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I didn’t want anyone else to die because of me.
This ended now.
I rushed towards them, ignoring the gunfire and the chaos happening all around me. The Viper snarled in my direction, but I didn’t let it deter me. My heart pounded in my chest as I reached for my father’s arm, clutching it tightly as I tried to pull him off my brother. That seemed to catch the attention of the Blades. I noticed a break in the gunfire, but I didn’t really look back.
My dad was too strong and I wasn’t able to do much. I was able to keep him grounded, though. With all my strength, I held onto his arm, doing everything in my power to prevent him from harming Sam any further. But it was clear that this was only a temporary solution.
Sam rolled away from him, coughing, holding his throat. My dad went for his pocket, which I assumed meant a gun. I tried to think back to the lessons Victor had given me but remembered nothing, so I kneed my dad in the crotch instead.
He grunted in pain and stumbled back. “Fucking little girl,” he said. That time, he did reach for his pocket. It only took a second for him to grab his handgun out of his pocket and point it at my head. “You came for your brother? Your friends can have him. As long as you stay here.”
“Dad, no--” Sam started.
“Shut up!” The Viper said. “I should’ve known better than to trust you but I wanted to see myself in you. But you’ve always been your mother’s son. A pathetic excuse for a boy that grew into a pathetic excuse for a man. You really thought you were going to be able to double-cross me?”
As my father’s gaze hardened, I knew I had to act quickly. “Put the gun away,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. “It’s over. You can’t win.”
He scoffed. “Baby, you’re so wrong,” he said. “This is just starting. And I’ve already won.”
Chapter Twenty-Five: Teo
Icould feel my heart pounding in my chest as I caught sight of the Viper’s revolver pointed directly at Sofia and Sam. Time seemed to slow down around me, but my mind raced with the knowledge that my girlfriend and her brother were in immediate danger. The cold sweat on my forehead felt like a ticking clock, each drop counting down the seconds until disaster struck.
“Teo! We’ve got company!” Victor shouted, bringing my attention back to reality. As if on cue, the Viper’s henchmen swarmed towards us, their weapons drawn and ready for a fight. Our team sprang into action, Jace and Grayson expertly wielding their weapons against the onslaught of enemies while the Knives took opponents down one by one.
Not that I was paying much attention to them.
I made my way toward the cabin, trying to ignore the growing ache in my leg – a souvenir from when I was shot by the Orchid Strangler that would probably stay with me for the rest of mylife. But no matter how much pain coursed through my body, I knew I had to focus on the task at hand. Sofia’s life was at stake, and nothing else mattered.
“Teo, we need you with us,” Jace called out, his voice strained as he fended off another attacker.
He hadn’t seen.
He couldn’t have.
If he had, then it wouldn’t have mattered, because I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Sofia. She looked terrified, tears streaming down her face as she stared down the barrel of the Viper’s gun. I dealt with a lot of psychos in my line of work.
The worst one was her dad.
“Let them go!” I screamed, my voice raw and desperate. The Viper simply laughed, an eerie sound that sent chills down my spine.
“Sorry, Teo,” he sneered, his eyes gleaming. “But this is where our story ends.”
“Over my dead body,” I growled, clenching my fists. I would save Sofia and Sam, no matter the cost.
The metallic scent of gunpowder and blood filled my nostrils as I forced myself to focus on the Viper. He stood there, an unwavering figure of malevolence, his custom-made revolver aimed at Sofia and Sam. My heart pounded in my chest like a desperate prisoner trying to break free. I knew that I had to do something – anything – to save them.
Since everyone else was busy trying to survive, I couldn’t just…shoot him. There was no guarantee he wasn’t going to shoot first.
“Wait!” I shouted, stepping forward cautiously. “Listen to me. Please.”
The Viper’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t lower the gun. Around us, the battle between our team and the henchmen raged on, but for this brief moment, it was just us: predator, prey, and protector.
“Let her go,” I pleaded, swallowing hard as I tried to keep my voice steady. “You don’t need her. Just let her go, and we’ll leave. We won’t bother you again.”
The Viper stared at me, his cold, calculating eyes betraying no emotion. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, his voice dripping with venom. “You think I care about your empty promises? What makes you think I would let either of them walk away so easily?”
“Because you’re not a monster,” I said, hoping against hope that somewhere deep inside him, there was still a shred of humanity left. “You’re their father. And despite everything, I have to believe that you still love them.”
