60
CLAIRE
Is it bad that I’m not nervous?
I’m not scared. There is no fear coursing through me.
Only rage. Anger. The thirst for sweet revenge.
I used to be afraid of the world. I allowed people to walk all over me, control me, take me for granted. But now? Now I’ve shed that unwanted skin and transformed into a person who looks scary situations in the face without a bit of hesitation.
There’s a sort of calmness about giving in and overcoming the things holding you back.
It’s probably reckless, completely foolish of me. But I do so without reservations, because the only way we’re going to take Franklin down is if we refuse to cower to his intimidation tactics.
I’ve had enough of him calling the shots.
Luciano, in the passenger seat of this blacked-out SUV, reaches behind him and pulls out a handgun. He turns and holds it out to Johnny. “Here.”
Johnny wavers. “I already have one.”
“I insist.” Luciano nudges it forward.
The shots being fired last night replay in my memory. I had clenched my eyes shut, thinking I was going to die, only to open them to see my beautiful man kneeling before me, both men who kidnapped me lying on the floor of that building, dead. A gun next to Johnny’s foot. The one he must have used to kill the two people who took me. The one Luciano must be trying to give him now.
“I’ll take it if you don’t want it,” Josey chimes in.
Luciano fires him a death glare.
Josey raises his large arms. “Just saying.”
Johnny decides to grab the gun, probably to settle the tension of the offering. “Thanks.”
Luciano nods and turns back to the road.
Another SUV like ours is in front of us, and another follows behind. Both of them are full of armed men that Luciano was able to scrounge up on short notice, only confirming my suspicions that he’s in the same line of business as Franklin. I just hope like hell he’s a better man, at least for Johnny’s sake.
I’m sure learning he had a father was difficult enough to handle, but if Luciano turns out to be the same as Franklin, I’m afraid of how Johnny will react. He’s already been through so much. He deserves to have some kind of silver lining in his life. It can’t all be one bad thing after another. Johnny has sacrificed everything to do the right thing; it’s time for the right thing to finally happen to him.
We pull onto a gravel road, following the lead of the first vehicle in our entourage.
Johnny’s hand grips mine tightly.
I take my free hand and double-check that my weapons are in place. It’s not like they could get up and walk away, but in this kind of situation, it’s better safe than sorry. I accidentally elbow Josey and mumble, “Sorry.”
“You nervous?” Josey turns his attention from out the window to me.
“Not at all.”
“Good.” He winks at me. “You got any older, crazy friends like you running around out there?”
Johnny tilts his head toward Josey. “Seriously? Right now?”
Josey shrugs. “What better time?”
Our driver, a middle-aged guy who hasn’t said a word this whole trip, presses on the brakes, slowing us down and pulling in next to the other SUV. A large building, I’m assuming a hanger for an airplane, blocks our view of the runway.
Luciano points ahead. “They’ll taxi over there.” He moves his hand. “We’ll be waiting there.” He glances into the back at us. “Any questions?”