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“Wait–”Iyelp, then clap my hand to my mouth as two pairs of eyes lock onto me.Ineed to run away, to get help or something, but my body won’t move.Everything’shappening too fast–in a second, the other man has snatchedBeck’sgun and thrown him down, sending a chair clattering to the floor.Myfriend turns toward my voice and tries to stand up, butIvansteps forward and kicks him hard across the face with his heavy, studded motorcycle boot.Ihear thecrack, mixed with a raw, heartbreaking yelp of pain, and then nothing but ragged panting that might be coming from me orBeckor both of us.
Whenthe hero gets captured by the villain in old movies,Ialways wondered why the girl stayed by his side and pointlessly begged for mercy, instead of running away and doing something fucking useful to save him.IguessIjust learned the answer, because whenIsnap out of my dazeI’mkneeling next toBeckwith my hand on his shoulder.
“Pleasestop.”Myvoice sounds high and shaky.Ican’t make myself look at the man’s eyes, soIfix my stare on his leather jacket.Mustbe designer, definitely vintage.Basedon the cut, almost looksEuropean.“Iknow he fucked up,”Icroak, even thoughIhave no ideaI’mtalking about. “Buthe didn’t know.Hedidn’t do anything.”
Beckstiffens whenItouch him. “Getthe fuck out of here,” he mumbles thickly, blood dripping between his fingers as he tries to struggle onto his hands and knees.
Ivanswings his boot forBeck’shead again, harder this time.Beckflinches against me with a reflexive whimper, trying to shield his face.Butthe man doesn’t follow through, just stops and watches us with an amused expression.Hisdark, cruel eyes follow my trembling hand brushing it throughBeck’shair as he huddles in my lap.Ican feel warm blood soaking into my jeans. “It’sgonna be okay,”Iwhisper.
Arough hand grabs my shoulder to pull me away, butIvanshakes his head.Thehand lets go of me, but for some reason that makes me feel much, much worse. “Youseem like a nice guy,”Ivanoffers mildly, waving a hand betweenBeckand me. “Howdid you end up with this piece of shit?”
Iopen my mouth, but when my eyes meet his allIcan do is say “Uh…” and stare at him like a deer about to be disemboweled by a semi.I’min aChooseYourOwnAdventurestory with fifty choices, and only one of them leads to getting out of here in one piece.Oh, andIwasn’t allowed to read the rest of the book first.
“Ineed your boss to know thatIdon’t have time to play games with his messenger boys.”HenudgesBeck’sshoulder with the toe of his brutal boot, and my boy just shivers.Hisfingers, slippery with blood, find mine and grip tight.Heknows we’re fucked–Ican feel it in the pressure of his skin on mine.ButI’mnot smart enough to give up.Mymind is racing and empty at the same time asIfumble for words. “Ourfriends expected us back like an hour ago.Ifwe don’t show up…”
Thewords trail away asIvancrouches down right in front of me and smiles. “...they’ll call the cops to come looking for you?” he recites with quiet mockery, making the words sound as ridiculous as they really are.Thisman isn’t an abusive thug, likeRoman’sbrother orBeck’sdad orHayden.He’sso calm and controlled, and he’s enjoying every one of my ragged, shallow breaths.
Myfingers curl tight in the back ofBeck’shoodie asIstart to hyperventilate, my lungs so tight it feels like they got filled with concrete.
Hereaches overBeckand rests a comforting hand on my shoulder, the rings on his fingers digging into my skin.I’mtoo frozen to pull away. “It’sokay, sweetheart.Takea deep breath.There’snothing you can do to help him.”
Beckwhimpers and tries to push himself up, butIvangrabs his head and shoves his face into the floor. “Shutup.”Beck’swhole body is shivering now, like he can’t control it.Irub my hand on the spot he likes between his shoulder blades and try to fight the hot tears welling up in my eyes.
Reachingback to pull something out of his jeans,Ivannods to me. “You’reallowed to talk.Ilike you.Youknow your friend pretty well, right?”
Hewaits patiently, untilIrealize he won’t give me an inch unlessIanswer. “Y-yes.”Inod jerkily.
“Good.SoIwant you to tell me something.”Hishand comes back into sight, holding a heavy, well-oiled pistol that gleams in the dim light.Istare blindly as he checks the magazine and turns off the safety. “Wouldhe ratherIended him, or would he want you to do it?”
Mybrain can’t make sense of the words leaving his mouth.Shakingmy head frantically,Ipull my hands back, as far away from the gun as possible. “Youcan’t.Youcan’t.”
“Lethim go,”Becksnarls, lashing out with a kick that missesIvanby a mile.Ithink the blow earlier might have given him a concussion, because he’s struggling to lift his head.Myfriend has always seemed endlessly strong to me, but compared to these men he looks like a little kid in his ripped jeans and canvas sneakers.
Ijump when one of the other thugs steps forward and slams a boot into his gut.Hecurls in on himself with a wretched gagging sound.
“Itold you to shut up,”Ivansnaps.BeforeIcan react, he shovesBeckfacedown against the floorboards and kneels hard on his back, the gun pressed against the back of his skull. “Idon’t have time for this.Wehave places to be.”Thesafety isoffand his finger is wrapped around the trigger.Ipanic for real, lunging forward, but someone grabs me from behind and holds me still.Beck’swhole body is rigid, andIcan hear him dragging in shallow, choked breaths.
Strugglingas hard asIcan,Iplead a desperate string of nonsense, because this is it.Theend of everything.
Myface feels wet, and my ears are ringing too much for me to hear anything except the viciouscrackof the gun going off.It’sso much louder thanIever imagined, andIflinch away instinctively.Theperson holding me lets me fall onto my hands and knees.AllIcan feel are my fingernails digging painfully into the splintery floorboards.Ivansays some muffled words about sending a message to someone, and then he’s gone.
Gasping,Iswipe tears out of my eyes untilIcan see.Beckis perfectly still, curled into a tight ball.Butthere’s no blood on the floor except the scattered remains of his nosebleed, and whenIstare at his body long enough,Ican see his ribs rising and falling.Aftera moment of searching,Ispot the splintery hole in the hardwood an inch from his head.Myheart starts beating again in a strange, sickening rush.
Neitherof us moves for a long time.Ourragged breathing mixes together in the dull, stunned silence.Thelast five minutes were a dream.There’sno other explanation.ButI’mnot waking up, and the bile choking the back of my throat burns too much to be imaginary.
Afterwhat feels like an hour,Beckpushes himself in slow motion onto his knees.Hegags like he’s going to puke, but nothing comes out. “Let’sgo,” he grunts, his voice so hoarseIcan barely understand him.
Idon’t move or say anything, just stare at the floor where he almost died, splattered with his blood. “Areyou hurt?” he asks finally, flexing his trembling hands
WhenIdon’t answer that either, he glances over at me in quick assessment before looking away.Hisface, crusted with dark red around his nostrils, has already started to swell and turn purple.I’veseen this man in all of his moods, heard all his hopes and fears and frustrations, but right nowIdon’t recognize him.He’san empty shell shaped like my best friend.
Hecrawls to his feet painfully, gripping his stomach, and holds out a hand to me. “Let’sgo.”AsIstare at his jeans,Irealize there’s a piss stain down the right leg.
“Dallas,” he snaps, making me jump. “Comeon.”
Idon’t want his help, but whenItry to stand up my shaky legs give out.Evenin his condition, he easily grabs me under the arm and hoists me to my feet.Ihave to run to keep up as we push out of the cold building into the dirty, sun-baked parking lot.Thesedan and the motorcycle are gone, butIbrace myself with every step for abangfollowed by a spray of blood fromBeck’shead.
Wecross the street in silence, withBeck’sfingers still digging into my arm.Hepushes me roughly into the car, then strides around to the driver’s seat.Iwant to saymaybeIshould drive, but my words aren’t working.AllIcan do is watch him stare blankly at the wheel for a long time, check his face in the rearview mirror, then aggressively start the engine and tear out of the lot.
