BLOOD TIES (Decklan Jennings Thriller Book 1), Philip Duncan [bill gates book recommendations TXT] 📗

have your partner and I have you outnumbered. I know you can’t hold my guys off forever. Eventually, you will have to die.”

“That’s where you’re wrong! I can do this shit all night!” Decklan snapped back in anger.

Vladimir laughed, clearly not impressed by Decklan’s bravery and determination. “Be that as it may, one of you will die here tonight, and it looks like your partner is the lucky winner.”

Decklan took a deep breath, trying to figure out some way to get out of this that didn’t result in Langley dying. He thought about trying to get to his sniper rifle and posting up in a window upstairs, but he knew that was a long shot. Even if he managed to kill Vladimir, one of his guys would shoot Langley. Then he thought about calling his brother and trying to stall until the police showed up, but that would probably turn into a shootout and Langley could get caught in the crossfire. Maybe he could surrender himself in exchange for Langley’s life. But Vladimir would probably just kill them both, which would mean he wouldn’t have to pay for any of his actions.

His options were all dangerous, but he knew he had to try and do something. He couldn’t just let Langley die like this. Not after all they had been through together in the short time they had known each other. His only option was negotiation. He had tried this once already, and that was what put them in their current situation, but Vladimir was a businessman first so he would probably be up to hear him out.

“Wait! Before you do anything, I have a deal for you,” Decklan yelled.

“I believe the time for deals has passed, Mr. Jennings. I am done negotiating with two nobodies,” Vladimir replied.

“That’s right! We are nobodies. So why go through all this trouble to kill us? Just let Langley go and leave my house and we will leave town at first light. You will never have to see us again and you can get back to running your drugs with no one to cause you any trouble.”

Vladimir waited before responding so Decklan assumed this idea sparked some interest. He could get rid of the two men responsible for causing so much turmoil and damage to his operation, without having to sacrifice any more of his men or time. Plus, he wouldn’t have to worry about leaving a trail that could potentially lead the police to his doorstep. This was the best-case scenario for all of them. Vladimir could get back to running his drugs in peace while Decklan and Langley would get to live to fight another day.

“I must admit, that does sound intriguing. However, how could I trust that you would leave town? How would I know you wouldn’t just come back and try finishing the job?”

“Trust me, there is nothing left for me here. I have no reason to stay, and I definitely have no reason to come back,” Decklan responded convincingly.

Vladimir took a moment and looked around at his men, who were all ready to start shooting again on his order. He looked at Langley, whispered something in his ear that only the two of them could hear, and then responded.

“All right, Mr. Jennings. You have a deal.”

He let Langley go, motioned him back to the house, and ordered his men to stand down. It appeared that Langley’s wound from the dock was opened back up, as blood was starting to seep through his rain-soaked shirt. He managed to work his way back to the front door, which was now only a door frame. Decklan was positioned behind a side wall next to the front door, waiting for Langley to get close enough so he could grab and pull him into safety, but Langley stopped for some reason. He was just a few steps from safety, but something had his attention.

“Langley, what the hell are you doing? Get your ass inside!” Decklan said desperately.

But he remained still, like a statue. Vladimir was watching, confused and on high alert. He ordered his men to be ready, and they all pointed their rifles directly at Langley.

“I’m just thinking,” Langley replied in a quiet and bone-chillingly calm voice.

“Thinking about what? You really think now is the time?”

“My family. I miss them so much. I’ve been so hellbent on revenge since my son’s death that I’ve never taken the time to properly mourn him, or my wife. I just want to see them again.”

“Trust me man, I get it. There’s nothing I want more than to see my family again. But we made a promise to them that we would stop at nothing to avenge their deaths, remember? Just get inside and we can talk about all this when we don’t have half a dozen armed men who want to kill us standing on the front lawn.”

Decklan noticed that Langley had something in his hand that he was looking at as tears were running down his face.

“What’s that, buddy?” Decklan asked.

“Just a picture of my wife and son from a vacation we went on years ago. I’ve kept it with me every day as a reminder to keep going until the job was done,” Langley replied.

“I would love to see it,” Decklan said, hoping to get Langley to step in the house. “Hand it here.”

“It was one of the best times of my life,” Langley said, as if he didn’t hear anything Decklan had said. It was almost as if he was having a conversation with himself and nothing else around him existed or mattered.

Vladimir was growing impatient. “What’s the hold up, gentlemen? I don’t have all night!”

“Just give me a minute here!” Decklan yelled back, clearly distraught. “Langley, I am begging you, get in the house!”

Langley looked up at Decklan, as if he had just discovered peace or a revelation. “Promise me something, okay? Promise me that you will do whatever it takes to kill this son of a bitch and burn his whole