“I’m fine, Mom. Are you?”
“Yes. I’m okay.” She glanced over at Zane and Mad
dox, who were restraining the two men with handcuffs. More of the equipment Timothy had given them, thank God.
“Are you and Joel okay?” Maddox shouted.
“Mom and I are fine,” Joel answered, standing. “How about you and Zane?”
“We’re fine, too.”
Toni got up from the ground, shaken from what had just happened, staring at the man on the ground. They all could have been killed.
“Did you get them?” Timothy asked from the balcony.
“Two restrained and one shot,” Zane answered, moving to the man Timothy had shot. “He’s alive but needs medical attention ASAP. How about you?”
“I need medical attention, too. I’m afraid you’re on your own.”
Joel’s eyes widened. “Mom, where’s Peter?”
She turned to where her ex had been standing moments ago and realized he had escaped during all the commotion. She saw an open door into the building. “Oh my God. Restin.” She ran as fast as she could.
She heard Joel running after her.
“Mom, stop,” he yelled.
But stopping wasn’t possible. She had to find Restin but wanted to keep Joel safe. As she stepped through the door, she shouted, “Go back, Joel. I can handle this.”
And then her heart stopped at what she found inside—Peter holding a gun to Restin’s head less than ten feet in front of her.
“You always have to fuck things up, don’t you, bitch?”
“Mom, get out of here,” Restin said. “Please. I’ll be okay. Just step back outside. I don’t think he’ll hurt me.”
“Shut your fucking mouth, asshole,” Peter said. “Or I’ll blow your head off right now.”
Oh God, no. “You don’t want to do that, Peter. We can work something out.”
Joel ran into the room, moving next to her. Where are Zane and Maddox? Just then, she saw them through a window to her left. They were obviously trying to get the drop on Peter. She had to keep the bastard talking to give Zane and Maddox the time they needed to get into position.
Peter glared at her with eyes full of hate. “One wrong move and this kid’s brain will be splattered all over this room.”
“Okay. Okay.” She looked at Joel to make sure he was staying put. “You’re in charge, Peter. What is it you want?”
“I want my money. It’s locked up under these two boys’ names in a trust in the Caymans. Now that they’re eighteen, they can sign the accounts over to me.”
“What trusts?” she asked.
“Ah, yes. You were clueless about everything that prick of a father of yours did. He set up a trust for Joel and Restin that would be turned over to them when they became eighteen. It took some creative footwork on my part, but I was able to get the trust transitioned out of the United States to the Cayman Islands two days after he died. The problem was I couldn’t access the monies until they were eighteen.”
“That’s what this is all about?” Joel’s tone was harsh. “Let Restin go. We’ll give it all to you. Take it and stay out of our lives forever.”
She kept looking forward, staring into Peter’s eyes, though she was keenly aware of Zane and Maddox’s movements from her peripheral vision. “Peter, we don’t care about the money. Where do the boys go to sign the papers? We’ll do whatever you want. Just leave my sons alone.”
“You were right about one thing, Toni. I am in charge. Plus, I’m smarter than you. I know you will never give up trying to get back the money. But it’s mine. And while it would have been easier to get these two assholes to sign over their accounts, there is another way I can get access to my money.” He chuckled. “Three bullets. That’s all it will take. The first one’s for you, Toni.” Peter removed the gun from Restin’s head and swung it her direction. “Good-bye, bitch.”
Restin elbowed Peter in the gut, and the bastard groaned, falling into a chair and dropping the gun in his lap.