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“You don’t. You just have to trust me.”
The man scoffs.
“Maybe we can get someone here to draw up some papers…” I start.
“Stop talking!” He cuts me off, his grip on me tightening.
I look around, quickly finding Ellie. An endless stream of tears stains her face. She shouldn’t be here. She should leave, not only for her safety, but so that she doesn’t have to see whatever might happen to me.
She’ll never want for anything. She and my child will live an amazing life, with endless opportunities available to them. I know I won’t have to worry for her well-being.
I do wonder what would have happened if I’d just told her earlier on. Maybe during our honeymoon, or in the last few weeks. Maybe in the hospital, when the doctor gave us the news.
Maybe she wouldn’t have walked into this market today, and both of us would be perfectly safe. No matter what way I look at it, I come to only one conclusion. This is all my fault.
If something happens to me, I’ll probably never know if she feels the same way. The hope I did have of this man letting me go is dwindling. Maybe I need to take matters into my own hands.
Before I can finish that thought, one of the police officers approaches.
“Stand back!” the man shouts.
“Peter, I’m not going to hurt you,” the officer says. “I just want to talk.”
Knowing the criminal's name doesn’t humanize him the way I thought. It only makes me angrier.
We all go through horrible shit, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to start killing people. I refuse to be another life that Peter takes.
While the police officer talks to him, I completely block out what he’s saying. I focus on what I’m about to do and run over the plan in my head a few times, just to make sure it makes sense.
I take one last look at Ellie. Her beautiful hair that’s gotten a bit longer over the past few weeks. Her bright hazel eyes. Her glowing dark skin, even more luminous since she got the pregnancy news. Everything about her calls to me, makes me want nothing more than to pull her in for a kiss.
I use that image to drive me to action, to give me the courage for what I’m about to do. I tune back into the conversation between Peter and the cop.
“You’re lying! You’re all lying!” Peter shouts.
“Sir, please calm down. Everything I’ve said, and everything Prince Vanecourt has said, is all true. We don’t want anyone to get hurt here.”
Now.
I hook one of my legs around his and twist at the same time as I grab for the gun.
“Cedrick!” Ellie screams.
Peter reacts immediately, holding onto the gun as tightly as he can, making it impossible for me to get it from him. He rips it away from my grasp, but in the process, he loses his hold on me. I’m able to mess up his footing, causing him to almost fall, but he quickly regains control.
I try to move away, dodging a punch aimed at me, but when I turn to run, he grabs the back of my shirt and pulls me toward him. Seconds later, I feel something hit the back of my head, and I’m dizzy.
I fight through it, ripping myself from his grasp. I won’t let him get a hold of me again.
Guards and police officers all rush forward, some of them trying to grab me, others trying to disarm Peter. I turn around to see him smack one of them in the face with his gun, blood immediately spraying.
I know I should walk away now while I can, but I just can’t let him hurt anyone else. Each time I see him hit someone, my anger builds inside me.
I pounce, grabbing Peter around the waist.
“Cedrick, stop! Please!”
I hear her voice, but I don’t listen. I wrestle him to the ground, reaching for his gun. A nearby policeman helps by holding him down, but just as I’m about to grab the gun, he headbutts me, sending me flying backwards.
