Before he could say anything more, Tony ran into the hotel. Harry, on the other hand, started looking around the parking lot. His attention went straight to Allison, who was starting up his motorcycle.
His eyes narrowed on her with deadly intent before he headed toward her with long, malicious strides.
"Hey?" Jeremy called after him. "Do you have the number?"
When Harry didn't respond, Jeremy started after him. Harry continued to head for Allison and as he did so, he reached beneath his lightweight jacket.
His only thought to protect her, Vince shot out from behind the shrubs to tackle him.
Jeremy jumped back and gaped as Vince quickly subdued Harry on the ground and knocked him unconscious. "He's one of them?"
"Apparently," Vince said, his tone full of sarcasm as he pulled Harry's gun out of its holster.
Jeremy cursed. "Fine, each man to himself. I'm out of here."
"In your bathrobe?"
Jeremy hesitated. "Okay, after I dress." He dodged back toward the hotel.
Allison rode the motorcycle over to Vince at about the same time he saw Frankie, Tony and Paulie returning. Damn it!
They started running toward him as Jeremy ran into the hotel.
Vince quickly jumped onto the bike while Allison slid back to make room for him. He took a heartbeat to savor the feeling of her arms around him, but a heartbeat was all they had.
Suddenly, bullets shattered around them. He could feel Allison cringing as he gunned the engine and took off out of the parking lot with squealing tires. He glanced over his shoulder to see the others head for more bikes.
Vince cursed.
"Don't worry," Allison shouted in his ear, over the sound of the engine.
"Don't worry?"
"When I was looking at the other bikes, I pulled the spark plug wires off. It should take them a few minutes to figure out what I did and why the bikes won't start."
Amazed by her, he laughed. "How did you know how to do that?"
"I'm a Southern girl, Vince. Every male in my family used to love his cars and bikes. They'd work on them in my mom's backyard and I paid attention over the years. Not to mention, pulling the spark plugs out was a good way to make sure my ex didn't go anywhere when I was mad at him."
He laughed again at that image. "You've got some spunk there, Allison."
"Piss and vinegar all the way, just like my mama."
Oddly enough, he liked that about her and right now he was truly grateful for it. Vince accelerated as they flew down the vacant road.
It wouldn't take the others long to figure out what'd happened and be after them again. They couldn't head for the small airstrip since Tony no doubt had a pilot there who was in the family. If he and Allison showed up, Vince was sure they'd kill them. Not to mention the small fact that he didn't know how to fly a plane and Z's pilot wouldn't be back until the end of the week.
Like it or not, they were stuck here. And right now, they needed to find some high ground so that they could face Tony and his thugs on equal footing. But where? There wasn't exactly an abundance of places to hide on this tiny island.
Except...
Vince paused as a thought occurred to him. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the others weren't gaining on them before he headed toward the restricted area. It was a part of the island that Z rented out to some government group for training. Z had warned him that if they ever learned who and what he was, they'd be honor-bound to turn him over to the authorities. But being the adventurous sort, Vince had gone over there a few times just to check them out. Not to mention, he wanted to know their layout in the event they did come after him.
He'd even befriended one of the agency members, the surly hotel manager who was usually alone with no one for company but his dog, Roscoe. To date, Vince had never seen any of the government people over there for training. But if it was a training ground, they were bound to have some supplies he could make use of.
Yeah, that would be their best bet....
It only took a few minutes to make their way over to the other side of the island. Vince kept checking behind them, but so far, there had been no sign of Tony or the others.
He breathed in relief as they neared the parking lot. On the outside, the white stucco was reminiscent of a typical small hotel that had minimal landscaping. But inside it was really nice, if not overly spectacular.
Still it would give them some cover, especially since Roscoe was bound to start barking if anyone unusual approached.
Vince drove around back and pulled to a stop. After Allison got off, he hid the bike in some shrubs.
"What you doing, Vince?"
He jumped at the sound of Sam's gruff voice. He turned to see Sam standing off to the side, hidden mostly by the shrubs, while Roscoe was relieving himself a few feet away. Sam was the epitome of what a burly Scotsman should look like right down to the ruddy complexion and heavy jowls. He was also stout and powerful with bushy white eyebrows and white hair. As always, he wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses.
"I'm hiding my motorcycle."
Sam scratched his whiskered cheek that looked as if he hadn't shaved in a couple of days. "Why?"
"I have some people after me."
Sam seemed to take that in stride as he turned toward Allison. "She one of them sex maniacs from the contest?"
"Excuse me?" Allison said, her tone broken by disbelieving laughter.
Sam offered her a kind smile. "I didn't mean no offense to you. It's just you women come here and go wild on us poor men. Well, not me personally, but all the young bucks. It's scary what they do."
Allison gave another nervous laugh. She looked at Vince. "I think I'm offended."
"Ah now," Sam said good-naturedly, "don't be. I don't mean any harm. I usually dream of meeting a sex fiend on this island...but that's probably more than either of you wanted to know about me too."
Allison's dimples were shining brightly as she smiled at him. "Just a little."
Sam nodded before he turned his attention back to Vince. "So who you running from?"
"Hired killers. You got any guns?"
Sam scratched his chin as he thought about that. "What are we talking about? Handgun? Automatic? Semi-auto? Single action, double action? Water-cooled? Bolt action?"
"I'm not picky."
Sam gave him a patronizing look. "Well, you need to be 'cause we got all that and more. We even have claymores, rocket launchers, flamethrowers and high-tech explosives. You've got to tell me where to start."
Vince felt his jaw go slack. "Are you serious?"
Sam didn't flinch. "I never joke with or about artillery. That's how folks get hurt."
Yeah...this was better than anything Vince could have hoped for. "What exactly do you guys do over here?"
Sam was completely stone-faced. "Obviously, blow shit up. You need some plastique? We got that too."
Vince shook his head. "I'll stick to the guns. It's what I'm best at. And I could use a phone. I need to call Z and let him know he should evacuate Allison before she gets hurt."
Sam looked back at her. "There's not much Mr. Z can do from New York. But I'm thinking you don't need him anyway."
"Yeah, but Alli--"
"I heard you, boy. But we got agents here training today. Let me get to the radio inside to call them and I can assure you, not even a cockroach will be able to get to your little miss."
Vince wasn't so sure about that. Tony could be pretty persistent. "You're sure about that?"
"Oh believe me, these guys know what they're doing. I pity anyone dumb enough to cross them."
Sam whistled for Roscoe, who loped his way over to him. He patted the dog on the head, then led them in through the side door to the counter where he had several phones and walkie-talkies.
He picked up a yellow Motorola. "Yo, bossman, remember the guy I was telling you about last night? He's here and he's being tailed by some of those good-fers. He's got a woman with him who he doesn't want to get hurt.
Can you guys lay aside training and lend a hand?"
Vince frowned at his words. "What's a good-fer?"
Allison offered him a wide smile. "Good-fer-nothings. You know, good-fers."
Vince laughed at that bit of Southern slang he'd never heard before.
Static sounded over the walkie-talkie before a deep masculine voice broke through. "We'll be there. ETA about three minutes, Sam."
Vince cocked his head at the sound of that voice. There was something vaguely familiar about it, but before Vince could ask, he heard the sound of motorcycles pulling up outside.
He glanced to Sam. "Is that your people?"
"I doubt it," he said as Roscoe started snarling and barking. Sam reached down to calm his dog.
Vince cringed at that implication. "Where can I stash Allison?"
Sam took her gently by the arm and pulled her around to his side of the counter, but it was too late. The others were already heading in.
Allison held her breath as Vince took aim, but before he could pull the trigger, the tallest man coming through the door opened fire on them. Gunfire rang in her ears as wood and glass exploded around them. Sam pulled her down behind the counter and she lost sight of Vince while Sam tied his dog to a hook so that Roscoe wouldn't get in the way or hurt.
Sam grabbed a gun that was hidden at the small of his back and stood up. He fired two rounds.
Her heart hammering as more shots rang out, Allison realized that there was a shotgun dead even with her behind the counter. Roscoe increased his howling as shot after shot was fired.
Sam ducked down to reload.
"Get 'em."
Reacting on pure instinct, she grabbed the shotgun while Sam reloaded and stood up.
There was one man headed straight for Vince while another was headed for her. She took aim at the one gunning for Vince and pulled the trigger.
The man flew back. She cocked the shotgun and turned it to the one nearing her.
"Drop it," she growled at him.
He didn't. Instead, he glared at her. "This ain't no game, sweetheart, and your boyfriend is out of ammo."
She glanced to see that Vince was on the floor wounded in his shoulder. He held his gun up and nodded to confirm that he was indeed out of ammunition. She tightened her grip on the trigger as she returned her attention to the other guy. "No, it isn't a game. Now drop it or I drop you."
Vince came to his feet. "You better do it, Paulie. She doesn't play."
Suddenly, applause broke out.
Behind her.
Still, Allison didn't look. She didn't dare.
"Tell your woman to drop the gun, Vince. No need in spraying her pretty little brains all over the old man and his dog."
Sam put his hand on her leg. "Put it down, Allison."
She saw the confirmation in Vince's eyes as he tossed his own gun to the floor. It was followed by Sam doing the same.
Her heart sinking, she reluctantly complied and turned to see another man behind her who was holding a gun straight at her head. Her heart literally stopped beating in terror.
It was the man who'd been talking to Harry outside the hotel. Which made her wonder what had happened to Harry, since there was no sign of him now.
The man holding the gun at her head tsked at them. He cast a condescending look toward Vince. "Vinnie...Vinnie, Vinnie, Vinnie. What am I going to do with you? You leave town. You don't say goodbye. You don't write. You don't call. Your poor mama is worried sick about you."
Vince's body went rigid as his face turned to steel. "You better leave my mother out of this, Tony. You touch her and so help me, I will kill you."
The man Vince had called Paulie walked closer so that he could take the guns that she and Sam had laid aside.
Tony ignored Vince's threat. "You know, I've got to give you credit, sending your mama off with that rich prick friend of yours was a good move. But sooner or later, she's going to want to go home. What's going to happen to her then?" He paused dramatically. "I guess you can die knowing that I plan to take real good care of your mother after you're gone. I'll also make sure she knows all about her son and how he's responsible for what happens to her."
"You bastard!" Vince took a step forward.
Tony cocked the gun he held to Allison's head. She squeaked as her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't move or make any real sound. She was terrified of making Tony nervous. The last thing she wanted was for that gun to go off.
Oh, God, please help me! In that moment, she wished she'd never won this trip. She wished she were still in Madison, Georgia, in her tiny, two-bedroom house where her biggest fear was the summer mosquitos.
But she wasn't...
Vince cast her an apologetic look.
"Now, now, Vinnie," Tony said in a mock parental tone. "You need to mind that temper of yours."
Vince froze, but if looks could kill Tony would be dead.
"Get on your knees, Vinnie."
He shook his head no. "If you're going to kill me, then you're going to shoot me standing."
Tony pressed the gun against her head. "On. Your. Knees. Asshole."
Allison held her breath as she expected Tony to kill her any second.
She could see the anger and pain in Vince's eyes. But for her, he knelt on the floor. She trembled as fear and gratitude mixed inside her.
Tony laughed. "You always were an arrogant bastard. All right, Paulie. Put him--"
The door to the lobby opened.
Allison swallowed as she watched an extremely attractive man in his early thirties walk nonchalantly into the lobby. He had long, dark hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and the palest blue eyes she'd ever seen. He was wearing a black pair of slacks and a black T-shirt that showed his ripped body off to perfection. Tattoos marked both of the arms he had crossed over his muscled chest.
He appeared to be unarmed and yet he walked into the firefight with an unfounded confidence.
He paused near Vince. "Little Vinnie. Long time no see. How's your mama doing? She still making that gravy that used to be so good that even the angels in heaven wept in envy?"
Vince gaped and stared in complete disbelief. Allison held her breath, waiting to see if the newcomer was a friend or a foe.
He turned toward her and looked at the man holding the gun as if there was nothing strange about it. "Cousin Tony?" he asked. "Is that you?"
Tony tightened the hand he had in her hair. "Who the hell are you?"
The man looked offended by that question. When he spoke it was in a thick New York accent. "Tone...tell me it ain't so. I know it's been awhile--fifteen, sixteen years or so--but damn. Surely you haven't forgotten me? Me?" He gestured at himself with both hands, and shook his head in disbelief. "I even took your little sister, Maria, to her first prom 'cause your father was afraid to let anyone else near her."
"Joe?"
"Yeah. Little Joseph. You oughta remember me. My grandfather, Big Joe, is the man your father replaced in the family."
Vince's jaw dropped as he stared up at the man. Allison didn't know what to think. She still didn't know whose side Joe was on.
"I heard you was dead," Tony said in an angry tone.
Joe shrugged. "Not yet. But if you don't drop that gun, you will be."
Tony laughed as he surveyed Joe's tough, unarmed stance. "Yeah, right. Whatcha gonna do, Joe? Talk me to death?"
Joe duplicated his laughter. "Nah. You know me, Tone. I'm Big Joe's grandson. We don't talk, we act." His face sobered as he glared dead at Tony. "And you, if you have any brains, should be afraid. Remember, I took a bullet for you and you threw me to the dogs, you bastard. I owe you one. Now drop the freakin' gun and I might let you live."
"Fuck you, Joey." Tony moved the gun away from her head to shoot at Joe.
Allison acted without thinking it through. She elbowed Tony hard in the ribs and shoved his arm away. A shot fired into the wall. Tony hit her hard with one hand before he started to bring the gun back toward her.
&nbs
p; Vince launched himself over the counter, knocking Tony to the ground where they wrestled. Joe was only two steps behind as Allison scrambled to get clear of the chaos.
Sam grabbed the shotgun and angled it toward Paulie who froze instantly. Two seconds later, a gunshot sounded.
Allison held her breath as terror sliced through her. Who was hit? She stared at the three men on the floor in horror, waiting to see who it was.
Joe got up first with the gun in his hand. "Vinnie?"
"It wasn't me," Vince said as he pushed himself up.
Tony lay on the floor, groaning as he held his hand to his bleeding stomach.
Joe looked at him with no sympathy whatsoever. "Hurts like a mother, don't it? Now you know how I felt when you walked off and left me to die. But you're lucky, you bastard. I'm at least going to call you an ambulance."
Vince didn't respond as he grabbed Allison to him and held her in a crushing embrace. "Are you okay?"
Before she could answer, a dozen people, male and female, came running in with guns in their hands. They were dressed like a SWAT team, in black clothes with flak jackets. They quickly surveyed what was going on as they swarmed into the lobby. Two of them checked on the man Allison had shot while two covered Paulie and two more went to stand over Tony.
A small Vietnamese-American woman glanced at Sam. "You okay, buddy?"
"Like a peach, Tee."
She smiled, then looked at Joe. "What about you? Did you get shot again, Joseph?"
"No," he said drily. "The only person who's ever shot me on the job, Tee, is you."
Tee arched a brow at him. "What about Moscow?"
"That was luck."
"Egypt?"
Joe made a noise of annoyance. "Just secure them and call to the other side for a medic."
She nodded before she complied and called for help.
Allison stepped back to look at Vince's shoulder. "How bad does it hurt?"
"You ever slammed your hand in a door?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't even come close. But I'm alive, so I'm not complaining." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Thanks."
Joe came over to them. "I ditto that. Good reflexes for a civilian."
She gave a nervous laugh. "I don't know. I think it was pretty stupid myself. I could have gotten us all killed."
"But you didn't," Joe said. "I appreciate that."
"Well," Allison said with a lightness she didn't really feel. "I appreciate the fact I didn't get us all killed too."
Vince smiled, until he looked back at Joe, then his face sobered.