Everyone else is gagged and has their feet and hands bound with rope. I count two girls and three guys, including the dead guy. I glance at the body again and realize it’s Mike, Dean’s roommate.
Oh no…
“Tony,” says Dean, holding Fia tightly, “your fight’s with me. Not anyone else.”
Tony’s brown eyes twitch, and he jerks the gun at Dean and me. “I’ll give you both five seconds to put down that baby, dump your phones, and sit on the floor.”
“We can’t put a baby on that carpet. It’s dirty,” I say.
Tony cocks his gun.
“Okay. Carpet it is.” I go to help Dean, who doesn’t want to let go of the baby. He gives me a look like he wants me to stop.
“Get behind me,” he whispers, and then he looks at Tony. “Why don’t you tell me what you want, because you’ll be living on the run the rest of your life if you kill us. And for what? Did you even love Marli?”
I want to point out that Tony is up the creek either way because he’s already killed Mike. Marli, too. Tony’s screwed the pooch on this one.
“What’s love got to do with it?” Tony says. “Marli was my property.”
Dean shrugs. “I had an old car once that just became a money pit. I would have been much better off trading it in for something more reliable, but did I? No. I just kept throwing money at it, and—”
“Shut the fuck up!” Tony yells. “Get on your knees.”
“What are you going to do with the baby?” I ask.
“Not your problem,” Tony says.
“You can’t take care of her—it’s a full-time job. You’ll be on the run. I can just leave her outside, okay? It’ll take two seconds. Someone will find her and take her to a good home.” I don’t know if that’s true, but at least she’ll have a chance.
“She’s not even mine. Why do I care if she lives?” Tony growls.
It dawns on me that he intends to kill us all. Or as many as he can manage with the supplies in Dean’s kitchen.
“She might be yours,” I say. “Don’t you want to know for sure before you…” My voice fades. I can’t say the words.
“All I know is she came out of that whore of my wife. The kid’ll just grow up to be trash like her mom.”
Ouch. Harsh.
I can tell that Tony’s reached his limit, and our attempt to buy more time has ended. I hoped someone would show up for the party or one of those pesky reporters might knock on the door and distract Tony long enough for me to make a move. God knows Dean has his hands full with precious cargo.
Dean and I exchange glances. I’m not sure, but I think we’ve both reached the same conclusion. Only a miracle is going to save us.
I walk over to join the group crammed together on the other side of the living room in front of the sliding glass door. Dean crouches and sets Fia on the carpeted floor. She instantly begins screaming bloody murder.
“Make her stop!” Tony says.
“I can’t do that without picking her up,” Dean says.
I’m about to say I’ll get her because I want Dean to have a chance to use that famous speed and powerful body to steamroll this guy, but Dean is too quick, eager to protect his baby daughter. He scoops her up and starts to soothe her with a back rub.
Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door.
“You go sit down. No one makes a sound, or I’ll shoot you.” Tony waves his gun right at Dean.
Are we saved by the bell? Please be the police looking to interview us. Please, please, please.
Tony waits until we’re seated and in position at the furthest edge of the room, making it impossible to rush at him without getting shot first.
The person at the door knocks again, and Tony goes to answer it.
“Yeah. What do you want?” Tony says.
I hear a sound, like something smashing into flesh and bone. There’s a grunt, followed by a groan. I know in my heart that whoever was at the door is victim number two for the night.
I have to do something. I have to get that gun away from Tony. I know he’ll shoot me, but what choice do I have? Once, a very long time ago, I didn’t stand up and fight for someone I loved very much. She was my flesh and blood, and I just gave her away when I should’ve made a stand. But I didn’t. And I’ve lived with nothing but regret. I refuse to go back to that place in my heart ever again.
I hop to my feet and rush toward the small entryway, ready to jump Tony the second he comes into view. I collide with a tall body and fly back, landing on my ass.