Page 97 of Parker

For the first time, the women on the car roof move, straining against their bindings. One of them wriggles free of the rope holding her arms. In the poor light, I can’t see who, only that herhands are now moving to her mouth. She pulls the gag from her lips, and Nicky’s voice rises into the air.

“Joel!” she screams. “They’re behind you.”

A gun fires, the sound deafening.

Fire sears through my neck, then the whole of hell lets loose.

The shot explodes like thunder in my skull. My legs buckle.

I crouch to the ground, my palm pressing hard against where the bullet hit me. Blood pours through my fingers, my vision blurring. All I can think about is getting her to safety or fucking die trying.

Drayton’s mob descends upon us; my men are in hand-to-hand combat surrounding me. Flashes of metal swirl around me as knives are pulled from waistbands to ward off the enemy. Guns fire in all directions, the noise mind-blowing.

They are prepared.

We are on the back foot.

We’re fighting for our lives.

Looking over to where the car sits, I see Nicky frantically untying Sophie from the roof. The two women jump down, then disappear from view.

Seeing my chance, I run for the warehouse across the open space. As I arrive at the door, Drayton’s huge form steps out in front of me.

How I’m still standing, I don’t know, blood pouring from my neck and running down my chest. I block it from my mind. I need to keep going.

“Joel Parker,” he says with a sneer, “finally, I get you here, on your own. This has been a long time coming.”

I look around the dim building as he speaks, desperate to find my wife, but she’s nowhere to be seen.

“Looking for someone?” He laughs, and my temper breaks. I lunge at him, knocking us both to the ground. We roll around, fists flying. I need to kill the bastard. He flips me onto my back,holding my throat in his grasp, pinning me to the cold ground. He smiles at me, like a man with nothing to lose.

“You’re paying the debt from your father tonight, boy. It’s a shame really. I always kind of liked you. But debts are due. You pay with your life.”

He pulls a handgun from his boot, raising his hand high and cracking it over my head.

The world blinks out like a snuffed candle.

Chapter forty-three

Govan Shipyards, Glasgow

Nicky

I berate myself as I watch my husband being beaten by the giant on top of him. How could I have been so stupid to think my plan would work? It wasn’t even a plan; it was a notion.

There was no way I was ever going to be able to sort this mess out on my own. When I received Drayton’s message, my protective instincts went into overdrive. I wanted to keep my family as far from that madman as possible.

Upon our arrival at the warehouse, we were immediately grabbed by four of Drayton’s men. They had wrestled us to the ground and then stripped us of our weapons.

In my mind, I thought I could pull a knife and stab the bastards as they approached, but we didn’t even see them coming. Both of us were dragged like dolls in front of their boss and thrown at his feet.

Drayton laughed hard at us as we knelt before him, then Ebony appeared at his side. She walked over to me and crouched down to look me in the eye.

“I always win, Nicky,” she purred, a nasty smile on her lips. “Always.”

Now, Sophie and I hide in the dark corner of the warehouse behind the cars. I go to move, and she stops me, grabbing my arm.

“Think of Evan,” she whispers, sounding frantic.