Armie went alert. Huh. So his dad hadn’t been in on that?
“She’s alive,” Keno said. “The little bitch had another fighter trailing her. Guess your boy isn’t the only one tappin’ that.”
Mac went shifty-eyed. “You made a grab for her?”
“That’s how we’re getting paid,” Boyd bragged. “Steve wanted her hassled, but he doesn’t actually want her dead.”
“Guess he has a heart after all,” Keno added.
Mac watched them both with disgust. “I understand losing your temper, that shit happens. But only a coward would attack a woman.”
“Like your son?”
“Told you that was a bunch of lies. Armie wouldn’t do that.”
“Maybe he learned from his old man.”
“I got drunk and out of control.” Mac shrugged. “Totally different. The women were nothing, easy lays, but even then, Armie tried to defend them.”
“And you were willing to use him to get your payday anyway?”
Mac shrugged. “He can afford it.” And then, with what almost sounded like pride, he said, “He’s done all right for himself.”
“If you say so.” Keno sneered. “I figure I’ll like him better dead.”
Eyes narrowing, Mac sucked a tooth, then hitched his chin. “That’s what you’re planning?”
“Smug bastard has it coming. I owe it to him for the way he botched our robbery.”
Mac chuckled. “Kicked your ass good, didn’t he?”
Keno wasn’t amused.
“He disarmed you, right? Then whipped your ass?” Mac whistled. “Bet you wore those bruises for a while, didn’t you?”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“So if you can’t take him head-on,” Mac pressed, “what’s the plan?”
Keno flashed an evil smile. “Let’s just say he won’t feel any pain.”
“Ah. Gonna ambush him then?”
“Something like that.”
Nodding, Mac seemed to consider it—then he withdrew a small black revolver from his jacket pocket. “Sorry, but I don’t think I can let you do that.”
“Jesus.” Boyd scrambled back.
Keno stood his ground. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Takin’ out the trash.” Mac’s arm remained steady, his finger on the trigger, his gaze unflinching. “I figure Armie was willing to pay to keep his girl safe. He’ll probably double it once he knows I’ve gotten rid of you for good.”
“I’ll cut you in,” Keno offered.
“That would work.” Mac slowly nodded, then grinned. “Except he’s my son. I might threaten and bully him every now and then, but doesn’t mean I’ll let you do the same.”
Damn it, Armie felt Cannon grinning. Low, he said, “Not funny.”
“Course not,” Cannon agreed, still looking amused.
“Where the hell is Logan?”
Little by little, Boyd and Keno were spreading out. If Mac didn’t get control quick, he’d lose the advantage.
“Patience,” Cannon said.
“He’s going to shoot that idiot.”
“That’s on him,” Cannon argued. “Stick with the plan.”
As he rose, Armie murmured, “Sorry, I can’t.” With as much sarcasm as he could muster, he said louder, “Hell, Dad, I didn’t know you cared.”
After his initial surprise and a flash of anger, Mac shrugged. “What kind of dad would I be if I didn’t put him down for threatening you?”
“Thing is,” Armie said, “I don’t need you to. It’ll be my pleasure to crush him, believe me.”
“There are two of them,” Mac said.
“Doesn’t matter.” He kept his gaze on Keno, but said to his dad, “Put the gun away.”
“Think I’ll wait on that.” Mac shifted the gun to Boyd. “Get to it already.”
Trying to get the advantage of surprise, Keno attacked.
Armie waited, then double underhooked him, catching both of his arms under Keno’s. He let Keno’s momentum take him off balance, and easily threw him to the ground.
He didn’t wait for Keno to get up.
Instead he dropped a big hit to Keno’s jaw, then started landing knees to his ribs, mixed with more punches to his face and body. He thought of Rissy and rage kept him going, each strike harder than the one before it.
A second later, with a flash of lights and sirens, Logan’s men closed in. Cannon was already there beside Armie, pulling him back.
“I want to kill him,” Armie growled.
Close to him, Cannon said, “I know. Me, too. But we have to let Logan do his thing.”
It gave Armie great satisfaction when Boyd tried to run and subsequently got hit with a Taser. Seeing him twitching on the ground was a pleasure.
Mac, not being an idiot, put his gun on the ground with alacrity and interlocked his hands behind his head.
Deadpan, Cannon asked, “Been arrested before?”
Watching Armie, Mac just shrugged. “You set me up, son.”
“Yeah,” Armie said while fishing out his wallet. “I did.”
As his arms were wrenched down and his wrists put in cuffs, Mac grinned. “You’re fast.”
“That’s what they tell me.” Armie took out the five hundred he’d promised his dad and stuffed it into the breast pocket of his shirt.
Because that wasn’t part of the plan, Cannon scowled over it, but he didn’t say anything.
Without a word, Armie walked away.
As he was being led to a cruiser, Mac yelled to him, “Did that include a bonus for saving your ass, too?”
Armie didn’t look back. Here on out, he was only looking forward.
* * *
CANNON SAW ARMIE LEAVING, knew he wouldn’t go far, but figured he’d want a few moments alone. Hurting for his friend, he walked over to Mr. Jacobson. There were five cops on the scene, including Logan, who had just approached.
“Where’s Armie?”
Cannon tipped his head in the direction Armie had gone.
Grim, Logan looked after him. “We got plenty, I’m sure. But I don’t want him to take off yet.”
“He won’t.” Cannon indicated Mac. “Mind if I have a word with him?”
“One minute.” Logan squeezed Cannon’s shoulder and went back to Keno and Boyd.
“What do you want now?” Mac asked, obnoxious to the bitter end.
Cannon stared at him, and more than anything he just felt pity. “You threw away everything.”
Mac narrowed his eyes. “Pretty sure he didn’t miss me.”
“You never gave him anything to miss.” Bracing a hand on the roof of the squad car, Cannon stared down at Mac. “Who misses abuse? Neglect?”
“I kept a roof over his head.”
“Barely.” If Cannon thought it would work, he’d offer Mac ten times what Armie paid him—for him to stay away. But he’d always come sniffing around if he thought there was a buck to be made.
“Feeling sorry for him?” Mac sneered.
“Armie? No.” He straightened. “You’re the one who’s missed out on everything. I feel sorry for you.”