Strip Tease (Protect and Defend 1.50)

“Billy Diaz, we know you’re in there. Come out of the restaurant with your hands up.” A loud voice boomed from outside, surely through a megaphone.

Janelle glanced out the window to see the parking lot swarming with cars and cops. Men dressed in suits and sunglasses, other men dressed in the black armor that SWAT teams wore.

The waitress shrieked and dropped the empty tray she’d been carrying. It clattered to the floor, making all three of them in the booth jump. The cook shook his head, resting his hands on his hips.

“At least they’re not after us,” the cook said, the relief clear in his voice.

Billy closed his eyes, the gun starting to tremble in his hand. Fear for her sister filled Janelle and she watched him, her breath stalled in her throat. One wrong move and he could put a bullet through Ginger’s skull.

“Come on, Billy.” Ginger reached out, tentative as she went for Billy’s hand. She circled his wrist with her fingers, the one that held the gun and she tugged on it, pulling the gun away from her head. “Do it for me because I’m going to help you. You don’t want to kill me. You love me. I know you love me. We love each other. We want to be together. Forever.”

“I do love you,” he said, his voice ragged, his eyes bright and crazy looking. “I love you so much, Ginger. I hate that you ran away from me. Why’d you do it, baby?”

Ginger shook her head. “I was scared, Billy. So scared. But now that we’re together again, I feel safe. Please don’t hurt me. I love you.”

Janelle watched them, admiring the expert way her sister handled him. She wondered if Ginger was sincere. Did she really love Billy? Or was she saying that so he wouldn’t shoot her?

“Aw baby, I hate to see you cry.” He reached for her with his free hand, feathering his fingers across her cheek.

“Then don’t do something stupid. You kill me and you’ll get life in prison. You don’t want that. Let’s surrender.” Ginger smiled brightly, but her eyes were still dull.

He jerked his free hand away from her, the gun nudging her temple once more. “Hell, no. I’m not going down. Once I give myself up, I’ll never get out.”

“Yes, you will.” Ginger’s voice rang firm. “Your lawyer is the best. You’ve always told me that. He’ll get you off. He got you off before. Maybe you’ll spend a couple of months in jail tops, but then you’re out. I’ll make sure you get out. And then we can be together.”

“We can?” The gun moved away from her temple.

Ginger nodded. “I’ll do anything for you, Billy. So will everyone else. We’ve always been loyal to you, haven’t we?”

“Yeah,” he said softly, his gaze jerking to the window when they summoned him with the megaphone once again. He ignored it. “Can I believe you, Ginger?”

“Yes,” she breathed, leaning into him. She lifted her face, her mouth close to his. “Believe in me. Believe in us.”

Their mouths fused in a passionate kiss and Janelle looked away, not sure if she should be disgusted or relieved.

“Everything is on you.” He cupped Ginger’s cheek with his free hand, his fingers stroking downward. “If you don’t come through with your promise, I’ll end up in jail for a long time.”

“You can count on me. I love you,” she said for what felt like the hundredth time.

Billy’s gaze slid toward Janelle, the gun still wavering in his hand. For a moment, she thought he might point it at her.

“I can’t fucking believe this. Your detective is gonna love it.” With a sigh he stood, still carrying the gun. He bent forward and pressed a fleeting kiss to Ginger’s forehead before he turned toward the door. “You promise?”

He watched Ginger from over his shoulder, his tall lean body taut, his expression grim.

Ginger gazed up at him and nodded slowly. “I swear on everything I have, Billy. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

With a deep breath, he headed toward the front door. The waitress and cook stood rooted in front of the cash register, watching as he slowly opened the door and stepped outside with his hands hanging by his sides, the gun dangling from his fingers.

“Drop the weapon, Diaz!” someone yelled.

Billy didn’t drop it.

Ginger whimpered and Janelle went to her sister’s side of the booth, sliding in next to her so she could offer her comfort.

“Drop it, damn it! Put your hands up!”