Heart of Money (Alpha Billionaire Bad Boy Romance Thriller) (9 page)

My heartbeat returned to a normal rate as Daniel stared directly ahead. He was looking right at me, but not really
looking at me
. His eyes seemed to pierce through me, as if I were hollow or invisible. He cleared his throat a number of times, but never spoke. Occasionally he’d shift his rifle on his lap or lean back slightly in the chair and place one leg over the other. He yawned once or twice and checked his watch around ten times. After about fifteen minutes he let out a deep sigh and rolled his eyes. I still sat there motionless, mind racing and feeling utterly helpless. I was prepared for the worst, but as always I hoped for the best.

“What in the world’s taking so long?” He asked this as if he was questioning a cashier at a drive through restaurant.

“Please don’t kill Brad.” I stammered.

He shifted in the chair and smiled pleasantly, “Why not?” His voice was monotonous, robotic even.

“He’s a good man, he-”

“Let me stop you there,” His voice slithered snake-like, “The Brad you know is not a good man. The Brad you know swindled me out of a lot of money. The Brad you know is a piece of rat shit.”

“Listen, I understand,” I lied through my teeth, “But hold me for ransom,
anything
… Anything but killing him. I guarantee you you’ll get your cash if you just hold me for ransom or… Or something like that.” I bit my lip nervously.

“
Or something like that
.” He flailed his arms dramatically as he mocked my high pitched voice. I hoped I didn’t sound as painfully helpless and weak as he made me sound, “You’re just as dumb as a rock, aren’t you? You’re just as dumb as
him
, or getting close to it. He’s rubbing off on you, girl, and that’s not a good thing. Listen here. When Brad walks through that door, I’m gonna aim high, I’m gonna aim my big rifle right at his big tough guy chest, and then…” His voice wavered psychotically, “Then I’m gonna blow him to smithereens.
Right. In. Front. Of. You.
And you’re going to sit there like the good girl you are, and you’re going to enjoy it. How’s that sound for nightly entertainment?”

“No… No…” Tears began to roll down my cheeks.

“Come on, girl, I’m giving you a lot of entertainment here! Who needs action movies when you’ve got me? When he walks right through that door it’s going to be the most intense moment of our
lives
! It’s going to be what I’ve been waiting for all day, what I should’ve done last night.” His face hardened, “
But I fucked up!
” He screamed to himself, “I fucked up and didn’t hit him low enough! Son of a bitch gun jammed and I panicked! I only blasted his shoulder.” He was practically squealing as his face flushed and sweat seeped profusely through his black button up.

I realized then and there, that there was no hope for the man. I also realized that he was dumber and crazier than I had initially thought, and that he could be outsmarted. I realized then what I needed to do.

“I know. You’re… You’re right, Daniel. I hate to admit it but you’re right. And the thing is, Brad has trapped me into this relationship. I’ve known him for a month now,” I lied, “And he’s the most manipulative controlling bastard I’ve ever met. I never would admit this to anyone but you, but I… Last night, when you shot him, I secretly wished you’d shot him plum through his little cold heart.” It felt painful to lie as badly as I was, but I felt like I needed to trick him. I
needed desperately
to lie to this man and convince him that I was on
his
side, not Brad’s. When I got close enough then maybe I could grab the gun from him, or walk casually to the kitchen as if I was going to pour him a glass of wine. I’d bring the wine bottle to the living room table that set before him, and instead of pouring it into his glass I’d smash him over the head with it.

That was my plan. But it sounded too Hollywood, too easy to work. I began to shrivel up into frantic fear as I wondered what the hell to do.

“Really?” His eyes brightened up and he smiled.

Oh my God. This is my chance. He believes me
.

“If… If I help you kill the son of a bitch when he walks in the door, will you rat on me? Will you tell the cops, if you get caught of course, that I helped you? Because I can only imagine how good it would feel to be a part of that bastard’s death!”

His smile grew larger as his eyes narrowed, “You’re not fucking with me are you?”

“I wish I were. I feel like a bad bitch telling you all this, but I had to get it off my chest.
Please
,
please
let me take the shot. With you standing beside me as he looks into our faces for the last time. He’ll realize that we’re working together, and it’ll be the last thought that fucker ever has in his stupid little peanut brain. I know it seems like a lot to ask, Daniel… But will you consider it?”

He paused for what felt like eternity. Then he spoke smoothly and surely, “I’m not going to let you have the gun, in case you are fucking with me. In that case, you should be a movie star. Damn good actress. But I don’t think that’s the case. But just to be safe, I’m holding the gun. You can be right at my side wearing the biggest smile you’ve ever worn. I want him to
see
it. I want him to
see you grinning
when I blast him through the chest.”

I bit my lip and tried to smile like I was feeling excited, “Through the head.
Do it through the head
.”

“Oh, girl, you are
insane
aren’t ya? I love it.” He chortled and spittle flew out of his mouth. He wiped his lips and nodded his head.

“Whew,” I pretended to have worked up a sweat as I fanned myself, “Good lord. Um, would you mind if I pour myself a glass of wine after all that? You can have one too if you’d like. Dumbass Brad has so many ‘
vintage bottles
’ that he’s blown his money on.”

“Go right ahead, but I’m okay,” I stood to my feet and he looked down at the ground before licking his lips, “Actually, I need a drink. Haven’t had one in a few hours and this is getting intense. I want to make sure I’m good to go as far as getting a good aim. Gotta have steady hands.” He raised his hands in the air and they were trembling wildly, I could tell he was going through withdrawal already.

“I’ll bring the whole damn bottle in here. That’s another thing by the way, the son of a bitch doesn’t like me to drink much. I tell him ‘
Brad, everything’s more fun when you’re drunk
’, and he looks at me all mean-like. I
hate
him.” I walked to the kitchen, wiggling my ass flirtatiously as I moved.

It’s time. It’s time. It’s time. This is your one shot. You might get killed. You might be dead in one minute. Don’t let that happen.

My mind raced in horror as all the possible scenarios flashed before my eyes while I scanned the rack for the biggest bottle of wine I could find. I held two glasses in one hand and grabbed a large bottle of merlot with my dominant hand. I’d need that hand for swinging; I wanted to make sure I hit him as hard as possible. If I didn’t knock him out clean then he could grab for me or his gun, or both. Once he had that rifle aimed at me I wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing.

Before I stepped back into the living room foyer, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. After counting to ten, I opened my eyes and saw Daniel staring at me from behind the kitchen bar. His rifle was pointing at me and he had the same twisted grin on his face, “You’re not fucking with me, are you?”

“What?” My voice shook.

He paused, repositioned the rifle and his face hardened. Then he broke out into an enormous laugh and threw the rifle back over his shoulder, “I’m just fuckin’ with you.” He bellowed, as if his own joke was the best joke he’d ever heard. I took a deep breath and laughed myself. He was still chuckling at himself as he turned and headed back to the living room.

“You got me.” I rolled my eyes and smirked, following him back into the room. This time he sat on the couch and propped his arms up on the back of it. His back was facing me, and I dropped both wine glasses and raised the bottle. This all happened within a time frame of around ten seconds. When the wine glasses hit the floor and shattered, Daniel began to turn his head. I could see his expression was one of dismay and confusion. The wine bottle crashed into the side of his face, shattering all over his cheek and sending shards into his temple. A blood curdling cry erupted from deep within him as he fell hunched over onto the couch.

Streams of blood ran from the holes beneath the shards of glass stuck in his cheek and the side of his head, and he let out a low pitched groan as he tried to stand to his feet, during which the rifle fell out of his lap and clanked loudly on the hardwood floor. I was holding onto what remained of the wine bottle. The end of it had been shaped into jagged blades of glass and as Daniel steadied himself onto his feet he stared at me blankly. Blood was running down his neck from his cheek and staining his shirt collar. He let out another groan and opened his mouth to speak, but I slashed him across the face and he fell backwards, toppling onto the glass table and shattering it with his weight. He hit the floor with a dull thud combined with the sound of glass shards smacking onto the wood, and I stood there above him with my lips pursed, jaw clenched, and sweat rolling down my forehead.

I still held the broken bottle raised high in my hand, but at that point all that was left was the skinny tip. The rest of it was either scattered across the floor or stuck in the whimpering bloody mess that was Daniel’s face on the hardwood floor. He tried to sit up in a dazed attempt to grab the rifle, but I kicked him firmly between his legs and he let out a savage squeal. Then I bent down and grabbed the gun and aimed it at him, but I didn’t fire.

He was still conscious after all of it, which surprised and worried me. Surely he wouldn’t be able to get up, but how would I contain him if he did?
Shoot him
? I’d much rather he just pass out than have to be killed by me, but I knew that was the only other option other than hold him at gunpoint, which I didn’t think would work very well.

The door burst open and for a moment I thought it was simply Brad walking in. I opened my mouth and began to speak frantically until I saw him being led in by a gun pressed firmly against his back. The gun was being held by a long arm that came through the doorway next, and then Detective Richards emerged from the doorway with a grimace on his face, and he peered around anxiously, his eyes widening as he saw the mess of Daniel on the floor. He was still holding the gun with his arm stretched out, jamming it into Brad’s spine.

“Fucking fool. I told him he was reckless.” He murmured to no one in particular. Then his eyes met mine, “So you killed him?” His voice was exhausted.

“I don’t know. What… What’s going on?”

“It turns out the cocksucker was working with him.” Brad nodded his head back to Richards who looked absolutely stricken with stress.

“Shut up.
Shut the fuck up
! This wasn’t supposed to happen like this. It was supposed to be easy. As soon as that moron shot you last night I knew he’d gone off the deep end. We’d planned this out upon hearing that you were coming to town. Short notice, albeit, but it was a solid plan.” He nudged Brad onto the chair above Daniel’s twitching body. Brad stared at him expressionless, and then his eyes shifted up to me and bulged out with approval. He even smiled, given the confusing and horrific twist of circumstances. Detective Richards groaned and continued to hold the gun toward Brad, and then he looked back at me briefly.

“Don’t try anything, alright? Don’t try a damn
thing
, bitch.” He gasped.

“I… I won’t. Detective, I don’t understand.”

“Are you that
dense
?” He wiped sweat from his forehead where a vein bulged in and out. His nose was blood red and his cheeks flushed. He looked flustered, confused, and worried.

“He was working with Daniel. They planned to kidnap me and hold me for ransom. But when I showed up with a girl they hadn’t expected, they figured it would be easier than they’d planned. They were going to take you from me and hold you for a twenty million dollar ransom. Split it both ways, then vanish off to Mexico or something, I guess,” He laughed, then continued, “Looks like things didn’t go as planned starting last night when Daniel showed up drunk and put a bullet in me.”

I looked back at Richards and felt a sudden surge of rage, “He barely even knew me before he brought me here, you fool. Did you think I was his prized possession? Who’s to say he would’ve even given you the money even if your plan
had
gone the way you wanted it to and you
did
hold me for ransom?”

“Shut up.” Richards repeated.

“Are you kidding me, Courtney?” Brad’s voice was soft and sounded broken, “I’d have paid everything to guarantee your safety. I know we’ve only known each other a few days, but… It hurts that you’d think I’d give you up so easily.
Never
.”

A single shot rang out and I looked up in horror at Richards who was aiming the gun at the ceiling. Drywall and plaster fell onto his head in smoky clouds, and he coughed briefly, “
I said shut the fuck up. Both of you
,” He cleared his throat and then waved the gun at Brad, “Now here’s how it’s going to go down, see? We’re going to get in your car. The girl will be in the backseat with me. We’re going to drive to wherever it is that they keep your money. Whatever bank we can withdraw the biggest amount from. And don’t feed me any tall tales about not having a bank here, I’ve done my research and I know you use the same branch that you do back in California. You’re going to tell the bank manager that you need to clear out your entire account for a very big investment. If he refuses I’ll be giving you an unloaded gun for you to aim at his head. Can’t give you a loaded one because then you might use it on me. You’ll speak sternly and tell him you want a hundred thousand. It’s not near as much as I’d planned on getting, but goddamnit I’m in a bit of a bind right now and I need to get out of town. You
fuck
,” He rasped, “You just had to fuck it all up.”