I Was Done Begging novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Over Him

The hand tapped the door a third time, and Lucas hit the brakes.

"Everyone down," he said. "Now."

My mother grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the floor of the car.

Lucas threw the gearshift into park and was out of the driver's door before it had finished opening.

"Lucas!"

"Stay in the car, Celia."

He walked toward the black sedan with one hand held out from his body, palm open.

"I know who you are," he said, loud and flat. "Get out of the car where I can see your hands."

The window dropped the rest of the way.

The man behind the wheel was heavy and sixty, with a thick grey mustache, and he wore a gold watch.

He looked past Lucas at me through the glass of our car.

"There she is," he said. "The girl who cost me two brothers."

"You wanted a meeting," Lucas said. "This is your meeting."

"I wanted her at the docks. She didn't come."

"She isn't coming."

"Then I'll bring the docks to her."

His other hand came up off the seat with a pistol in it.

I saw it before anyone else did.

I was already moving.

I don't remember opening the door, only my cane clattering on the asphalt and the cold air on my face.

"Lucas, move!"

He turned to look at me, and that was the second he lost.

The gun went off.

It was louder than anything I had ever heard.

Lucas jerked and staggered a step.

A dark spot opened on his white shirt, low on the left side under the ribs.

The second shot went through the roof of our car.

Keep reading free with an account. Start I Was Done Begging from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.