A bad feeling settled in Andy's stomach as he flicked the toothpick between his lips. It has been approximately three hours since he'd landed on Gregg's doorstep.
His stomach churned and fluttered and he couldn't figure out why. He'd eaten a burger not so long ago, and he wondered if that caused his discomfort.
Sighing, he settled his gaze on the men in the crowded living room.
A man that introduced himself as Julian leaned his massive shoulders against a bookcase while he scowled at the picture Gregg handed him.
"Are you sure this is the man?" Julian asked arching his bushy eyebrow.
Andy flickered his gaze towards Gregg and he wondered for the third time why Gregg seemed skittish. Sweat dotted his forehead and for the umpteenth time, he reached for his handkerchief. Something was bothering the man. He opened his mouth to ask but another guy beat him to the punch.
"What's wrong with you, man? Are you sick?"
Gregg's hand trembled slightly, but he didn't acknowledge the man's question.
Andy watched as the tall guy with a head full of bright red hair shrugged before turning back to the weapons laid out on the table.
"He probably needs to get laid." A short dark-skinned man with a thick mustache joked.
"I have a wife you jackass!" Gregg growled. His fist clenching until veins popped out all over his hands and arms.
Something was wrong with Gregg.
"Hey, no need to bite my head off," the man stepped back, hands shoved into the air.
Andy watched the heated exchange while his stomach rolled. He resisted the urge to excuse himself for the bathroom.
"This is no playpen!" Gregg shouted. "We are here to help this man," he pointed to Andy, "and his family. So buckle up and shut up. Let's get this plan on the roll."
A series of yes sir filled the air as the men scurried about to get their hands busy with some form of work.
Andy stood up and cross the short distance to Gregg. He stepped over a case full of ammunition. Andy was grateful to have backup but did they need all this?
"Hey, man," he boomed slapping Gregg on the back to lighten the mood. Anger simmered off the man in ringlets of waves.
"Oh, hey Andy. Do you need to call Annie?"
"I left my phone with her in case she needs to reach me. I told her to call your phone."
"Oh." Gregg reached for his phone.
"No, I'll call her in a few-she's probably sleeping by now."
"Are you sure?" Gregg relaxed before pushing his phone back into his pocket.
"Yeah, I don't want to worry her, and besides she's safe where I left her."
Gregg glanced away so fast Andy wondered if his eyes would cross from the speed.
Andy wanted to blame his agitation on nerves. Which was strange because Gregg was never a nervous person.
"Are you okay?" Andy asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, but it seemed like his mind was far away.
"So what's the plan?"
"When can you get the money?" Gregg asked instead.
"I've already planned to have it delivered here. Why?"
"Good. Men, listen up." Gregg raised his voice.
Andy straightened up and watched the men gathered around. How did he not notice they were at least a dozen men present? Oh God, please let this work. At the sound of Gregg's voice, he knew it was time to get things in motion and he was ready.
Ready to catch the bastards responsible for everything.
"Now, here's what we will do..."
*******
Annie swallowed back a scream as the man stomped on her fingers gripping the door. The sickening crunch filled the air and her hand came away from the door in a dead-like state.
The hold on her hair eased as the man bodily lifted her off the ground and dumped her into the hallway. A waif of aftershave invaded her nostrils before her body hit the hard floor.
A scream tore from her throat when she landed face first. She shoved her hand out to break her fall, but it was too late; her chin struck the hardwood, snapping her jaw upward, crushing her tongue between her teeth.
Pain rocketed through her mouth and she sprawled on the cold floor in a daze.
"Boss said not to harm her; look what you did."
A second masculine voice penetrated her ears, but Annie couldn't see who the person was because of the position she was in. Her heart thundered against her chest and her mouth ached like hell.
"The bitch had it coming."
Annie felt the slight breeze on her face as the man crouched beside her.
"Clean yourself up," he sneered before something soft covered her face. She almost gagged at the stench emitting from his mouth.
His breath smelled of rotten onions and stale boiled eggs. Did the man own a toothbrush?
"Get the baby from the room; we have to be on our way."
Oh, God... my baby!
She pulled the cloth from her face in time to see a gigantic boot stretching over her to move into the bedroom.
Ignoring the pain, she pushed herself into a sitting position and grabbed for the foot. Annie wrenched it back with all her strength and might.
With a grunt, the man stumbled forward and crashed into the edge of the door, his face smacking into the metal nub with a sickening crack. He bellowed out a high-pitch scream and grabbed his bleeding nose.
"You bitch! You stupid bitch!"
Sweat fell into her eyes, burning until she had to close them. Annie didn't get a good look at him but she knew he had tattoos.
"She broke my nose!" The man whined.
"Shut up, you sick fuck and get the baby."
"Is it still bleeding?" She heard tattoo man asking.
"It hurts!"
A tump and a crash and another scream filled her ears. "Does that hurt too?" The man growled behind her.
"I'm telling the boss!"
"Shut up, you stupid fool and get the baby!"
Annie inched her eyes open only to jerk them close again. Gawd! They burned something fierce.
"As for you," he hissed in her ears, "you will pay for that."
The man gripped her hair tighter this time. Her eyes watered at the stinging pain.
"Leave my baby alone!" she shouted. "What do you want? Please, just leave him alone, he's just a baby."
"Shut up!" He grabbed her around her neck and lifted her, nearly off the ground.
Black spots filled her eyes and dizziness overcome her. She gurgled as he squeezed her throat tighter. She clawed at his hands until he loosened his hold.
Annie gulped and gasped as fresh air tunneled down her starved lungs.
He jammed something hard against her temple; she could only assume it was a gun. Her heart skipped a few beats.
Reon screamed and her eyes flew open; burning forgotten. The man with the tattoos strolled out the bedroom. His face red and nose doubled in size with a crooked look to it.
He grinned, his teeth yellow stained. "Let's go."
The man with the gun grunted and lowered the gun.
Reon screamed at the top of his lungs. And her heart broke into a million pieces to see him like that. She had to do something quickly or else he would make his throat raw from screaming.
The ugly bastard clapped Reon on his back trying to get him quiet. The roughness of his patting caused Reon's crying to escalate. Tears fell from her eyes because she was helpless.
"Your boyfriend is a fool!" Tattoo man said with a harsh laugh. "We told him if he didn't put the money in the account, we would kill you and his son."
Her tongue was heavy and swollen in her mouth but she still forced herself to talk. "B-but... but that's what he's gone to do."
"Too late." The other man said.
"P-p-please," she stammered, "he's just a baby," she said looking at Reon squirming in the man's arms.
"I said, shut up!" The man screamed, jamming the gun harder into her temple this time. Annie winced in pain.
"Get that brat quiet! I can't think with all that noise."
"I don't know why he's crying. Maybe he's hungry," tattoo man said.
"Give him to her."
The man pushed her forward just as tattoo man flung Reon towards her. Annie scrambled for her son, catching him before he hit the ground. Reon was crying uncontrollably now. Tears and snot running down his face. She rocked him against her.
"How could you be so cruel! He could have been seriously injured!" she shouted at the man, her eyes blazing with fury.
The man with the gun backhanded her. Her head snapped to the side. She felt her lip split. She stumbled to the side.
"I told you to shut the hell up!" Spit flying out of his mouth.
She clutched Reon tighter. He was whimpering now. She rocked him, trying to get him to quiet down. The side of her face burned and pulsed.
"Let's go!" the man said.
Tattoo man grabbed her arm and led her to the door laughing all the way.
"Let's see what Andy would do now."
"I said shut up!" The man with the gun growled. He spun around and Annie glimpsed at his face. He was huge and serious-looking. Red rimmed his eyes and his mud-brown hair hung limp and greasy around his ears.
"Hey, what's with you today?" Tattoo man asked.
His clenched fist shot out hitting the man square on his injured nose sending him in a folded heap on the ground, screaming.
"That's what's wrong."
Angry was a mild word to describe the man-he was bloodthirsty.
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