“Evan, we are offering you the deal of the lifetime,” Riker speaks as if from one businessman to another. “You keep me informed, you get a kickback…”
As I stand here stunned, apparently Reese has finally caught my cue. I’d been attempting to hint as to where her other gun was, that is, if she actually had guns hidden all over her apartment. But Reese is more talk than anything, so she might have just been saying as much. Reese’s hand slides beneath the bottom of the couch. Riker’s gaze converts from excitement to shock–
Bang!
A slug goes straight between Riker’s eyes. There's a momentary spark in Reese's eyes as she holds the .9 millimeter steady. And given under different circumstances, I could just hear her mouthing off, "That's for trying to Mickey me!"
But I can't hear the words because someone is shouting, “The bitch just shot–”
And now a bullet has thumped through the center of his chest. A second bullet pierces his heart.
The closest guy to me reaches for a gun from his back. My hand goes over his and I let off two rounds. The barrel is cast downward. A bullet thumps into his kneecap. In his pain, I twist his arm. The next shot pumps into his chest. I grab the gun from his lifeless fingers as Reese puts down another biker.
I take out the last one. A slug straight to the skull. I’m in the middle of admiring The Lamb’s capabilities, when her gun targets me.
The tip of the barrel is a dark oblivion. I’ve been in this position before, and life passed before my eyes. The images of a family and children had me delving deep into the type of love my father once had for my mom. This time, the only image I have is the fear in Reese’s eyes, and yet her eyes are closed tightly. She’s biting the shit out of her bottom lip, face a mask of angst.
Reese's fingers shake as my hand engulfs hers. No words are exchanged as I grab the gun from her. She falls into me, sobbing silently.
“Evan, I... I...”
Shock has faded away yet the reality is just as daunting. The look on Reese’s face tells me she has never had a reason to pull the trigger before. And I'm reeling over the fact that I’m holding Milo Benincassa’s daughter.
I'm fucking in love with my stepsister who just so happens to be tied to the Guigliano Family, one of the biggest organized crime families in America. It was always believed that Milo was one of crime boss Giovanni Giugliano’s sons.
I push thoughts of that away as we sink down onto a carpet coated in blood. Reese is unnerved to the core; I hold her close.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” I tell her. Kissing her forehead, and rubbing my thumb across the smooth skin of her wrist. The erratic beating of her heart doesn’t fade. She seems to shatter into me with tears.
“Reese, I gotta get up,” I tell her. There’s a time to console her, and shit, I want to console her with all of me. “Stay here, babe, while I handle everything.”
I begin to arise. Reese’s eyes are clouded with questions.
“Somebody gonna tell me why we're just sitting amongst the dead?” Jamie says breathily from behind us. He’s still sprawled out on the couch, seemingly in and out of consciousness.
“Reese...” His tone is nasally. “You just shot a gun?”
“No,” I speak up.
Big, brown eyes sweep over my gaze, while Reese arises.
“I shot them all,” I tell Jamie, as his chin begins to droop yet again. I gather Reese’s attention. “Go change. Leave those pajamas at the bottom of your dirty clothes hamper. Then sit next to your friend. Talk to him as I call this in.”
I know that she’ll have gunshot residue on her pajamas, arms and hands, but with my explaining the situation, and depending on the Crime Scene tech, she won’t be assessed.
Reese nods, and begins to head to her room. In three large steps, I stand before her. “You can cry later. I’ll make the pain go away later.” I kiss her softly on the lips then say, “For now, change and then talk to Jamie.”
I pull out my cell and dial dispatch.
Patel’s familiar voice is on the other line, spouting off the route words.
“Five fatalities. One wounded.” I say, wiping down the fingerprints on Reese's gun with my button-up.
“Oh shit, Evan. Your ass should be off work. Already have some cruisers heading in that direction.”
We hang up. I tap the .9 millimeter in my palm and look around, taking in the full-scope of the room. Who's going to be the recipient of this gun?
There are bullet holes right behind me. The stiff next to Jamie was sitting there earlier, right next to Reese. So he gets to hold the gun. Strategically putting his trigger finger in place, and his palm around the handle, I force the dead man to blast off a few more rounds into the wall.
From the hallway, Reese has on a long pajama shirt. What usually turns me on erotically, with the shirt stopping mid-thigh, now just looks like she’s been swallowed alive. She silently stares at me, almost with a childhood fear on her face.
“I'm not your father.” My hand grips through her hair then down her jawline.
Her gander falls. “I know. I'm sorry.”
25
Reese
“I think we’ll be okay…” Those words had been repeated by Jamie as I followed medics wheeling him to an ambulance. He’d deliriously said them a few more times while I follow behind them, dressed in my pajama shirt, a crumply pair of jeans and the dusty hoodie which stays on the rack near the front door of my
