TWENTY-ONE
Jack
I made good time, flaunting the speed limit as I tore towards the motel.
This is it, Jack. Focus.
I allowed myself a moment to dwell on Eden, her face appearing in my mind. Her words echoed in my head.
I think I love you too, babe. Damn. I’m coming to get you. Hang in there.
I spotted the motel in the distance and considered my options, my mind cold and calculating. Discretion was not an option. The motel was on the right side of the road, and the rooms were lined up facing away from my approach. I saw a figure poke his head out from behind the edge of the row of buildings.
He disappeared after spotting me. I sped to the motel, opening the driver’s window as I approached. A mad plan formed in my mind. I took my glock from my holster and swiftly replaced the clip, setting the half-empty clip on the passenger seat beside me.
I took a deep breath as I reached the motel and focused my mind. Time seemed to slow perceptibly, and my vision was clear, crisp. I broke sharply and turned to the right, slamming on the handbrake. I pointed my gun out the window as the car screamed into the parking lot.
I could see two thugs, one cowering behind a car and one half out of an open motel room door. The guy behind the car was in my line of sight briefly as I passed.
I squeezed the trigger wildly, sending a hail of 9mm bullets at him in quick succession. I saw him flinch as the first few bullets hit him, then his head snapped back violently, blood spraying in a brutal cloud.
The car came to a stop, dust swirling around me and obscuring my vision. I surveyed the scene down the sights of my glock. I could make out three large, male figures. Two inside the room. One at the door. The guy at the door was hurt, badly. A gut wound was leaking blood through a poorly applied makeshift bandage.
Where is Eden? Did she get away? If so, why are you still here, Conall? No, she’s gotta be in there. If he’s hurt her…
Violent images of retribution flashed across my mind. It would take all of my restraint to stay calm if anything had happened to her, to make the arrest rather than put him down. I steeled myself, opening the car door with my left hand as I stepped out.
I jumped over the bonnet and took cover behind the car.
“Police! Come out with your hands up! No one else has to die today!” I shouted, knowing what the response would be. A couple gunshots rang out, pinging off the car. I ducked my head instinctively.
Well, I tried.
I edged towards the back of the car, guessing the guy’s aim was trained at the front, where I’d been moments earlier. The guy looked like he could barely stand, let alone shoot straight. I chose my moment. Popping up, I held a gun in a two-handed grip.
The guy was aiming his gun at the front of the car, as I’d guessed. I shot him coolly in the head and chest, the sound of two bullets cracking loudly off of the buildings in front of me.
I jumped over the trunk and was spotted as a large figure stepped from the door, gun aimed at me. I recognized Sharky instantly.
He was edging towards me, sharp eyes looking over the top of the gun.
He had me beat.
Shit. Jumped too early.
I landed on my feet, and as I looked up he was grinning at me.
“Jack. Raise that gun and you’re dead. I know you got a jacket on, right? Well, I’m aiming for your head.” He was smiling in triumph, eyes cold.
“You’ve caused a massive headache for us, me and Conall. He wants a word with you. Got an offer for you.” He glanced at my gun.
“Oh, and drop the gun any others you got if you wanna see Eden again.” His small, black eyes fixed on mine.
“OK. You got me. I’m gonna put my gun on the ground. Nice and slow, then I’m gonna kick it away. It’s the only one I got.” I lied and stretched slowly, placing my gun on the floor. I kicked it towards him and metal scraped across the concrete surface of the parking lot.
“You better not be lying, pig,” he said in a flat voice, edging closer to me.
“I ain’t lying. You can search me if you want.” I shrugged, casually.
“Police budget, you know! It was the jacket or the spare gun!” I laughed loudly, and his eyebrows raised. His gun lowered a fraction as he approached, taken aback by my casual demeanor.
I spotted my chance. The image in front of me seemed to freeze in my mind. I lowered my hands to just above my hips, palms facing outwards. His gaze followed my hands, eyes narrowing.
We stood there, facing off against each other. My legs were spread wide, knees bent slightly.
Now.
My hand flashed like lightning into my pocket, pulling the gun from the inside left of my trench coat. I clicked the safety off as my hand drew it out in a well-rehearsed move.
My gun was aimed at him before he had time to react. I unloaded the full clip at his chest in a matter of seconds, walking forward as I shot fifteen bullets into his torso. He flinched with every shot, falling back as he died. He managed to get two shots off at me as he fell. One went harmlessly wide. The other grazed my chest. I grunted as I felt a rib crack.
I slipped the clip out and slammed a new one into the gun as he hit the concrete. Blood poured from fifteen wounds in his chest. He was dead before he hit the floor.
Conall was in the doorway in front of me, his eyes wide with amazement at the scene he’d just witnessed. I aimed my gun at him, eyes glaring.
“Conall! Drop the gun. It’s over. All your men are dead or arrested. Come on, now.” I edged forward.
“Jack. It ain't over until I say it's over! You hear! I got an offer for you. Let's talk, me and you. Make a deal.”
I laughed at him and his pitiful, pleading expression. I looked into his eyes. I saw nothing but an evil man, cornered and begging.
“I’ve got an offer for you, Conall. Drop the gun. Get on the floor. Or, I’ll shoot you. See what I did to your friend here? That could be you too, if you want. Your choice. Ain’t no third option.” I stopped edging forward, clearing my mind as I waited for his response.
“There’s always a third option, Jack! You ain’t taking me down! You don’t get away with screwing with the O’Rourkes!” His arm raised slowly, and I waited with baited breath for him to move.
Then something bizarre happened. A full beer can came flying from the corner of the room, hitting him in the side of the head with a loud, tinny thud. He looked to his right.
“You fu…”
I took my moment and shot him in the right shoulder twice, and the left shoulder once. He staggered back, gun dropping to the floor.
Eden ran into my eyesight and picked Conall’s gun up, eyes blazing as she stared down the sights of the pistol at him.
Good girl. Please don’t shoot him, though. We’ve got him. We can take him down. Make him live out the rest of his miserable life behind bars. I didn’t want to give him the easy way out. I’d see him pay for what he’d done. Justice would be served.
I walked into the room, my gun still trained on Conall as he sat on the bed, gasping in pain, swearing at me softly through gritted teeth.
“Go on then, finish it! Kill me, you fucks! Damn cowards!” He raged at us, mouth foaming as he spat obscenities.
“No, Conall. You ain’t getting off that easy. I’ll see you pay for what you’ve done. Scumbag.” I risked a glance over to Eden. Her hands were shaking with anger. I could tell she wanted to shoot him.
I stepped over and placed a hand onto hers. I gently pushed the gun down.
“It’s over, Eden. We shoot him now, we’re just as bad as he is. Let’s put him behind bars.” She looked up into my eyes, anger lifting as she stared at me. She smiled softly, eyes wide with adoration.
Then she turned to face Conall and suddenly cracked him in the temple with butt of his own pistol, smiling grimly at the sound it made. Conall collapsed, unconscious.
“Damn, I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. That felt good.” She let a breath out slowly.
I smiled at her then went to tie Conall up. I read him his rights with satisfaction, even though he was out cold. Just meant I’d have the pleasure of reading them to him again when he came round.
I put my arm around Eden’s waist and drew her into me, kissing her deeply on the lips.
“Let’s get you out of here, babe,” I said, bringing her into a tight embrace and kissing her on the head.
“I’m glad you’re safe… I… I love you, Eden.”
***
I’d called in the arrest, and Conall had been taken into police custody, albeit at the hospital while he recovered from his wounds. Two grim faced, uniformed cops stood guard at his door. I knew they wanted to kill Conall for murdering Al, but they resisted the urge. They were good guys.
One of the corrupt cops had been caught trying to hide his tracks, disturbing the crime scene at the meth lab and messing with evidence. He’d been caught red-handed and taken in. He said he didn’t know Cathal, who’d recovered from his wounds quicker than I’d expected. Said he’d never seen him before.
Cathal said otherwise. Told us everything. Names, dates. How much money changed hands. Shared the cop’s greed and the promises they’d made to Conall, the way they’d kissed his ass as they took his ill-gotten money. He was angling for a reduced sentence as long as we kept him safe from the clutches of the O’Rourke gang. We agreed, and Cathal sang like a caged bird suddenly released.
Later I’d have the satisfaction of walking into the office and arresting the dirty cops, all of them. I’d finally be clearing the corruption out of the department like pulling weeds from a lawn. The Captain and Lieutenant would be at my side as I read them their rights in turn, shaming them in front of the department.
After the shootout and arrest, I took Eden in to make a quick statement. She complied, saying she was willing to testify what she had on Conall. She recounted everything in detail, head held high, and I’d stared at her proudly as she’d made her statement.
I took her back to her place after we’d finished up the legal side of things. I studied the bullet holes on the car absently as I drove. The memory of the shootout at the meth lab and the motel seemed faded, distant. Surreal. Eden sat quietly in the passenger seat. I squeezed her ample thigh with my hand, trying to repress the arousal rising within me as I occasionally glanced her way.
I figured she might be in shock or upset. I didn’t want to throw myself at her if she was still getting over her ordeal. I tried not to think about it too much, how close we were to both being seriously injured or worse. I shook my head. Somehow my limitless luck and quick wits had pulled us through. Not to my surprise, Eden remained strong through the whole thing, since the start.
“Jack.” A soft voice spoke in my ear, and I looked over to Eden. She was gazing at me, mouth parted. Eyes lidded as she stared at my lips. I took in her beautiful features, longing to kiss her deeply.
“When we get back to my place, I’m gonna fuck your brains out.” I raised an eyebrow and stared at her, mouth agape. She leaned over and massaged me through my jeans as I drove. She started kissing my neck.
Luckily, we arrived at her place just moments later. I jumped out the car, waiting for her to climb out of the passenger seat. I held my hand out and took her hand in mine while she led me to the door. Without a single detour we went straight up the stairs and into her bedroom.
We kissed passionately and began tearing each other’s clothes off in desperation. I gasped, breathless as she flung herself on me, tearing at the buttons of my shirt. I lifted her jumper up over her head, exposing the bra beneath. I stared in awe at her perfectly shaped breasts, pert and sexy. I put my hands behind her back and deftly unclipped her bra.
She shrugged the bra off and let it fall down her arms. Swollen nipples exposed. I could feel her large eyes on me as I took in her half naked body, filled with desire.
I took my shirt off deftly and unstrapped the bulletproof vest. I winced at the fractured rib. Her eyes widened at the pain I showed.
“Oh, Jack. You’re hurt. I know how to make it better.” She was smiling and leaned down to kiss the bruise on my chest. It tingled at the touch of her lips, light on my skin. She unfastened my belt, dropping my jeans to the floor. I put a finger under her chin, bringing her head up towards mine. I kissed her passionately. She pushed me back onto the bed, and I sat down in anticipation.
She slowly leaned forward as she bent over to take off her pants. Her breasts hung down wonderfully, and I leaned forward to take one in either hand. I massaged them gently, then lightly pinched her nipples. She gasped and put her hands to her waist, tucking her fingers into the side of her panties.
She slowly lowered them, teasing me as she pulled her panties down and smiling at me seductively.
“I got something to show, you Jack,” she said, voice thick.
“Oh, really. What’s that?” I asked, playing along.
“This…” she pulled her panties down further, revealing her pussy, swollen and slightly red. Moisture glistened at her pussy and thighs.
Damn. She’s as horny as me.
My cock throbbed, my hard on almost painful as I stared at her pussy, hands still squeezing her breasts.
She stood up and pushed me gently back until I was lying back. She pulled my boxers down, standing at the foot of her bed, eyes on my body as she dragged my underwear off. Her eyes widened when she saw my cock, and she smiled up at me.
“Wow. Someone’s happy to see me…” She threw my boxers on the floor and took my cock in her hand, jerking me off gently. She stepped closer, her hips between my thighs.
She was looking down at me, big and hard in her grip as she moved her hand up and down. Then she started to rub my cock into her pussy, hands cupping my balls. I felt her slick and wet, warm. I closed my eyes and moaned with pleasure.