Page 104 of Nicki's Fight

Shit.

I drew a ragged breath as I looked up at my father—atWillis—as I knelt over Kaine’s prone form, fury burning away the sadness I’d felt at the loss of the only father I’d known... until today. Alex had shown me more compassion, more concern, morelovein one day than this man had shown me in the last sixyears. He was right in one way, though. For good, or ill, he’d helped make me who I was. Even if he wasn’t my biological father, he had molded me through pain, and anguish, and suffering. It was about time he got a taste of his own goddamn medicine.

I mumbled something under my breath, deliberately keeping it low so he would lean close to me.

“What?” he growled, looking at me angrily, his eyes focusing on me.

I mumbled it again, just a little bit louder this time as I stood to my feet. He leaned in to listen.

“What? Speak up,boy! I can’t hear you!” he yelled, his gun wavering slightly as he pointed it at me.

I raised my head and looked him in the eye.

“Count,” I whispered.

He looked at me in confusion, then my fist was flying out to connect with his stomach.

“One,” I growled as he doubled over, his gun going off as it fell past my ear and the sound exploding in the small apartment.

“Two,” I growled, bringing my knee up to connect solidly with his nose.

“Three,” I heard Kaine’s voice say as his foot flashed, swiping Willis’ feet out from under him, his body landing on the floor with a thud, his head snapping back against the hardwood floor and his form going limp.

“Go team Devereaux!” I said, a sad smile on my face as I held my hand out to Kaine and helped him to his feet.

His hand was pressed to the back of his head, the blood darkening his blond highlights. I peered at it in concern. It was bleeding freely, and he might need some stitches, but it didn’t looktooserious. I helped him stand and grabbed a dishtowel from the kitchen to press against the cut.

I pulled out my phone and dialed nine one one, and shakily told the dispatcher what had happened, then went back to check on Kaine.

My lover had just stood and walked over to kick the gun out of my father’s reach. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow at the practiced move. “Somebody’s been watching too many crime shows,” I muttered. Kaine just grinned at me incorrigibly.

“Somebodygot me hooked on them before he moved to Florida,” he responded. “I had to havesomethingto do for the last six years.”

I chuckled and leaned in to kiss him, then remembered I had a split lip.

“Fuck…” I whispered, annoyed.

Kaine seemed to understand my thoughts as he grinned wryly at me.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll manage to findsomeway to pass the time until your mouth heals,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at me salaciously.

We both laughed, and he pulled me close to him.

“I was so scared for you…” I began, ghosting my fingers over his jaw.

“Me? Why me? It’s you he was after! I was just an afterthought,” he argued.

“I don’t know, I think maybe we were both afterthoughts,” I murmured, my eyes fixed on my father’s still form. He hadn’t moved since Kaine had swiped his feet out from under him and frankly I couldn’t have cared less.

A thought occurred to me, though, and I spun around.

“Fuck! Vivian!” I yelped. “Where’s Vivian?”

We searched the apartment quickly. When we didn’t find her, I made Kaine stay in the apartment to keep an eye on my dad and ran out to the parking lot.

None of the cars looked like any my dad had owned in the past, but I did see one with Florida plates. I knocked hesitantly on the trunk, only to hear a muffled “thud thud” in response, and some noises that sounded like muffled swearing in a voice that was distinctly Vivian-esque.

The car door was locked, but rather than try and find the keys I picked up a large rock from the landscaped area around the apartment and slammed it into the driver’s side window. The glass shattered beautifully. They could bill me.