Authors: Elizabeth Kelly

A Home for Lily (20 page)

“Jesus, Steve! Are you even listening to
yourself?” Ren snarled. “We are in serious trouble here. You need to – “

Steve suddenly pointed his gun at him, and
Charlotte felt Ren stiffen before he eased her small body behind his. “Don’t
be an asshole, Steve.”

“No, don’t
you
be an asshole, Ren.”
Steve wiped his nose and glared at him. “Who the fuck is in charge here?
Huh? Is it you? Because I certainly don’t remember giving up my rightful
place as the leader.”

Ren, one hand still holding Charlotte
firmly, said quietly, “You’re in charge, Steve. I’m just trying to be
helpful.”

“Keep your fucking mouth shut then!” Steve
retorted.

“Steve man, we gotta do something.” Jasper
whined nervously.

“Shut up!” Steve shouted. The shrill ring
of the telephone made him jump and he turned towards it.

“That’ll be the police.” Ren said
quietly. “You need to answer it, Steve.”

Steve took a deep breath and glanced around
the salon. “Everyone just stay the fuck quiet.” He reached for the phone.

* * *

Charlotte tucked another cape around Vince’s
body before checking that her sweater was still supporting his head. She
squeezed his shoulder. “How are you doing, Vince?”

“Fine.” His face was pale but his voice
was strong enough, and she took a deep breath before smiling at him.

“We’ll get you to the hospital soon. Mel
will be there waiting for you.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and winced.
“I love her so much, Charlotte.”

“I know you do, honey. She loves you too.”

He squinted up at her. “How are you
doing?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She
said firmly. She glanced behind her at Steve who was sniffing a line of fine
white powder from the top of the smooth reception desk. “If he keeps snorting
that shit up his nose, I’ll be able to just walk up and take the guns from
him.”

Vince frowned. “Don’t do anything stupid,
Charlotte. These guys are dangerous.”

She glanced at Jasper who was sitting on
the floor beside Rita’s station, and then at Ren who was leaning against the
far wall. His arms were folded over his chest and he was staring silently at
them.

“Do you know the tall one?” She asked
Vince quietly.

He shook his head immediately. “No.”

Her brow furrowed a bit. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.” He said firmly. He turned
his head and gave Ren his own quick look. “He seems the most stable of the
three of them though.”

“Yeah.” She whispered. “Of course, that’s
not saying much is it? Are they part of the motorcycle gang that you were
talking about earlier?”

Vince nodded and then coughed weakly,
wincing again. Charlotte frowned. For being shot in the side Vince was doing
remarkably well, but he needed to be taken to a hospital. She started to stand
and Vince took a ragged breath.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back.” She squeezed his
hand again before standing and walking towards Ren. He didn’t move and
although he appeared to be relaxed, she sensed the tense energy in his lean
body hovering just below the surface.

“He needs to go to the hospital.” She said
quietly.

When he didn’t reply, she frowned at him.
“He is going to die. Do you understand that? Or have you snorted too much
coke like your idiot friend?”

“Be quiet, girl.”

“Your friend is going to get us all
killed.” She said quietly. “It’s been nearly five hours and he has no idea
what he’s doing. You heard him talking to the hostage negotiator. He’s
useless.”

When he continued to stay silent, she
stepped a little closer. “You seem like a smart guy and maybe your brain
hasn’t been completely addled by the drugs yet. Why are you letting him run
things? Are you that weak? That afraid of him?”

He surprised her by suddenly grinning,
revealing even white teeth. “Maybe you should be a hostage negotiator. It’s a
fine technique you know – trying to use our ego’s to turn us against each
other.”

She flushed. “I’m just asking you a simple
question. Maybe you should – “

His eyes widened a fraction of a second
before Steve had grabbed her hair again and shoved her to her knees. He put
the barrel of his gun in the middle of her forehead.

“Did I give you permission to speak to my
boy?” He asked softly. He cocked his gun as Darlene made a small moan of
dismay and Rita and Helen began to sob quietly.

Charlotte, feeling the cold muzzle of the
gun digging into her forehead, stared up at the dirty, blonde man. His eyes
were wild and he sniffed continually as he pushed the gun against her
forehead.

“Beg me for your life, you stupid little
bitch.” He whispered.

She realized with sudden clarity that he
was about to kill her, and she was helpless to stop the small smile of relief
from crossing her face. She closed her eyes and waited for the darkness.

“Stop it, Steve.” Ren’s deep voice washed
over her and she felt the muzzle of the gun waver from her skin as Steve looked
at him.

“Christ, this bitch wants to die. You can
see it in her eyes.” Steve gave a high yodelling laugh.

“Get away from her.” Ren’s voice was
deceptively soft as he pushed his body away from the wall.

“Why are you so fond of this skinny little
whore?” Steve grabbed Charlotte’s arm and yanked her to her feet. He dragged
her to the other women and pushed her down beside them.

Rita buried her face in her shoulder and
Charlotte wrapped her arms around the woman as Steve stared down at them.

He looked at Jasper and then at Ren, a slow
grin creeping on to his face. “Let’s play a game.”

Jasper, who was leaning over the desk and
taking his own snort of white powder, straightened and scrubbed his hand across
his nose. “What kind of game?”

Charlotte could see Ren tensing behind
Steve as the smaller man grinned lecherously at her. “The kind that will have
this cold little bitch all fired up.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Steve.” Ren
growled. “This is neither the time nor the place.”

“It never is. Is it, Ren?” Steve
snapped. “How many women have I paraded in front of you and you ain’t fucked
one of them.”

“I don’t need you choosing a woman for me.”

Steve shook his head and stepped closer to
Charlotte, sliding the muzzle of his gun through her thick, blonde hair.
“Maybe you like boys.”

When Ren refused to be goaded by him, Steve
squatted down and smiled at Charlotte. “What’s your name, bitch?”

“Charlotte.” She muttered.

“Pretty name for a pretty girl.” He ran
his dirty finger across her mouth. “Do you know that I took this asshole in?
Gave him shelter, food, allowed him into my gang, and shared freely with him
everything that I worked so hard to acquire.”

He smiled gently at her. “I’ve offered him
woman after woman – all of them prettier than you – and he’s turned each of
them down. He insults my generosity by acting like he’s too good to fuck one
of my women. What do you think of a man who refuses to accept such a generous
gift from the man who has given him so much?”

When she remained quiet, he yanked on her
hair. “Answer me!”

“I think he’s a fool.”

He laughed. “Oh, I do like you.” He
glanced behind him at Ren. “And I think he likes you too.”

He stood and turned to Ren. “Tell you what,
old friend. I’m going to give you one last chance to prove your loyalty to
me.”

He waved his gun at Charlotte. “Stand up,
bitch.”

She untangled herself from Rita’s grip and
stood, walking forward when Steve motioned the gun at her.

“You’re going to fuck her.”

Ren stiffened. “No I’m not.”

Steve shrugged. “Fine, then I’ll kill
her.”

He raised the gun and pointed it at
Charlotte.

“Don’t be a goddamn idiot, Steve. You’re
so fucking high right now you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.” Ren
snarled. “What do you think all those cops out there will do if they hear a
gunshot? You start killing hostages and we’re finished.”

Steve laughed. “I’ve still got four more
hostages, Ren. They hear a gunshot and all they’ll do is phone again and try
and talk me into giving myself up.”

“What do you think, Charlotte?” Steve
smiled at her. “He ain’t a bad lookin’ man. One quick fuck - or death. Make
your choice.”

She stared silently at him and Steve
laughed again. “This bitch is crazy! Jasper, you ever seen a bitch want to
die so bad in your life?”

Jasper shook his head no as Steve turned
back to Ren. “What’ll it be? You going to have this woman’s death on your
conscience?”

Ren shrugged and tried to sound
nonchalant. “You said it yourself. The woman wants to die.”

“Now you’re both just bein’ difficult.”
Steve said sullenly.

“I’m not playing your game, Steve.” Ren
said quietly.

“Oh you’ll play. And so will she.” Steve
suddenly pointed the gun at Vince. “The rules are changing. You fuck her, or
hell any of these bitches, to prove your loyalty to me or I’ll kill the cop.”

Charlotte inhaled sharply and Steve grinned
at her. “That got you, didn’t it?”

He winked at Ren. “Ready to play now,
Ren?”

Ren shrugged again. “What the hell do I
care about the life of some cop? Go ahead and kill him.”

“Suit yourself.” Steve started to stride
towards Vince.

“Wait! I’ll play the game.” Charlotte’s
voice rang out loudly and Steve stopped.

“Christ, she’s practically begging you for
it now, Ren.” Steve yodelled laughter again. He waved the gun at Charlotte
and she walked over and stood next to Ren.

Vince struggled to sit up, before falling
back to the floor and panting harshly. “Charlotte, don’t do this. I’d rather
die.”

“Be quiet, Vince.” Charlotte snapped.

“Play the game, Ren.” Steve said softly.
“Prove your loyalty and I’ll let the cop and your new little fuck buddy live.
Go on now.”

Ren stared down at Charlotte, his eyes dark
and unreadable, before suddenly taking her hand. He started to lead her to the
back.

“Where the hell do you think you’re
going?” Steve shouted.

“To the back.” Ren turned and stared at
Steve steadily. “I’m not fucking her in front of you.”

Steve eyed him shrewdly. “Fine. But if
you even think of letting the cops in through the back or letting that bitch
go, know that I’ll kill the cop and at least one of these other bitches before
they take me down. You get what I’m sayin’?”

“I get it.” Ren said tightly. He pulled
Charlotte past the curtain that separated the back room from the salon.

* * *

Saving Charlotte
will be available
at
www.amazon.com
in January of 2015.

If you would like more information about Elizabeth Kelly,
please visit her at:

https://www.facebook.com/elizabethkellybooks

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Write to her at:

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Other books by Elizabeth Kelly:

Tempted

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYAU0YE