Grabbing my bag, I tossed it on the bed, pulling out the new clothes I’d picked up. I still didn’t have a fucking clue where any of my stuff was. Aside from my wallet, I had to get new things for this trial.
Pulling my phone out, my finger hovered over Cap’s number, wondering how many times he had called me over the past day. I was supposed to check in when I got here, but I couldn’t even remember if I had done that. The moment he answered the phone, I was gonna have my ass reamed.
Not that there was any point delaying the inevitable.
I pressed his number and waited for the call to connect, almost chickening out at the last minute.
“Rob, where the fuck have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for three fucking days!”
“Three days?” I frowned, trying to think back and remember anything. “That can’t be right.”
“Do you think I just make this shit up? You left on Tuesday. You were supposed to check in that night. It’s fucking Friday, and this is the first I’m hearing from you. Not to mention, I’ve got Cash calling me, telling me about some job you interfered with. Care to explain how you landed yourself in the middle of an op?”
“What? Cap, I?—”
The door splintered open and gunfire erupted. I didn’t think as I tossed myself behind the bed and grabbed my weapon. I could hear Cap calling to me, but in the chaos, I’d dropped my phone.
“You can’t hide forever!” a female shouted.
Ducking out behind the bed, my eyes widened in surprise when I saw the woman from downstairs standing in the doorway with an AK in her hands and a maniacal grin plastered on her face.
“Dimples is an assassin?” I muttered. “What the fuck?”
I jerked back just as she fired again. Bullets tore the blankets and mattress to bits, sending stuffing flying around the room. The only way out was through her.
I really didn’t like killing women, but since she was an assassin, I tried not to think about it too hard. Women wanted equal treatment. Well, I was all too willing to treat her the same as any other asshole who pulled a gun on me.
Shooting to my feet, I fired a single shot at her just as a guy stepped into the room, laughing hysterically as he ran toward me.
“The fucking cabbie?”
I barely got the words out before I realized if I wanted to live, I would have to move my ass. I dropped to the ground and rolled, narrowly avoiding the bullet spray. Glass shattered behind me, raining down around me as they fired anywhere and everywhere.
Raising my right hand, I fired my gun, spraying and praying just to keep them back. When the gunfire stopped, I popped up quickly, noting they were hiding and this was my only chance to escape.
I didn’t think twice as I took two steps to the window and leapt out, praying I landed on something to break my fall. Otherwise, this was going to be a sucky way to go.
Air rushed up around me as I plummeted to the ground. My body bounced off fabric pulled tight over wires. The tension snapped, and the wire sliced through my arm, sending a shock of pain through me as I rolled to the edge and dropped to the ground.
Heart hammering, I slowly looked over the outdoor seating area of the restaurant and the shade that was still pulled that broke my fall. If not for that shade, I would be a pancake on the ground instead of only slightly injured.
Thank God for restaurants on the first floor of the hotel.
I took off down the street, ducking into an alley for a quick breather. It was only as I leaned against the wall that I realized I’d lost my phone yet again.
Checkinginto a motel on the other side of town, I immediately grabbed the phone from the cradle and dialed Cap’s number. Thankfully, I had it memorized; otherwise, I’d be fucked.
The phone rang and rang, probably because he didn’t recognize the number. I hung up and called back, cursing when he let it ring again. The third time, he finally answered.
“Who the fuck is this?”
“Your favorite IT person.”
“Becky, your voice has gotten awfully low.”
Chuckling, I ran my hand over the back of my neck. “That’s sweet, Cap.”
“Where the hell are you?”