“I have nothin’ to say to you! All of yous assfucks have been in my business. You don’t think I know yous been lookin’ for me?! NO! I ain’t lettin’ you take me to him!” He sounds high as a kite. Surely, I can make it behind the desk and grab my purse. I made sure that my Glock was loaded before I put it in my purse earlier. All I need to do is get a little closer.
“DON’T FUCKIN’ MOVE, BITCH!” His maniacal screams cause me to jump, and I reach out to grab the desk again to help keep me from falling.
“Please, Adam.” I beg. I just need to buy a little time to get behind the desk. Fuck! Why haven’t the guys come out! Surely they . . . Oh, God! They’re in the conference room. The conference room isn’t just in the back of the building, but it’s also completely sound proof! My heart sinks when I realize that, unless Maddox comes back, there isn’t anyone to help us.
“No! No! NO!” My mind flashes back to when Brandon held Izzy and me hostage. He was the same kind of crazy, bashing his head with the gun, and pulling frantically at his hair. The only difference is that Adam looks completely insane, while Brandon was able to hide his under his perfect exterior.
The gun never wavers when he starts rocking back and forth, muttering under his breath. His beady eyes look over every single inch of the lobby, pausing to leer at Emmy behind the desk before a sick smile curls his lips. “Who is this little thing? You sure do look a lot like that bitch Chelcie. Where is that little shit?” His bloodshot eyes swing back towards me, and I flinch when I see his vacant expression.
“She isn’t here, Adam. She’s back in North Carolina.” I hold my hands up, and hope that by showing him I’m not a threat, he will drop the weapon and give us enough time to take control. I can see Coop shift just slightly, and I know he’s trying to get to his gun. He’s the only one out of the group of Corps men that keeps his gun in a shoulder harness, and there isn’t a way he can get to it without drawing more attention. “Adam,” I start, trying to make sure he’s looking at me. “Why didn’t you just tell me you needed help? I would have helped you.” I keep my tone calm and hopefully void of the terror that is washing through my body.
“You ain’t foolin’ me, Dee! I know what kinda sneaky bitch you are.” His laugh comes out completely possessed. “You couldn’t just keep your nose outta my business. Noooo, you had to come in and fuck everything up!” I back up a step when he turns his attention back to Coop. “Stop fuckin’ movin’!” he screams, coming closer to Coop by a step. It’s like a nightmare square we’re forming. Emmy is behind the desk and I’m next to it. Coop is standing in front of Emmy with Adam at the doorway pointing the gun right at him.
“Adam, please let them go. It’s me that you have issues with; these people are just innocent bystanders. Okay? I’ll go with you, and we can go get the money and take care of everything.” He laughs again, and I know that he isn’t going to be reasoned with.
I just need one more inch, and my purse is right there on the floor. I take a step back, hook my purse strap with my heel, and try to bring my leg up slowly where he can’t see it. Luckily, we’re at an angle where he can’t see the bottom part of my body since he’s moved closer to Coop.
“Adam, you don’t want to do anything stupid. Let me have the gun, and we can go in the back and figure this out. You want some protection against this guy? We can do that. Come on, Adam, let me have the gun.” Coop moves just a step closer, and I use the distraction to grab the strap and pull my purse up. My gun is in my hands before he even has a second to notice I’ve moved. The heavy weight feels like the only lifeline I have right now.
“Oh, really? I don’t wanna do anything stupid? Yous idiots can’t protect me from D. He will find me, and since I’m already a dead man walkin,’ there ain’t shit to stop me from, oh, I don’t know, taking blondie’s head off first.”
It’s as if the world starts only working in slow motion. Adam turns and points his gun right at Emmy’s head. She gasps but doesn’t even move. Absolute terror washes over her body and she goes statue still. I scream and go to raise my gun, but before I even have it halfway up from my hip, I hear the deafening sound of the bullet leaving the chamber. And then the slow motion, horror show keeps rolling. I watch with helpless, stone-cold dread as Coop flings his body to the side. His large frame jolts when he takes the bullet meant for Emmy’s head.