Page 69 of Hard Corps (Selected Sinners MC 7)

As I walked around the back side of the vehicle, I could clearly see everyone and everything. Half of the parking lot lamps were broken, but the illumination from the adjacent building’s lights was enough for me to see what I needed to. The man, wearing a dingy black hoodie and dirty jeans, appeared to be holding a semi-automatic pistol with an external safety. My intention was to take it from him without him shooting me or anyone else during the process. With his back slightly to me, and Shane, Kace, and Ripp facing me, I raised my right index finger to my lips as I slowly approached them.

“Give me all your muh muh money, boxer man,” the man stammered.

“Give him whatever he wants,” Kace shouted.

Quiet down, Kace.

Apparently he knew Shane was a professional boxer and had probably seen us going into the bar and recognized Shane. His two-hour wait let me know he was determined to get what he came for.

“Babe. Just settle down, I’ll give him whatever he wants,” Shane said.

“Well, get get get to givin’, muh muh motherfucker,” the man stuttered.

With the gun an inch from his forehead and his hands held in the air at each of his sides, Shane responded. “I’ll give you what I’ve got but…”

I cleared my throat lightly to get his attention. “But, I carry the money. I’m his bodyguard. I’ve got all the cash.”

You need to focus on me, motherfucker.

“Duh duh don’t walk up on me, Mr. fuh fuh fucking bodyguard. I’ll kuh kuh kill this boxer lickety split if you do,” he said as his eyes darted back and forth between Shane and me.

As I continued to study the pistol, I walked in a wide sweeping pattern around the four of them and stepped beside Shane. I wanted the man to be as comfortable as he could be considering the circumstances. Having his attention diverted to behind him may have caused Ripp to attempt something, or possibly even Shane, neither of which would end well for anyone.

“Listen. I’ve got the money. So, you’re going to need to talk to me. But we’ve got a little problem,” I said as I shifted my eyes to the pistol he held.

Colt 1911 A1, cocked and locked.

Thank God.

He’ll have to release the safety.

The pistol he held would require two steps before it could be fired. First, the safety would have to be flipped to off. Second, he would have to pull the trigger. The entire process, if performed by an absolute idiot, would take one second. A second didn’t sound like much time, but it was all I needed. The extra step of flipping the safety provided me just enough time to do what I needed to do.

I shifted my focus from the pistol to his eyes. “He pays me to keep his moneysafe, you know, protect it. Now, I can’t just give it to you or he’s going to fire me as soon as you’re gone – and I’ll lose my fucking job.”

“So for me to let you have it, I’m going to need you to point the gun at me and threaten me,” I said.

I needed him to move the gun directly in front of me, preferably either at my chest or directly at my head.

“I ain’t duh duh dumb. He’ll buh buh box my ears when I muh muh move the gun,” he stuttered.

His eyes told me he was long overdue for whatever drugs he intended to buy with his proceeds from the robbery. He was a time bomb waiting to explode.

Eliminate his perceived threat, Jacob.

I shook my head lightly. “No he won’t. I’ll make sure he doesn’t do a god damned thing. It’s my job to keep him safe, and keep youhappy. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

His eyes remained focused on me while I spoke, which at least let me know he was more concerned with getting paid than anything else.

“He’s got seventeen bucks in his wallet, and I’ve got ten thousand bucks, so you need to pay attention to me, not him,” I said.

His eyes fell to my feet, quickly raised the length of my body, and eventually he met my gaze.

“Dekk, slowly put your hands in your jeans pockets. And I mean slow. Kace, I need you to take four steps to your left, babe. Just four. And stand there quietly. Ripp, Brother, don’t you dare fucking move,” I said calmly.

“Now, as soon as he gets his hands deep in his pockets, you’re going to need to point the gun at my head,” I explained.

“Alec, no!” I heard Katie scream from the other side of the car.