Page 70 of Wheelie's Challenge
“I’m on it, bro. We’ll keep your woman safe until you get here and kick Elmore’s pussy ass.”
“Thanks, bro. Later.”
Wheelie ran out of the house and sped over to the clubhouse. In less than an hour, he was on a small plane he’d hired to take him to the Denver airport to catch a flight to San Diego. Banger told him they’d be there in two days since they were leaving early the next morning; they were making the trip on their bikes. Banger told him he couldn’t wait to get his hands on Tigger that “fuckin’ thief.”
Wheelie had called Sofia several times but she hadn’t picked up. It would take four hours total until he arrived in San Diego, and it seemed like an eternity.
As he looked at the aerial view of pine and evergreen forests, the only thing he could focus on was Sofia.
“Hang on, baby. I’m coming for you,” he muttered under his breath.
There was no way Wheelie was going to let Tigger hurt her or the baby. He’d do whatever it took, but this time he wouldn’t let Sofia down.
He had to make it right.
Chapter Twenty
“You don’t needto lie to me. I know that you killed Kendra,” Sophia said softly as she glanced around the shabby room.
Russ sat on the edge of the bed smoking a cigarette. “How did you find out?”
“Wheelie showed me the newspaper articles. Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“I told you not to tell him about me.” Russ jumped up from the bed and stood over her menacingly. “Can’t you get one thing right, you stupid bitch.”
Sofia flinched at his words. “What is your fucking problem? You sound just like Dad. I don’t lie.”
“That’s not the way Tigger tells it.”
Sheer, black fright swept through her, and she stirred in the chair. “You know Tigger?”
Russ sneered. “Yeah, and he’s real anxious to see you. Seems like you and Wheelie were fucking behind his back and he didn’t appreciate it. He’ll be joining us in a bit.”
“I don’t want to see him. I came to see you, and you look pretty damn healthy to me. Are you even sick?”
He stubbed out his cigarette and lit another one and sat back down on the mattress. “You always were gullible, just like Mom. She still believes all the shit Dad tells her. Unbelievable.”
“Why all the lies about you being sick? Why didn’t you just tell me you wanted me to come out and visit?”
“Because you wouldn’t have come right away, and I’m sick of looking over my shoulder all the time.” Russ stretched his legs out in front of him. “Don’t look so confused. Your man is gunning for me. He’s gonna kill me, so I thought I’d kill him first.” He took a puff and blew smoke in her face.
Sofia coughed and moved the chair away from him. “So I’m the bait?”
“You got it. Tigger would do anything to get you back and to kill Wheelie. He’s actuallypayingme for the pleasure of killing the bastard.”
“The joke’s on you.” She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. “We broke up last night. There’s no way he’s coming. Once he found out I was your sister, he couldn’t stand the sight of me.” Sofia’s voice broke.
A chill black silence surrounded them.
“I told you not to fuckin’ tell him,” Russ gritted. “You’ve ruined everything.”
The ringing of the phone stopped Sofia’s response. Russ stood up and went over to the window, parting the blinds to look out.
“Yeah, she’s here.” A pause. “She just told me her and Wheelie broke up last night. There’s no way he’s gonna come. Dammit!” The glass rattled as Russ pounded on it; Sofia was sure it would shatter.
“No, you don’t get her until Wheelie’s dead. That was the fuckin’ deal.” Russ pushed away from the window and paced. “I don’t give a shit what you want. I told you I’d get Sofia here and you told me you’d kill the sonofabitch. Well, Sofia’s here and the asshole is still standing.”
All the talk of killing Wheelie made her heart shatter. She couldn’t just sit here waiting for Tigger to kill the man she loved. Even after all the mean things Wheelie had said to her, Sofia’s heart and body still ached to be in his arms and wrapped in the heat of his body. In the light of day, she could think more clearly, and she knew the knowledge that the murderer of his sister was Sofia’s brother had shocked him. It’d shocked her, so how could she blame Wheelie for the things he said in anger, surprise, and bitterness?
