Thicker Than Blood
Page 24
He spins to face me, a wave of aggression washing over his face. He raises his hands, but he’s too slow. My left hand is already on the side of his head. I whip my body around, twisting at the hip for added momentum, and drive his head forward and down, smashing it into the ceramic basin. I let go, and he bounces back, falling to the floor with blood gushing from his broken nose.
I don’t allow him a second to recover. I step over to him and drag him to his feet by his collar. I grab the back of his head and ram it into the wall opposite. Once… twice… three times—each one harder than the last.
I let him go and he sinks to his knees. I raise my right hand and swing the solid cast toward him like a dead weight. The dull smack as it connects with his temple echoes around the bathroom. He lurches sideways, banging his head on the side of the urinal on his way down.
I crouch beside him, lifting his head again. He appears to be out cold, but I’m not interested. I rest his face on the edge of the urinal, and force his jaw open, so his mouth is clamped around the yellow-stained rim.
I get to my feet and move behind him. I pause for a moment, staring down at the prone body of the man who killed Josh. I feel as if I should say something. A final few words on behalf of the man he shot, or something derogatory and cruel, so I can think back to this moment in years to come, and smile fondly knowing I defeated him mentally, as well as physically.
But I’ve got nothing.
Huh.
Never thought I’d see the day.
I bring my leg up, and slam my foot down on the back of his head, snapping his jaw around the urinal, killing him instantly.
I’m breathing heavily, from both the exertion and the adrenaline. I look down at his body, slumped face-first in a bowl of piss.
“Well, Josh… now I’m done.”
I walk over to the sink and wash my hands. I splash some water on my face, and head back outside, where I’m greeted with a warm, welcoming sea breeze. I walk over to the bar, where my drinks are waiting for me. I pay my tab and head back over to Ruby. She smiles at me as I approach.
“You took your time?”
“Yeah, I went to the restroom.”
She glances over at the door, and then at the bar, before smiling at me. “You feeling refreshed now?”
I nod. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
I place the two shots of bourbon on the table and push one toward her. She picks it up, and looks at it, frowning. “What the hell is this?”
I raise mine to her. “If you’re gonna be hanging out with me, you need to start drinking real drinks. None of that fruity, rainbow-colored shit. And definitely no cold coffee.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever, old man.”
We smile, and she raises her glass to mine. I take a breath. “To those we’ve lost…”
“…gone, but not forgotten.”
“And to new beginnings.”
We tap our shots together and throw them back. Ruby winces and breathes loudly through gritted teeth. “Oh my God, that was awful!”
I move beside her and hold out my arm for her to link. “Come on, let’s take a walk along the beach and watch the sun go down.”
She wraps her arm around mine. “Sounds good to me.”
We step out of the bar area, straight onto the sand, and start walking toward the sea.
“Can I get a cocktail from somewhere?”
I shake my head. “No. You can get a beer?”
“I don’t want a beer…”
“Then you’ll be thirsty, won’t you!”
She punches my arm. “Asshole.”
We laugh, and she rests her head on my shoulder as we walk side by side, listening to the waves lapping on the beach, wondering what tomorrow will bring.
THE END
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James P. Sumner
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THE ADRIAN HELL SERIES
(listed chronologically by storyline)
A Hero of War – An Adrian Hell Novella
True Conviction
Hunter’s Games
One Last Bullet
Deadly Intent
D.E.A.D. Till I Die – A GlobaTech Novella
A Necessary Kill
Good Intentions
Thicker Than Blood
Table of Contents
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EPILOGUE
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ALSO BY THE SAME AUTHOR