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I snarl through gritted teeth, "What do you want?"
"Her," he says, jabbing a finger in her direction. "I'm not leaving without her."
Over my dead body! I will do anything in my power to protect Raven. He has to know that.
“What else? That’s not going to happen. Her safety is at risk with you waving that around everywhere. Did you come here planning on killing someone?” I stand in front of Raven, my body a living tribute to courage and conviction. A slight chill runs over me as my eyes lock on the gun getting closer and closer.
I'm determined not to let Raven become a victim of this madman. I need to keep him talking and hopefully stave off any violence.
“What do you want from her?” I ask again, trying to keep my tone even despite the adrenaline coursing through me.
Tim takes a step forward and shakes his head, the gun now pointing directly at me. He looks almost as scared as he does angry.
“I don’t know," he says in a scratchy voice. "I thought that if I could just see her, talk to her, she would understand how much I care about her. How much I love her…"
I can sense his desperation and know he is close to cracking—but I can't risk him doing something dangerous while in this state of mind.
"What else?" I say firmly as I take another step closer to Tim, hoping he will back down but also preparing myself for whatever happens next. "That's not going to happen. Her safety is at risk with you waving that around everywhere. Did you come here planning on killing someone?"
Tim stops ranting for a moment and turns towards me with a look of confusion in his eyes before shaking his head slowly from side to side in response. A wave of relief washes over me as it becomes clear that Tim is not looking for a fight or trying to hurt anyone—he just wants Raven back in his life.
"Put the gun down. The cops will be here any minute."
I try to talk some sense into him but it isn't working. Raven pushes me aside.
"Tim, you didn't love me, you acted like I was something you could own, but I wasn't. I'm not sure you are capable of truly loving anyone. You don't wanna die today and once the cops get here, they are going to take you down. Is that what you want?"
Tim's eyes are wide and his grip on the gun shaking as Raven speaks. She is calm and confident.
"That's not true," Tim stammers, "I do love you, I always have."
Raven shakes her head and takes a step towards him. "No, you don't. You've never seen me as an equal, someone you could love and care for. You wanted to control me."
I can see the tears forming in Tim's eyes and my heart aches for him—for all the pain he has caused himself.
"Tim," Raven says softly, her voice so soothing it causes me to relax a little bit despite the tense situation we are in. "Put the gun down. The cops will be here any minute."
Tim looks around wildly. My heart pounds in my chest, faster and faster as the seconds pass.
Tim does not respond, his body tense and trembling, the gun shaking slightly in his hands. His eyes are wild and unfocused, and his mouth works up and down, trying to find the right words to say.
Tim's fear and desperation is emanating from him.
“Tim,” I begin, my voice calm and steady. “I know you don’t want to do this. You don’t want to go to prison for something like this. Put the gun down and walk away.”
Tim continues to tremble, his eyes darting from Raven to me. He opens his mouth to say something, but before the words escape his lips, the blaring sirens of the police outside disrupt the already tense atmosphere. I hear Raven gasp, and Tim's eyes widen as the sound grows closer.
I only have seconds to act, and in one swift motion, I step closer to Tim, blocking Raven. "Seriously, they aren't going to think twice before gunning you down. Put it away for god's sake."
I might not like the guy but nobody here wants to have nightmares for the rest of their lives.
The gun explodes with a deafening roar, and the searing pain of a thousand hot needles floods my chest. I gasp for air as something warm pushes through my body and slides down my chest. I try to scream but my lungs are frozen, and everything around me plunges into a deep abyss of darkness.
28
Raven
The screams start as soon as Adonis hits the floor. My throat lets out a guttural wail, my heart torn as I watch his blood spread across the tile. My shock is quickly replaced with anger, and I turn to Tim. He stands there, now aware of what he has done, his expression a mask of regret and guilt.
