A tall, gorgeous woman with long, wavy black hair lunged from the bed and kneed Stone in the stomach when he entered his motel room.

“Fuck!” He fell on his knees, pressing his face to the stinky carpet. “Goddamn it.”

“What’s up, Stone?” Mansi Del Toro stood over him, her luscious Latin curves prominent in the skintight black jeans. “Miss me?”

“Jesus.” He rolled over, clenching his throbbing middle. “What the fuck, Mansi?”

“Surprised?” Her Puerto Rican accent gave rhythm to her words.

Stone sat up, panting. “How did you know I was in Willowick County?”

“Fusco knows everything.” She wiggled her plump, red lips.

“Got you running the show now, huh?” He wiped his mouth and stood. “Doing his dirty work?”

She held her waist. “I do whatever it takes to make Mr. Fusco happy because when he’s happy we’re all happy.”

“Ain’t that right?” Stone stood, backing up to the end table. “It’s good to see you again. Your fine ass.” He opened the drawer and got his gun.

Mansi had her gun pointed at him before Stone turned around. “I don’t think so.”

“Shit.”

“You know better than that.” She inched toward him. “Throw the gun on the bed.”

“Mansi—”

“Do it!”

He tossed it on the bed. “You gonna tell Fusco where I am?”

“What do you think?” She put Stone’s gun in her pocket.

“Come on.” He smirked, hoping his charm might do the trick. “You and I go way back. You don’t want to turn me over.”

“Don’t I?”

“No.” He swept his hand over his mouth. “We’re friends, right?”

“We were until you turned on Fusco. That stunt you pulled fucked everything up. Because of you, he doesn’t trust any of us anymore.” Her apple-shaped breasts spilled from her tank top. “You know how long it took me to get his trust?” She slapped him in the nose with the gun.

Stone grabbed his bloody nose. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“What were you thinking? That you can go against Fusco and live?”

“Fusco don’t value loyalty unless it’s to himself. He’ll turn on you the same way he turned on me.”

“You betrayed the entire organization when you stole that stash.” She steadied the gun on him. “He’s going to kill the rest of us if we don’t find you.”

Stone backed into the dresser, staring at the tip of her gun.

“All this mess you caused because you had to get greedy.”

“Fusco’s the greedy one. Got us doing all this shit yet he makes all the money.” He dabbed his bloody nose with the end of his shirt. “That’s okay with you?”

“You got the money?”

“Do I look like I got seven hundred thousand dollars?”

“Oh.” She smiled. “That’s too bad, Stone.” She moved closer to him. “Fusco’s not gonna like to hear that.”

“Mansi, wait up.” He waved his hands. “I shouldn’t have taken the stash but Fusco owed me that and more for all the times I risked my life for his old ass.”

“We all risk our lives, Stone.” She squinted, head high. “It’s part of the game.”

“He sits around getting fat with dough and we get empty promises. I’ll get some money, Mansi. More money than what he wants.” He glanced at her breasts. “I’ll split it with you.

“You want me to spare your life on a promise to split money you don’t even have?” She laughed. “Do you take me for a fool because I’m a chick?”

“No. I respect you.”

“Fusco paid me to do a job, and unlike you I’m loyal to the man who pays my bills. I’m taking you out.”

He swallowed, shivering. “What a brother have to do for a break?”

“I think you’ve gotten enough of those to last you a lifetime. Face it.” She shrugged. “When your luck runs out it runs out.”

“It ain’t running out today.” He grabbed her and head butted her.

Mansi fell back, dropping her gun. “No you don’t.” She kicked Stone in the nose as he went for it.

“Shit.” He held his face with both hands. “What’s with you and my nose?”

She jumped to her feet, delivered a left hook to his face, and then followed with a right.

“Jesus.” He staggered, head pounding.

“Come here, you son of a bitch.” She yanked him by the shirt, kneed him in the stomach, and backslapped him.

Stone fell against the closet.

She took Stone’s gun from her pocket. “I hate to do this, Stone.”

“Then don’t.” He rammed into her, hooking his arms around her waist.

Mansi coughed, struggling to breathe. “Get off!”

He threw her on the bed. “I don’t want to hurt your ass but I will.”

“Get off me.” She pointed the gun at his face as he locked his hands around her wrists. “It’s time to die, Stone.” She grunted, turning red. “Accept your fate.”

“This ain’t my fate. I’ve been through too much to die in this raggedy ass motel. I’m sorry.”

She grimaced, raising her head. “For what?”

“For what I’m about to do.” He punched her, knocking her unconscious. “Fuck.” He got off the bed, panting. “Shit, girl.”

She lay with her head to one side, eyes closed.

“I didn’t wanna do that.” He got his gun. “But, I told your ass to stop.”

He grabbed Mansi’s gun off the floor, got his cigarettes from the end table, and left.