“Damn it, Rusty, I told you to shut up!”
“What’s the matter? You didn’t want her to find out that you ordered the hit on her? Sorry, my bad.” Rusty turned his attention back to Larem. “But it’s the truth. Seems he hasn’t been at all happy about Sasha letting her hackers siphon money back out of his accounts.”
Chaz flinched and then shot the other Regent a look that promised retribution. “You won’t get away with this, George.”
Rusty waved his gun in the direction of the exam room. “Tell her to get out here and join the family reunion. She’d better have the numbers I need. She can use my laptop to transfer the funds.” He pointed toward the computer sitting on the exam table.
Yeah, like Larem was going to let that happen. “Here’s our counteroffer: if you and your men leave now, she’ll order the money you want transferred to your accounts.”
Rusty fired a shot at the ceiling, causing everyone to flinch.
“Do you think I’m stupid? No way am I walking out of here without that money. Either she comes out now or I start shooting for real, starting with her father and then you. I figure that this old man only matters to you, so maybe I’ll shoot him now just for grins.”
Dr. Isaac straightened his shoulders. He might be about to die, but the man wasn’t going to beg for his life. Larem met his friend’s gaze and nodded, hoping he understood the unspoken message of how much he honored and cherished their friendship.
A movement caught Larem’s eye. Hunter waved at him from the small window in the swinging doors at the far end of the room. The Paladin had regained control of the lobby. Good, but then where was Sasha?
Unfortunately she answered that question for him when the door to the exam room behind him opened. Her voice rang out across the room, sounding calm and collected.
“Lower your gun, Rusty. I’ll get your money for you. But if you shoot anyone, the deal’s off. My hacker buddies can make it disappear just as fast.”
Larem wanted to throttle her for risking herself and their child, but he should’ve known she wouldn’t cower in a corner if her loved ones were threatened. When she stood in front of him, he started to push her to the side when he realized that she’d tucked his gun into the back of her waistband.
He retrieved the gun, careful to keep it behind her back as he moved to stand beside her.
She whispered “Lonzo” under her breath before continuing her dialogue with Rusty. She held up a small piece of paper. “Here are the routing numbers you’ll need to collect the money.”
Then she looked around the room. “That doesn’t seem like nearly enough to pay off all your men. After all, being on the run for the rest of your lives will be expensive, especially when there are five of you.”
Clever woman! Now both Hunter and Lonzo knew exactly how many they were up against.
Rusty glared at her. “You don’t need to worry about my men getting paid.”
The reason for that was obvious: he had no intention of sharing the money. Larem didn’t know about the other guards, but Duke was definitely looking suspicious.
“Give me the numbers and we’ll finish this.”
Sasha started forward holding the paper out, but then she deliberately stumbled and fell flat to the floor. At the same time, the door to the second exam room opened and Lonzo came flying out. He got off three shots, taking out the guard by the back door, Duke, and finally Sasha’s godfather before Rusty returned fire. Sasha screamed when the Paladin flew back against the wall and landed in a crumpled heap as a blossom of blood spread across the front of his shirt.
“Sasha, stay down!” Larem shouted.
Meanwhile, Rusty looked behind him and realized his escape route was blocked. His eyes crazed, he grabbed Chaz by the hair and hauled him to his feet.
George managed to get back up on his feet and staggered toward Rusty. “Don’t leave without me!”
Rusty’s only answer was a bullet that hit the Regent high in the chest, sending him flailing backward to land broken and bloody on the floor.
The rogue guard kept moving toward the exit, dragging Chaz with him. “Shoot me and he’s dead.”
It was hard to hear him over Duke’s moans as the man tried to stanch the blood pouring out of his arm. It didn’t matter because there was no mistaking Rusty’s intent. He shoved the barrel of his gun against the older man’s temple and backed toward the alley door.
Larem kept his own gun aimed at Rusty’s head but was afraid to take the shot. If Rusty moved at the wrong moment, the bullet could hit Chaz instead.
“Let him go and I’ll come with you.”
Rusty was already shaking his head. “No way I’m trading a Regent as a hostage for a worthless piece of shit like you, Other. Now get the hell out of my way.”
Before he could drag the terrified Regent more than a handful of steps, Chance charged out of the exam room in a blur of white. The movement distracted Rusty long enough for Larem to make his move. The guard’s gun went off just as the dog latched on to the back of his calf and bit down with all his might.