“That’s the same cab that was parked on the other side of the gambling house when we left.”
“Are you sure?” I asked past the lump in my throat. “It was dark.”
“No, it’s the same cab.”
“But—”
“Shut up!” He smacked his fist into the steering wheel. He turned the car so sharply the tires squealed on the road, and I had to grab the dashboard.
He tugged open the glove compartment and took out a gun, which he placed on his lap. I felt like a little boy playing adult games. Or a regular citizen who’d been dropped into a war zone without knowing the rules.
He dug his phone out of his pocket and instructed it to dial someone named Guillo.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “You’re driving too fast. If you don’t stop, we’re going to have an accident.”
“And if we don’t get away from whoever is following us, I’m pretty sure we’re good as dead anyway.”
“Ivan, what’s up, man?”
“I need backup immediately.”
No, no, no, this was going all wrong. He wasn’t supposed to know the car was following him. If he had backup—
I snagged the gun from his lap and pointed it at Grimaldo.
“Hang up.”
His face would have been comical if the situation weren’t so serious.
“You did this?” he asked.
“Ivan, what’s going on?”
“Hang up the fucking phone, or I swear to god I’ll shoot, and from this close, I’m not going to miss.”
Grimaldo hit the End button and dropped the phone in his lap, and I took a deep breath and spoke into my microphone. “I have his gun, and—”
“You really think you’re going to get away with this? My family will hunt you down and make sure your punishment is day after day of torture before they kill you.”
A shiver ran down my spine. I didn’t doubt him in the least. “Pull the car over. Right in that alley there.”
I looked in the side mirror. Sully and Liam were close now. I just needed to hold on for a few more minutes, and then they would take over.
Grimaldo slowed down and parked where I’d instructed him.
“Keep your hands on the steering wheel where I can see them.”
Liam pulled up behind the car. Relief coursed through me. I kept the gun in my right hand and unbuckled my seat belt with the other.
Grimaldo swiped at my hand. The gun flew into the back seat, and he dove after it.
“Fuck.”
He was a big man. No way was I going to win. I shoved the door open, jumped out, and ran straight for the cab. Sully stood on the pavement, his gun drawn. Liam had the motor running.
“He has a gun!” I yelled.
“Get in the car.”