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I heard the glass smash, and then I heard Jo’s small scream. I went to run out, I did, but then I realized if I run out there, I’m going to end up exactly where they want me, and I won’t be able to get us out of here. Then I heard Jo tell them I wasn’t here, and I knew I had to hide. I only had seconds, not even.
I move as quickly and as quietly as I can, my heart racing. My entire body is on high alert as I run into my walk-in closet. I climb, using a stool I always keep in there because I’m too short to reach the top. I get up onto the top shelf, and I scurry behind all my clothes and suitcases, praying, just praying they won’t see me in here.
Minutes seem to tick by, and my heart races erratically as I think of all the things that could go wrong right now. They must have known the men were coming, it’s the only explanation that makes sense. They are here, because they know we’re alone. They are determined to take us out, no matter the cost.
I hear the door to my bedroom open, and the sound of footsteps. The bathroom door creaks, my bed squeaks, and I know they’re looking for me.
“Come out, Callie,” a voice calls. “We know you’re in here.”
No.
I hold my breath, willing my body to not even twitch.
They open the closet and start throwing my clothes out of the way, shoving boxes aside and looking in. Then they reach up to the top. I press myself as far back as I can, and I pray. They move a few suitcases, throw down a few of my storage bags, but they don’t get up and look further. A moment goes by, and then the door shuts. I exhale, thanking whoever just gave me the luck I needed.
After a few minutes, when I hear them talking in the living room again, I very carefully climb down. It takes me more than a few minutes, because I have to be so damned quiet. When my feet land on the soft carpet, I get to my knees, glancing behind me, and unlock my safe. I have a gun in there, I’m not stupid enough to live alone without one.
I pull it out, flick the safety off, make sure it's loaded and then I walk slowly toward my bedroom door. I’m willing to kill if it means Jo comes out of this alive. They’re not going to take her; I’m not going to let them take her. I push my door open quietly and tip-toe slowly down the hall, where the voices become clearer.
There is no way I can take out three of them, which has my mind reeling.
I don’t know what to do.
I just know I have to do something.
“Go to her apartment, see if the girl is in there. She wouldn’t be far, report back to me.”
And that, right there is my chance.
If they go, I can deal with this motherfucker far easier. One thing at a time.
I dare to peer around the corner and see Jo in the living area, her hands still up, the man has his back to me thank god. The other two are just walking out the front door, slamming it closed. Now is my chance, only I’m terrified.
I don’t know if I can do it.
I don’t know if I have what it takes.
Can I shoot a man?
He takes a step to Jo and growls, “Where the fuck is she, Joanne?”
“I told you, she’s not here,” Jo spits.
“Well, if she is here, I’m sure I can find a way to lure her out. Don’t you think.”
He raises his gun and slams it across her head. She goes down in slow motion, falling into the shards of glass. Everything in my world stops as I watch my best friend fall, her screams strangled in her throat. The pain so intense she can’t get any sound out.
“That’s not good enough.” He laughs. “I need you to scream.”
He presses his booted foot onto her face, smashing it down onto the glass. She screams, her sounds piercing the room.
I can’t take it.
I won’t let him hurt her.
I won’t.
Not my Jo.
I raise the gun, take a deep breath, and pull the trigger.
The bullet hits him right in the back of the head, he didn’t even see it coming. Blood splatters everywhere and he falls forward, landing over my best friend, making her screams even worse.
I rush over, grabbing him and hauling him off with a strength I didn’t know I had. His body flops to the side, and I feel unwell at the sight of his head, which is no longer intact. Vomit rises to my throat as I grab for Jo, rolling her and pulling her into my arms, even as the shards of glass cut into my skin.
I reach for the blanket on the sofa, and I press it to her bleeding face, cradling her against me as she sobs, her body shaking violently.
“I’m here. I’m here. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
The other two men will be back any second.
I don’t know what to do.
God, I don’t know what to do.
Help me.
~*~*~*~
EVERYTHING AFTER I’VE shot him feels like it goes in slow motion.
Everything.
I hear the front door burst open, and I look over to see the two men who went to search Jo’s apartment come in. I’ve already reached for my gun and have it pointed at them, before they realize what has happened.
I pull the trigger without hesitating for even a second, hitting one in the chest. He drops down to the ground, while the other fumbles for the gun he stuffed into his pants. Stupid man, he should have known not to come in here without his weapon ready. Are they that cocky? That they honestly thought they’d never find themselves in trouble?
I pull the trigger again.
It’s my life or his.
I choose my own.
They won’t hesitate to kill Jo and I, I’m not going to risk that.
The bullet hits him somewhere between his chest and hips. I don’t know where, all I know is he falls to the ground wailing in pain, a disgusting gurgling sound coming from his throat.
Jo sobs, and I fumble for a phone, knowing I need to get us help as soon as I possibly can, before it’s too late. Jo needs an ambulance, and I need to get these men out of here before someone calls the police.
As if reading my mind, as if they knew I needed them in that very moment, Tanner, Tatum and Alarick rush through the front door, guns raised. The moment they see what they’ve walked into their faces drop. Alarick, having the most composure, yells, “Check the rooms, there could be more.”
“There’s not,” I croak, my voice hoarse. “I shot them all.”
Tanner and Tatum are both rushing towards us, but to me it almost looks like they’re not moving, like it’s taking so damned long for them to reach me. I need them to reach me.
Tatum drops to the ground, unbothered by the glass and takes the sobbing Jo into his arms, his eyes scanning her face. He looks horrified, but more because he’s so hurt to see her like that. “What did they do to you, baby? I’m so sorry. So sorry.”
“She needs a hospital,” I whisper, my hands trembling and covered in Jo’s blood.
That’s the second time this week I’ve been covered in someone’s blood because of these fuckers.
Tatum lifts Jo into his arms, and looks to Tanner, who has his arms around me to lift me out of the mess. I didn’t even feel him touch me. “I’m goin’ to take her in. You good?”
Tanner nods, “Alarick and I have got this, go.”
Tatum rushes out and Tanner stands with me in his arms. My eyes scan the floor, and move over all the glass and blood. “I-I-I shot them all. Tanner, I killed people.”
“It’s okay, honey,” he murmurs, “it’s okay. Are you injured?”
I shake my head. “I shot them.”
“It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”
“I’ll go to prison,” I cry, my whole body coming alive at the realization of what I’ve done. “I can’t go back there. I don’t want to go back there.”
I’m wailing now, the shock taking over my body.
The image of what I did imprinting forever into my brain.
“Hey,” Alarick says, suddenly appearing. He leans in close and orders, “Look at me, Callie. You’re not goin’ to prison. I will not let you. My boys will have this cleaned up and dealt with. Nobody will ever know what happened here.”
“What if one of the neighbors heard something? They could have called the police, they could already be on their way.”
“Callie,” he demands, his eyes hard. “You’re not hearin’ me. This is not goin’ to come back on you. You have my word. Tanner is goin’ to take you away, and when you come back, it’ll be like nothin’ ever happened.”
My hands are trembling as I hold his eyes, “Do you promise?”
He nods. “I fuckin’ promise you. Go.”
Tanner thanks him, and then walks out of the apartment with me in his arms. I close my eyes, not wanting to see if I’ve killed the other two men, or if they’re just injured. I know if they’re still alive, they won’t be for long. Alarick will make sure of that. I think that will be so much worse for them.
They’ll have wished I killed them.
Tanner puts me in his truck. He has murmured things, but I don’t know what he’s saying. My ears are ringing and my head is spinning. I close my eyes and keep them that way until we pull up at the tattoo shop. I look around, confused. “Why are we here?”
“It’s safe here until Alarick has finished everything. He said there is an apartment out back, we can clean up there.”
I don’t bother to argue, I let him lead me into the shop and out into the apartment. It’s only small, and by the looks of it, is only here for temporary stays. Maybe when Alarick is working late and doesn’t want to go home? It’s tidy, and neat, and it’ll do if it means we’re safe.
Tanner places me down on the sofa and kneels down in front of me, taking my chin in his hands. “You’re okay. This is going to be okay. I promise you.”
“How did they know we were alone?” I whisper, my hands still shaking. I can’t stop them, no matter how hard I try.
“They must have had more ears on us then we thought. They knew we were comin’ and they put a plan into place, only they didn’t expect you’d be the one to take them out. We dealt with the rest of them, they were ready for us when we arrived, but they were no match for Alarick’s club. Those men...are incredible.”
I don’t want to know.
I don’t even want to think about it.
“When we realized he wasn’t there, we came rushing back.”
“But it was too late,” I whisper. “I’m not only a killer, I’m now a murderer, too. I’m a murderer, Tanner.”
“You listen to me, Callie, and you listen fuckin’ good,” he orders, his voice harder than I’ve ever heard it, “those men are the reason Celia is dead. They raped her. They took her innocence and they crushed her life. You are not a fuckin’ murderer, you got her the vengeance she deserved. You just gave her her peace. You set her free.”
Tears burst forth and stream down my cheeks.
“You really think so?” I sob.
“I more than fuckin’ think so. Thank you, Callie. Thank you.”
I hiccup and my head falls forward. He catches me in a hug, a tight hug, a hug that makes me feel like everything will be okay.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“Oh honey,” he murmurs, “I love you, too.”
Is he right?
Did I really set Celia free?
Is it all finally over?