Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Up here, we have a view of the whole church hall. The balcony looks largely untouched, with a few rows of pews on the far end of the organ and not much else. The organ looks like it’s seen better days, missing half the keys and several of the pipes are bent and broken.
Grinder crouches behind the railing wall with Mia and indicates for me to do the same thing. As long as he's armed, I don't have much choice. But you bet your ass I'm looking for a way to nudge him over that railing if he lets my daughter go.
We've barely taken cover when I hear voices.
“He's gotta be in here somewhere. Snark woulda said if he came outside.”
Havoc!
“Only so many places he can hide,” Sledge says.
“Grinder!” Phoenix shouts, his voice echoing so loud that I jump. I clench my jaw to keep from responding. If help is this close, it'd be horribly ironic if Grinder shot us now. The echo takes a bit to die down. “We know you're in here. There's nowhere to run. Give us the girl, and we'll let you live. Give us trouble, and you're not walking outta here alive.”
“It's Mr. mmmf!” Mia only gets a little out before Grinder slaps his hand over her mouth.
But the damage is done.
“Mia? Is that you?” Phoenix’s boots echo off the wooden floors as he walks deeper into the church. I'm dying to wave my arm to let him know where we are, but Grinder has Mia in one arm and his gun in the other. “I heard her, Grinder. You always were a pussy. Not gonna come down here and settle this like men? Only cowards hide behind children.”
Grinder grimaces, obviously not liking what Phoenix is saying, but not wanting to reveal himself either.
Mia, who doesn't understand the gravity of the situation, bites his hand.
“Ow! You little—” He catches herself too late and reflexively, he pushes her away. I grab her by the wrist and yank her to behind me so he can’t get at her again. Never again, if I’ve got anything to do with it.
“Gotcha.” Phoenix laughs dryly. “What’s the right phrase here? Quiet as church mice? Bats in your belfry? Get your ass down here and fight like a man, or do we have to come up and get you?”
Grinder points the gun at us and hisses, “Give her back.” He gestures at Mia with his free hand.
“No.” I say it loud enough so I know they hear me downstairs. “You're going to have to kill me if you want Mia.”
Grinder moves fast, catching me off guard. He backhands me with a crack that sends me reeling. I cry out in pain. The momentum spins me so I trip on the steps and only barely catch myself before knocking my head on the floor. By the time I'm back up, he has Mia again. She screams in fear, and I don't know what to do.
“Shel? What the fuck are you doing here?” I'm not sure if Phoenix is more surprised or angry, but I'm going to worry about that later.
“Same as you, okay?” I spit out blood. “Mia, quiet down? We don't want the mean man to hurt you.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Grinder snaps. He holds up Mia so that Phoenix is bound to see her. “I've got your girl, Ruin. Both of them. You can have Dodger’s old lady if you want, she's more trouble than she's fucking worth, but I'm taking my daughter.”
What did he just call Phoenix?
“Your fucking what?” Phoenix and I say it together.
Grinder's gone completely unhinged. If he didn't have that freaking gun…
“I swore an oath to Dodger, and I'm gonna fucking honor it. And I know none of you are gonna let me hurt her.” He grabs her by the back of the shirt and swings her out over the railing.
My heart stops.
“Mia!”
“Mommy!”
Everything happens in slow motion. Grinder starts to pull her back, but her shirt gives way. I'm too far away. All I can do is watch her fall and feel my heart break in a thousand pieces.
Her scream is written in my soul. I throw myself forwards, but I’ll never be close enough to catch her.
I hear the thump before I reach the railing.
No, no, no.
“Mr. Phoenix!” The sounds of Mia’s happy exclamation is the most amazing sound I’ve heard in my life.
Oh Jesus. Oh thank God. Oh, Phoenix.
There's a loud crash of splintering wood, and the heavy thumps of boots running up the stairs. Grinder raises his gun, but Sledge is too fast. He knocks it out of Grinder's hand and it goes sailing over the railing. Grinder tries a fist, but while he's big, Sledge is bigger, and he drives his fist into Grinder's face so hard I hear bone crack. Grinder drops to the floor, not moving.