“Oh don’t be so na?ve. We’re beyond these dramatics by now, Carolina.”
There’s a man’s body lying on the floor, on his back. His face is turned towards the kitchen, but I see enough to know that the man is dead. I turn my attention back to my woman. I can hear the terror in her voice. I want to go straight in right now, but I know I can’t. When I stand up, I have to have my gun ready and aim. I won’t get a second chance. So, I need to be careful. It kills me, but I remain where I’m at.
“Why did you kill them?” Carrie says her voice quiet and full of sadness.
“Kill who? Go on now, don’t leave me hanging now,” he says and I can hear the sick delight in his voice. I’m going to enjoy killing this motherfucker.
“Never mind, I know.”
“Enlighten me.”
“You killed my parents to get even with me,” she whispers and the guilt in her voice physically hurts me. I pray she can hold on for just a few more minutes.
“Bingo. You’re smarter than you look. Which is sad really. That means you have brains and can cook. Such a waste.”
“You’re sick.”
I hope she doesn’t cause him to lash out at her. I need her to hold on and stay safe for me. I hold my breath and peek out over the corner where the wall stops.
An older man is sitting at the table facing my way with Carrie’s back to me. He’s got a gun in his hand, motioning it around while he’s talking.
“Tell me, were your parents proud of you? Were you close?”
“What?”
“My son and I were very close. He was all I had in the world and he was taken away from me. Taken away, because of you.”
Fuck…this would be the unknown Phoenix…Dragon said he felt like things would happen soon. I wish he had been wrong.
“He tried to rape me!” Carrie defended. Just hearing that word kicks me in the gut and makes my hands shake. Now is not the time for a panic attack. I beat that shit back down. I hate feeling like this.
I hear a loud sound of a hand connecting with flesh. I peek around the corner and see that Phoenix has laid the gun down and smacked my woman. The hit was so violent, her head is thrown back and her chair scrapes backwards against the floor, almost tipping over. I don’t even think about it. I should. I would have liked to make him hurt more, for the hell he has put Carrie through—to make him suffer for touching her. I don’t, I stand up and aim my gun.
He looks at me in shock, but before he can even get a word out, I shoot the motherfucker in the head. He goes backward with a crash as Carrie screams. I walk further in the room, my gun still trained on the man. When I step to the chair Carrie is sitting in I feel her arms going around me. Her face buries into my side, muffling her cries.
I look down at my enemy. Blood is leaking from his head and it looks dark against his pale skin. His eyes are open. He’s not coming back. Still, I shoot the remaining five shots into his head. There’s probably nothing deader than dead, but it can’t hurt trying for it. Every time I shoot, Carrie jumps. I wrap my free arm around her and hold her to me. When the chamber is empty I put the gun on the table and wrap both arms around her, pulling her up to me.
“Shhh… I got you, Care Bear. I got you.”
Chapter 26
Carrie
I got you Care Bear, I got you.
The words echo in my head and Jacob holds me. I’m shaking like a leaf on a tree as he subtly shuffles me so I’m hugging his front now instead of his side. I wrap my arms tight around him. I know he’s protecting me from seeing the body. I don’t really want to see it, so that’s fine with me. I hold him tighter and breathe in his scent. I want to forget everything that just happened, but something is stopping me.
“Jacob?”
“Yeah, Care Bear.”
“He said he was going to kill me.”
“I know baby, but you don’t have to worry anymore. He won’t hurt you ever again.”
“I know but he…”
“I told you baby, you don’t have to…”
“Jacob! He has a bomb at least I think it’s a bomb,” I exclaim and I can hear the wild panic in my voice.
“Carrie…”
“Under his coat, Jacob! We have to get out of here!”
Jacob lets go of me to investigate. I look over his shoulder when he bends down. I don’t want to look at the dead guy, but I have to know if that is really a bomb. Jacob moves the coat back and the small timer device now has only a minute showing. Jacob grabs my hand, and pulls me to the door.
“Run!” I stumble to catch up because of the force he uses to get us through the door.
“Alexand…”