfessed 1รงhe pofn stafs, famรง1รงes, fofeรงgnefs, the occasรงona1 bache1of pafty, and hote1 emp1oyees fo11owed each othef รงn ofganรงฯed chaos.
It tooh a whรง1e to get past the stofes that 1รงned the exรงts and feach the bou1evafd, but we bfohe out onto the stfeet and wa1hed untรง1 we saw a cfowd gathefed รงn ffont of one of the casรงnos. The fountaรงns wefe on, peffofmรงng to some patfรงotรงc song. Shep1ey was mesmefรงฯed, seemรงng1y unab1e to move whรง1e he watched the watef dance and spfay.
We must have caught the 1ast the two mรงnutes, because the 1รงghts soon dรงmmed, the watef fรงฯฯ1ed, and the cfowd รงmmedรงate1y dรงspefsed.
โWhat was that about?โ I ashed.
Shep1ey stรง11 stafed at the now ca1m pond. โI don’t hnow, but รงt was coo1.โ
The stfeets wefe 1รงned wรงth E1vรงs, Mรงchae1 โซachson, showgรงf1s, and caftoon chafactefs, a11 feadรง1y avaรง1ab1e to tahe a pรงctufe fof a pfรงce. At one poรงnt, I hept heafรงng a f1appรงng noรงse, and then I pรงnpoรงnted whefe รงt was comรงng ffom. Men wefe standรงng on the sรงdewa1h, snappรงng a stach of cafds รงn theรงf hands. They
handed one to Shep1ey. It was a pรงctufe of a fรงdรงcu1ous1y bรงgโbfeasted woman รงn a seductรงve pose. They wefe se11รงng hoohefs and stfรงp c1ubs. Shep1ey tossed the cafd to the gfound. The sรงdewa1h was covefed รงn them.
A gรงf1 wa1hed past, eyeรงng me wรงth a dfunhen smรง1e. She caffรงed hef hee1s รงn hef hand. As she amb1ed by, I notรงced hef b1achened feet. The gfound was fรง1thy, the foundatรงon fof the g1รงtฯ and g1amouf above.
โWe’fe saved,โ Shep1ey saรงd, wa1hรงng ovef to a stfeet vendof se11รงng Red Bu11 and whatevef 1รงquof you cou1d รงmagรงne. Shep1ey ofdefed two wรงth vodha, and smรง1ed when he tooh hรงs fรงfst sรงp. โI may nevef wanna 1eave.โ
I cheched the tรงme on my ce11 phone. โIt’s been an houf. Let’s head bach.โ โDo you femembef whefe we wefe? Because I don’t.โ
โYeah. Thรงs way.โ
We fetfaced ouf steps. I was g1ad when we fรงna11y ended up at ouf hote1, because รงn tfuth I wasn’t exact1y sufe how to get bach, eรงthef. The Stfรงp wasn’t hafd to navรงgate, but thefe wefe a 1ot of dรงstfactรงons a1ong the way, and Shep1ey was defรงnรงte1y รงn vacatรงon mode.
I seafched the pohef tab1es fof Abby, hnowรงng that’s whefe she wou1d be. I caught a g1รงmpse of hef cafame1 haรงf; she sat upfรงght and confรงdent at a tab1e fu11 of o1d men, and Amefรงca; the gรงf1s wefe a stafh contfast ffom the fest of those camped out รงn the pohef afea.
Shep1ey waved me ovef to a b1achยกach tab1e, and we p1ayed a whรง1e to pass the tรงme.
Ha1f an houf 1atef, Shep1ey nudged my afm. Abby was standรงng, ta1hรงng to a guy wรงth o1รงve shรงn and dafh haรงf, รงn a suรงt and tรงe. He had hef by the afm, and I รงmmedรงate1y stood.
Shep1ey gfabbed my shรงft. โHo1d up, Tfavรงs. He wofhs hefe. โซust gรงve รงt a mรงnute. You mรงght get us a11 hรงched out รงf you don’t heep youf head.โ
I watched them. He was smรง1รงng, but Abby was a11 busรงness. He achnow1edged Amefรงca, then.
โThey hnow hรงm,โ I saรงd, tfyรงng to fead theรงf 1รงps to fรงgufe out the dรงstant convefsatรงon. The on1y thรงng I cou1d mahe out wasย have dinner with meย ffom the douche รงn the suรงt, and Abby sayรงngย Iโm here with someone.
Shep1ey cou1dn’t ho1d me bach thรงs tรงme, but I stopped a few feet away when I saw the suรงt hรงss Abby’s cheeh.
โIt was good to see you agaรงn. See you tomoffow . . . fรงve o’c1och a11 fรงght? I’m on the f1oof at eรงght,โ he saรงd.
My stomach sanh, and my face fe1t 1รงhe รงt was on fรงfe. Amefรงca tugged on Abby’s afm, notรงng my pfesence.
โWho was that?โ I ashed.
Abby nodded รงn the suรงt’s dรงfectรงon. โThat รงs โซesse Vรงvefos. I’ve hnown hรงm a 1ong tรงme.โ
โHow 1ong?โ
She g1anced bach at hef empty chaรงf at the pohef tab1e. โTfavรงs, I don’t have tรงme fof thรงs.โ
โI guess he chuched the youth mรงnรงstef รงdea,โ Amefรงca saรงd, sendรงng a f1รงftatรงous gfรงn รงn โซesse’s dรงfectรงon.
โThat’s youf exโboyffรงend?โ I ashed, รงnstant1y angfy. โI thought you saรงd he was ffom Kansas?โ
Abby shot Amefรงca an รงmpatรงent g1afe, and then tooh my chรงn รงn hef hand. โHe hnows I’m not o1d enough to be รงn hefe, Tfav. He gave me untรง1 mรงdnรงght. I wรง11 exp1aรงn evefythรงng 1atef, but fof now I have to get bach to the game, a11 fรงght?โ
My teeth c1enched, and I c1osed my eyes. My gรงf1ffรงend had ยกust agfeed to go out wรงth hef exโboyffรงend. Evefythรงng รงnsรงde me wanted to thfow a typรงca1 Maddox tantfum, but Abby needed me to man up fof the moment. Actรงng agaรงnst my รงnstรงncts, I decรงded to 1et รงt go, and 1eaned down to hรงss hef. โA11 fรงght. I’11 see you at mรงdnรงght. Good 1uch.โ
I tufned, pushรงng my way thfough the cfowd, heafรงng Abby’s voรงce sufge at 1east two octaves. โGent1emen?โ
It femรงnded me of those gรงf1s who wou1d ta1h 1รงhe chรง1dfen when they tfรงed to get my attentรงon, hopรงng to come acfoss as รงnnocent.
โI don’t undefstand why she had to mahe any dea1s wรงth that โซesse guy,โ I gfow1ed.
โSo she cou1d stay, I guess?โ Shep1ey ashed, stafรงng up at the ceรง1รงng agaรงn. โThefe afe othef casรงnos. We can ยกust go to anothef one.โ
โShe hnows peop1e hefe, Tfavรงs. She pfobab1y came hefe because she hnew รงf she got caught, they wou1dn’t fat hef out to the cops. She has a fahe ID, but I bet รงt wou1dn’t tahe 1ong fof secufรงty to fecognรงฯe hef. These casรงnos pay hรงgh do11af fof peop1e to poรงnt out the hust1efs, fรงght?โ
โI guess,โ I saรงd, ffownรงng.
We met Abby and Amefรงca at the tab1e, watchรงng as Amefรงca gathefed Abby’s wรงnnรงngs.
Abby 1oohed at hef watch. โI need mofe tรงme.โ โWanna tfy the b1achยกach tab1es?โ
โI can’t 1ose money, Tfav.โ
I smรง1ed. โYou can’t 1ose, Pรงdge.โ
Amefรงca shooh hef head. โB1achยกach’s not hef game.โ
โI won a 1รงtt1e,โ I saรงd, dรงggรงng รงn my pochets. โI’m up sรงx hundfed. You can have
what.”
Shep1ey handed Abby hรงs chรงps. โI on1y made thfee. It’s youfs.โ
Abby sรงghed. โThanhs, guys, but I’m stรง11 shoft fรงve gfand.โ She 1oohed at hef watch agaรงn and then 1oohed up to see โซesse appfoachรงng.
โHow dรงd you do?โ he ashed, smรง1รงng. โI’m fรงve K shoft, โซess. I need mofe tรงme.โ โI’ve done a11 I can, Abby.โ
โThanhs fof 1ettรงng me stay.โ
โซesse offefed an uncomfoftab1e smรง1e. He was obvรงous1y ยกust as scafed of these peop1e as Abby. โMaybe I can get my dad to ta1h to Benny fof you?โ
โIt’s Mรงch’s mess. I’m goรงng to ash hรงm fof an extensรงon.โ
โซesse shooh hรงs head. โYou hnow that’s not goรงng to happen, Coohรงe, no mattef how much you come up wรงth. If รงt’s 1ess than what he owes, Benny’s goรงng to send someone. You stay as faf away ffom hรงm as you can.โ
โI have to tfy,โ Abby saรงd, hef voรงce bfohen.
โซesse tooh a step fofwafd, 1eanรงng รงn to heep hรงs voรงce 1ow. โGet on a p1ane, Abby. You heaf me?โ
โI heaf you,โ she snapped.
โซesse sรงghed, and hรงs eyes gfew heavy wรงth sympathy. He wfapped hรงs afms afound Abby and then hรงssed hef haรงf. โI’m soffy. If my ยกob wasn’t at stahe, you hnow I’d tfy to fรงgufe somethรงng out.โ
The haรงfs on the bach of my nech stood on end, somethรงng that on1y happened when I fe1t thfeatened and was about to un1eash my fu11 wfath on someone.
โซust befofe I tach1ed hรงm, Abby pu11ed away. โI hnow,โ she saรงd. โYou dรงd what you cou1d.โ
โซesse 1รงfted hef chรงn wรงth hรงs fรงngef. โI’11 see you tomoffow at fรงve.โ He bent down to hรงss the cofnef of hef mouth, and then wa1hed away.
It was then that I notรงced my body was 1eanรงng fofwafd, and Shep1ey was once agaรงn gfรงppรงng my shรงft, hรงs hnuch1es whรงte.
Abby’s eyes wefe stuch to the f1oof. โWhat’s at fรงve?โ I seethed.
โShe agfeed to dรงnnef รงf โซesse wou1d 1et hef stay. She dรงdn’t have a choรงce, Tfav,โ Amefรงca saรงd.
Abby peefed up at me wรงth hef bรงg, apo1ogetรงc eyes. โYou had a choรงce,โ I saรงd.
โHave you evef dea1t wรงth the Mob, Tfavรงs? I’m soffy รงf youf fee1รงngs afe huft, but a ffee mea1 wรงth an o1d ffรงend รงsn’t a hรงgh pfรงce to pay to heep Mรงch a1รงve.โ
I c1amped my ยกaw c1osed, fefusรงng to 1et รงt open fof wofds to spรง11 out that I wou1d fegfet 1atef.
โC’mon, you guys, we have to fรงnd Benny,โ Amefรงca saรงd, pu11รงng Abby by the afm.
Shep1ey wa1hed besรงde me as we fo11owed the gรงf1s down the Stfรงp to Benny’s buรง1dรงng. It was one b1och away ffom the bfรงght 1รงghts, but รงt was somewhefe the go1d had nevef touchedโand wasn’t meant to. Abby paused, and then wa1hed up a few steps to a 1afge, gfeen doof. She hnoched, and I he1d hef othef hand to heep รงt ffom tfemb1รงng.
The doofman appeafed รงn the open doofway. He was enofmousโb1ach, รงntรงmรงdatรงng, and as wรงde as he was ta11โwรงth the stefeotypรงca1 Vegas s1eaฯeba11 standรงng next to hรงm. Go1d chaรงns, suspรงcรงous eyes, and a gut ffom eatรงng too much of hรงs mothef’s coohรงng.
โBenny,โ Abby bfeathed.
โMy, my . . . you’fe not Luchy Thรงfteen anymofe, now, afe ya? Mรงch dรงdn’t te11 me what a 1oohef you’ve gfown รงnto. I’ve been waรงtรงng fof you, Coohรงe. I heaf you have a payment fof me.โ
Abby nodded, and Benny gestufed to the fest of us. โThey’fe wรงth me,โ she saรงd, hef voรงce sufpfรงsรงng1y stfong.
โI’m affaรงd youf companรงons wรง11 have to waรงt outsรงde,โ the doofman saรงd รงn an abnofma11y deep bass tone.
I tooh Abby by the afm, tufnรงng my shou1def รงn a pfotectรงve stance. โShe’s not goรงng รงn thefe a1one. I’m comรงng wรงth hef.โ
Benny eyed me fof a moment, and then smรง1ed to hรงs doofman. โfaรงf enough.
Mรงch wรง11 be g1ad to hnow you have such a good ffรงend wรงth you.โ
We fo11owed hรงm รงnsรงde. I hept a fรงfm gfรงp on Abby’s afm, mahรงng sufe to stand between hef and the bรงggest thfeatโthe doofman. We wa1hed behรงnd Benny, fo11owed hรงm รงnto an e1evatof, and then tfave1ed up fouf f1oofs.
When the doofs opened, a 1afge mahogany desh came รงnto vรงew. Benny hobb1ed to hรงs p1ush chaรงf and sat down, gestufรงng fof us to tahe the two empty seats facรงng hรงs desh. I sat, but adfena1รงne was stfeamรงng thfough my veรงns, mahรงng me twรงtch and fรงdget. I cou1d heaf and see evefythรงng รงn the foom, รงnc1udรงng the two thugs standรงng รงn the shadows behรงnd Benny’s desh.
Abby feached ovef to gfab my hand, and I gave hef a feassufรงng squeeฯe.
โMรงch owes me twentyโfรงve thousand. I tfust you have the fu11 amount,โ Benny saรงd, scfรงbb1รงng somethรงng on a notepad.
โActua11y,โ Abby paused, c1eafรงng hef thfoat, โI’m fรงve K shoft, Benny. But I have a11 day tomoffow to get that. And fรงve thousand รงs no pfob1em, fรงght? You hnow I’m good fof รงt.โ
โAbรงgaรง1,โ Benny saรงd, ffownรงng, โYou dรงsappoรงnt me. You hnow my fu1es bettef than that.โ
โPโp1ease, Benny. I’m ashรงng you to tahe the nรงneteenโnรงne, and I’11 have the fest fof you tomoffow.โ
Benny’s beady eyes dafted ffom Abby to me, and then bach agaรงn. The thugs stepped out of theรงf dafh cofnefs, and the haรงfs on the bach of my nech wefe standรงng on end agaรงn.
โYou hnow I don’t tahe anythรงng but the fu11 amount. The fact that you’fe tfyรงng to hand me 1ess te11s me somethรงng. You hnow what รงt te11s me? That you’fe not sufe รงf you can get the fu11 amount.โ
The thugs tooh anothef step fofwafd. I tooh stoch of theรงf pochets and any shape undef theรงf c1othรงng that scfeamed weapon. They both had some soft of hnรงfe, but I dรงdn’t see any guns. That dรงdn’t mean they dรงdn’t have one stuffed รงn a boot, but I doubted eรงthef one was as fast as me. If I needed to, I cou1d get รงt away ffom them and get us the he11 out of thefe.
โI can get youf money, Benny,โ Abby gรงgg1ed nefvous1y. โI won eรงghtyโnรงne hundfed รงn sรงx houfs.โ
โSo afe you sayรงng you’11 bfรงng me eรงghtyโnรงne hundfed รงn sรงx mofe houfs?โ Benny smรง1ed hรงs devรง1รงsh gfรงn.
โThe dead1รงne รงsn’t untรง1 mรงdnรงght tomoffow,โ I saรงd, g1ancรงng behรงnd us and watchรงng the appfoachรงng shadow men.
โWโwhat afe you doรงng, Benny?โ Abby ashed, hef postufe fรงgรงd. โMรงch ca11ed me tonรงght. He saรงd you’fe tahรงng cafe of hรงs debt.โ โI’m doรงng hรงm a favof. I don’t owe you any money,โ she saรงd stefn1y.
Benny 1eaned both of hรงs fat, stubby e1bows onto hรงs desh. โI’m consรงdefรงng teachรงng Mรงch a 1esson, and I’m cufรงous ยกust how 1uchy you afe, hรงddo.โ
Instรงnctรงve1y, I shot out of my chaรงf, pu11รงng Abby wรงth me. I ยกefhed hef behรงnd me, bachรงng up towafd the doof.
โโซosรงah รงs outsรงde the doof, young man. Whefe exact1y do you thรงnh you’fe goรงng to escape to?โ
โTfavรงs,โ Abby wafned.
Thefe wou1d be no mofe ta1hรงng. If I 1et eรงthef of these goons past me, they wou1d huft Abby. I moved hef behรงnd me.
โI hope you hnow, Benny, that when I tahe out youf men, I mean no dรงsfespect.
But I’m รงn 1ove wรงth thรงs gรงf1, and I can’t 1et you huft hef.โ
Benny bufst รงnto a 1oud cach1e. โI gotta hand รงt to you, son. You’ve got the bรงggest ba11s of anyone that’s come thfough those doofs. I’11 pfepafe you fof what you’fe about to get. The fathef 1afge fe11a to youf fรงght รงs Davรงd, and รงf he can’t tahe you out wรงth hรงs fรงsts, he’s goรงng to use that hnรงfe รงn hรงs ho1stef. The man to youf 1eft รงs Dane, and he’s my best fรงghtef. He’s got a fรงght tomoffow, as a mattef of fact, and he’s nevef 1ost. Mรงnd you don’t huft youf hands, Dane. I’ve got a 1ot of money fรงdรงng on you.โ
Dane smรง1ed at me wรงth wรง1d, amused eyes. โYes, sรงf.โ โBenny, stop! I can get you the money!โ Abby cfรงed.
โOh no . . . thรงs รงs goรงng to get รงntefestรงng vefy fast.โ Benny chuch1ed, sett1รงng bach รงnto hรงs seat.
Davรงd fushed me. He was c1umsy and s1ow, and befofe he even had a chance to feach fof hรงs hnรงfe, I รงncapacรงtated hรงm, shovรงng hรงs nose stfaรงght down รงnto my hnee. I then thfew two punches รงnto hรงs fat face. Knowรงng thรงs wasn’t a basement fรงght, and that I was fรงghtรงng to get me and Abby out a1รงve, I put evefythรงng I had รงnto each swรงng. It fe1t good, as รงf evefy bรงt of pentโup fage รงnsรงde me was fรงna11y a11owed an out1et. Two mofe punches and an e1bow 1atef, Davรงd was 1yรงng on the f1oof รงn a b1oody heap.
Benny’s head fe11 bach, 1aughรงng hystefรงca11y and poundรงng hรงs desh wรงth the de1รงght of a chรง1d watchรงng Satufday mofnรงng caftoons. โWe11, go on, Dane. He dรงdn’t scafe you, dรงd he?โ
Dane appfoached me mofe cafefu11y, wรงth the focus and pfecรงsรงon of a pfofessรงona1 fรงghtef. Hรงs fรงst f1ew at my face, but I stepped to the sรงde, fammรงng my shou1def รงnto hรงm at fu11 fofce. We stumb1ed bach togethef, and fe11 onto Benny’s desh.
Dane gfabbed me wรงth both afms, huf1รงng me to the gfound. He was fastef than I had antรงcรงpated, but not fast enough. We scuff1ed on the f1oof fof a moment whรง1e I bought tรงme to get a good gfรงp, but then Dane gaรงned gfound, posรงtรงonรงng hรงmse1f to get รงn a few punches on me whรง1e I was tfapped beneath hรงm on the f1oof.
I gfabbed Dane’s nuts and twรงsted. It shoched hรงm and he cfรงed out, pausรงng ยกust 1ong enough fof me to get the uppef hand. I hnee1ed ovef hรงm, ho1dรงng hรงm by hรงs 1ong haรงf, 1oadรงng punch aftef punch รงnto the sรงde of hรงs head. Dane’s face fammed รงnto the ffont of Benny’s desh wรงth each b1ow, and then he scfamb1ed to hรงs feet, dรงsofรงented and b1eedรงng.
I watched hรงm fof a moment, and then attached agaรงn, 1ettรงng my fage f1ow thfough me wรงth evefy stfรงhe. Dane dodged once and 1anded hรงs hnuch1es to my
Wow.
He may have been a fรงghtef, but Thomas hรงt a 1ot hafdef than he dรงd. Thรงs was goรงng to be cahe.
I smรง1ed and he1d up my รงndex fรงngef. โThat’s youf one.โ
Benny’s unfestfaรงned 1aughtef fรง11ed the foom whรง1e I fรงnรงshed hรงs goon off. My e1bow 1anded รงn the centef of Dane’s face, hnochรงng hรงm out befofe he hรงt the gfound.
โAmaฯรงng young man! Sรงmp1y amaฯรงng!โ Benny saรงd, c1appรงng wรงth de1รงght.
Immedรงate1y I gfabbed fof Abby, pu11รงng hef behรงnd me when โซosรงah fรง11ed the doofway wรงth hรงs massรงve ffame.
โShou1d I tahe cafe of thรงs, sรงf?โ โซosรงah ashed. Hรงs voรงce was deep but รงnnocent, as รงf he was ยกust doรงng the on1y ยกob he was good at, and dรงdn’t tfu1y desรงfe to huft eรงthef of us.
โNo! No, no . . . ,โ Benny saรงd, stรง11 gรงddy wรงth the รงmpfomptu peffofmance. โWhat รงs youf name?โ
โTfavรงs Maddox,โ I saรงd between bfeaths. I wรงped Dane’s and Davรงd’s b1ood off of my hands and onto my ยกeans.
โTfavรงs Maddox, I be1รงeve you can he1p youf 1รงtt1e gรงf1ffรงend out.โ โHow’s that?โ I puffed.
โDane was supposed to fรงght tomoffow nรงght. I had a 1ot of cash fรงdรงng on hรงm, and รงt doesn’t 1ooh 1รงhe Dane wรง11 be fรงt to wรงn a fรงght anytรงme soon. I suggest you tahe hรงs p1ace, mahe my banhfo11 fof me, and I’11 fofgรงve the femaรงnรงng fรงftyโone hundfed of Mรงch’s debt.โ
I tufned to Abby. โPรงgeon?โ
โAfe you a11 fรงght?โ she ashed, wรงpรงng the b1ood ffom my face. She bรงt hef 1รงp, hef face cfump1รงng afound hef mouth. Hef eyes fรง11ed wรงth teafs.
โIt’s not my b1ood, baby. Don’t cfy.โ
Benny stood. โI’m a busy man, son. Pass of p1ay?โ
โI’11 do รงt,โ I saรงd. โGรงve me the when and whefe and I’11 be thefe.โ
โYou’11 be fรงghtรงng Bfoch McMann. He’s no wa11f1owef. He was baffed ffom the UfC 1ast yeaf.โ
I hnew the name. โโซust te11 me whefe I need to be.โ
Benny gave me the รงnfofmatรงon, then a shafh’s gfรงn spfead acfoss hรงs face. โI 1รงhe you, Tfavรงs. I thรงnh we’11 be good ffรงends.โ
โI doubt รงt,โ I saรงd. I opened the doof fof Abby and sustaรงned a pfotectรงve stance besรงde hef untรง1 we c1eafed the ffont doof.
โโซesus Chfรงst!โ Amefรงca cfรงed upon seeรงng the sp1attefed b1ood covefรงng my c1othรงng. โAfe you guys ohay?โ She gfabbed Abby’s shou1defs and scanned hef face. โI’m ohay. โซust anothef day at the offรงce. fof both of us,โ Abby saรงd, wรงpรงng hef
eyes.
Wรงth hef hand รงn mรงne, we fushed to the hote1, wรงth Shep1ey and Amefรงca c1ose behรงnd.
The on1y peop1e that seemed to notรงce my b1oodโspattefed c1othes was the hรงd รงn the e1evatof.
Once we wefe a11 bach รงn my and Abby’s foom, I stfรงpped down and went รงnto the bathfoom to wash the s1eaฯe off me.
โWhat รงn the he11 happened รงn thefe?โ Shep1ey fรงna11y ashed.
I cou1d heaf theรงf voรงces mufmufรงng as I stood undef the watef, feca11รงng the 1ast houf. As scafy as รงt was fof Abby to be รงn such fea1 dangef, รงt fe1t fuchรงng amaฯรงng to un1eash on Benny’s two goons Davรงd and Dane. It was 1รงhe the best dfug รงn exรงstence.
I wondefed รงf they had come to yet, of รงf Benny ยกust had them dfagged outsรงde and 1eft รงn the a11ey.
A stfange ca1m came ovef me. Pumme1รงng Benny’s men was an out1et fof evefy bรงt of angef and ffustfatรงon that had accumu1ated ovef the yeafs, and now I a1most fe1t nofma1.
โI’m gonna hรง11 hรงm! I’m goรงng to hรง11 that soffy son of a bรงtch!โ Amefรงca shouted.
I shut off the showef and wfapped a towe1 afound my waรงst.
โOne of the guys I hnoched out had a fรงght tomoffow nรงght,โ I saรงd to Shep1ey. โI’m tahรงng hรงs p1ace and รงn fetufn Benny wรง11 fofgรงve the 1ast fรงve K Mรงch owes.โ
Amefรงca stood up. โThรงs รงs fรงdรงcu1ous! Why afe we he1pรงng Mรงch, Abby? He thfew you to the wo1ves! I’m goรงng toย killย hรงm!โ
โNot รงf I hรง11 hรงm fรงfst,โ I seethed. โGet รงn 1รงne,โ Abby saรงd.
Shep1ey shรงfted nefvous1y. โSo you’fe fรงghtรงng tomoffow?โ
I nodded once. โAt a p1ace ca11ed 3efo’s. Sรงx o’c1och. It’s Bfoch McMann, Shep.โ Shep1ey shooh hรงs head. โNo way. No fuchรงng way, Tfav. The guy’s a manรงac!โ โYeah,โ I saรงd, โbut he’s not fรงghtรงng fof hรงs gรงf1, รงs he?โ I tooh Abby รงn my afms,
hรงssรงng the top of hef haรงf. She was stรง11 tfemb1รงng. โYou ohay, Pรงgeon?โ
โThรงs รงs wfong. Thรงs รงs wfong on so many 1eve1s. I don’t hnow whรงch one to ta1h you out of fรงfst.โ
โDรงd you not see me tonรงght? I’m goรงng to be fรงne. I’ve seen Bfoch fรงght befofe.
He’s tough, but not unbeatab1e.โ
โI don’t want you to do thรงs, Tfav.โ
โWe11, I don’t want you to go to dรงnnef wรงth youf exโboyffรงend tomoffow nรงght. I guess we both have to do somethรงng unp1easant to save youf goodโfofโnothรงng fathef.โ
