Page 66 of New Rules
I didn’t dare move until I had a plan. In situations like this, you only had one shot. One opportunity to do it the right way, and you couldn’t undo it if it went sideways.
I knew he saw the wheels turning in my head when his face went from slightly soft to angry.
“Like I said,” he snapped, his voice tighter, “I don’t want to hurt you, but if you fight me on this, I will force the money from you.”
The plan clicked into place in my head. Fast and clear.
I gave a sharp nod. “It didn’t have to be this way. You could have just asked for the money.”
My voice was calm and neutral. He knew deep down that I wouldn’t go along with this too easily, so I had to play into that. If he thought he had control, he’d get careless.
Holding out the money bag, I waited patiently. I just needed one opening. And when it came, I took it.
Diego stepped forward and snatched the bag from my hands. The second he turned toward the door, I moved.
I bent down and shoved the coffee table toward him with all my strength. The corner clipped his left calf, causing him to stumble. He lost his balance and went down fast, crashing onto the floor with a heavy thud.
The gun discharged with a deafening crack before sliding across the floor and disappearing under the couch. My ears rang violently as the sharp gunshot echoed in the room.
For a split second, everything froze. I didn’t know if he’d meant to pull the trigger or if it had been accidental, but I wasn’t waiting to find out.
Out of my peripheral vision, I saw him scrambling back to his feet, and adrenaline surged through me like a hot current.
He had a choice—take the money and run, or take the extra time to get down on the floor and retrieve his gun.
He chose the money.
As Diego bolted out of the office without a second glance, I didn’t waste any time myself. I moved to the desk to grab my own gun in case he came back.
Before I could grab my phone and call 911, a crash echoed from the kitchen, followed by shouting.
Did Diego trip and fall?
Was there more than one thief?
I heard more than one voice yelling, but with my ears still ringing from the gunshot and the door nearly closed, it was hard to assess the situation.
The office door flew open again, slamming into the wall for yet a second time. It hit hard enough to likely leave a dent from the doorknob.
I lifted my gun once more, ready to fire if I had to.
Relief and shock hit me simultaneously as Ray’s tall frame filled the doorway, his gaze scanning the room.
It landed on me, and he moved quickly, going from the door to the floor in front of me in less than a blink.
“Are you okay? Were you hit? What happened?” he asked in rapid fire, his voice tight and urgent.
“I’m okay. No. Diego’s the robber,” I replied quickly, shaking my head.
He shifted and guided me so that I was now half sitting, half leaning against the desk. “You okay?
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, but before I could answer, Vince was in the doorway.
“I’ve got Diego zip-tied out back with two guards on him. Cops are on their way, but can you give me the basics of what went down?”
I was surprised to see Vince here, but I chose to focus on the task at hand rather than question his presence. I explained to Ray and Vince everything that had happened in the last few minutes.
“You okay?” Ray asked again, after I told them everything.
