Page 118 of Pure Silence

He shut the door and leaned into it, checking the doorknob to see if there was a way to lock it. There was a keyhole, but no key.

Of course.

Goldie pressed his whole weight against the door, panting as he listened and tried to make out any sign of what might be happening now.

Nothing.

He heard a car door shut, and his head snapped to the single window in the room. It was covered in cardboard, and he hurried over to peel it back so he could see outside. The glass was dirty, but the snowy yard provided contrast to see a large dark-colored sedan parked in the driveway and five men getting out.

Fuck.

He saw one that might have been Lionel though it was hard to be sure, and he assumed the rest were more of his goons like Jack and Lin.

Shit. Had it really been long enough for Lionel and whoever to go to the gym and already come back?

Wait, weren’t they supposed to call first? Wasn’t that the plan? Lionel was going to call Jack and Lin to tell them what kind of death Goldie and Day were supposed to be receiving?

Goldie never heard a phone go off or Jack and Lin say anything about a call.

Something else must have happened, but Goldie had no idea what.

He watched the men vanish around the corner of the house and out of his sight, and he quickly returned to his post by the door. He held his breath, his heart pounding in the back of his throat and trying to launch itself out over his tongue.

This was stupid.

He shouldn’t be hiding up here like a fucking coward. There was another gun down there. He could have grabbed it and helped Day. He could have—

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Three gunshots rang out in quick succession, and Goldie cringed as a barrage of gunfire replied. He couldn’t even tell how many guns were going off, and there was a man screaming in pain.

A loud crash shook the entire house—maybe the bookcase being turned over?—and Goldie now heard rapid footsteps zooming up the stairs. He braced himself to open the door in case it was Day needing his help, but the footsteps ran right by him. He kneeled to peek through the keyhole.

A man in a big coat was racing by, and Goldie could see a gun in his hand.

Shit, shit, shit.

Should Goldie do something?

Try to get his attention?

There was no need.

Day dropped down from theceiling, and the man went to the floor with Day on top of him. There was a brief struggle as the man tried to buck Day off of him, but Day got his arm around the man’s throat. He hit him—no, hestabbedhim with a big jagged piece of wood or something. It was over too quickly for Goldie to tell what it was, and the spray of blood made his stomach clench uncomfortably.

Day dropped the weapon and stood up from the body, cocking his head as if listening to something.

Probably his dead father, what else?

Goldie stood and backed away from the door when he saw Day approaching. He swung it open, immediately gathering Day into a tight hug. “Oh, baby. Fuck. Are you okay?”

Day hugged him back, burying his face into his chest. He squeezed hard, sighing tiredly as he gave a little nod.

“Is it over?” Goldie asked worriedly, patting Day down to make sure he was really okay and that the blood splattered all over him wasn’t his.

Day nodded again, and he smiled up at Goldie. His smile grew into a sly grin, and he pulled Goldie into a hungry kiss.

Goldie was startled by the passion, but he eagerly returned it, kissing Day passionately.