Page 28 of All We Want

“Ya didn’a kill me back then,” Caleb sneers.

“We were children ourselves back then. And Da couldn’t bring himself to do somethin, even with you already showin’ signs of bein’ a psycho. Ya should have stayed in Ireland, Caleb, then maybe it wouldn’a had to be us.”

The tension between them is palpable. Aiden's fingers twitch on the grip of his gun, and I can feel the fear coursing through me, knowing that one wrong move could escalate this situation into a violent confrontation.

Caleb, however, seems unfazed. "I came to be with my Simone. America was her home, and my home was Simone. And then, ya took that from me. Fate was on me side dat I could survive and avenge her."

Aiden speaks up, his voice a mixture of frustration and concern. "Scarlette is not part of this feud, Caleb. She shouldn't be punished for somethin' she has no control over."

Caleb scoffs again. "Punished? Simone was punished for fallin' for me. It's only fair that this one suffers for fallin' for all of ye."

A chill runs down my spine at Caleb's words, and I can hear the determination in his voice. He's not just here for revenge; he wants to inflict pain, to make me pay for a connection I never asked for.

Declan's jaw clenches, his eyes narrowing at Caleb. "Let her go, Caleb. This is between us."

Caleb's laughter echoes through the room, filled with malice. "No, Declan. This involves her now. She's now a part of our story, whether she likes it or not."

Aiden snaps, his anger and frustration bubbling over. “Because you made her part of it!”

Declan's gaze hardens, the coldness in his eyes cutting through the tension-filled air. "I don't regret tryin' to kill ya, Caleb. I don't regret that as a result it brought us her," he nods towards me, "but what I do regret is that we still can't let ya live to kill more innocent people. Scarlette is not gonna be one of those innocent people."

Caleb maintains his grip on me, the gun still pressed against my temple. "Innocent people?" he sneers. "There's no such thing. We're all capable of darkness. Some of us just embrace it."

Declan's jaw tightens, his eyes revealing a mixture of anger and regret. "There are lines that should never be crossed. Simone crossed those lines with you."

The room is thick with tension, and I can feel the weight of the situation pressing on everyone. I can tell Declan is searching for a way to defuse the escalating crisis. "Caleb, whatever you think you're doing won't bring Simone back. It won't erase the pain."

Caleb's laughter echoes, harsh and bitter. "Pain? Ya think I care about pain? I've lived with it physically since you tried to kill me, and emotionally every day since Simone was taken from me. This is about justice, about makin' ya feel what I felt."

Declan's gaze doesn't waver, and he takes a step into the doorway. "Caleb, let her go. Take me if ya must, but let her go."

"Ya not gettin' off that easy, Declan. Ya gonna watch as everythin’ ye love crumbles around you. Ya whole world is going to disappear. Startin with her."

Suddenly, a noise breaks the tension. From above, a ceiling tile gives way, and Ronan drops down, moving with a speed and grace that catches Caleb off guard. Ronan lands a powerful blow, knocking Caleb away from me, before he launches himself at him and takes him down to the ground.

Aiden seizes the opportunity and rushes to my side, pulling me behind him to shield me from the unfolding chaos.

Declan also moves in front of us, steadying his aim at the two men grappling on the ground. Ronan and Caleb are locked in a fierce struggle, each trying to gain control of the gun that has fallen between them. The room is filled with the sounds of their grunts and the scuffling of bodies.

My heart pounds in my chest as I watch, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty.

Declan's voice cuts through the chaos, cold and measured. "Enough, Caleb. This ends now."

Aiden, protective and determined, shields me with his body, his eyes never leaving the unfolding scene. "Scarlette, stay behind me."

The struggle intensifies. Ronan fights to disarm Caleb while Caleb desperately clings to the weapon. In the midst of the chaos, a gunshot rings out, and time seems to freeze.

The scream that leaves my mouth in that moment is raw and filled with terror.

Chapter 24

Scarlette

A wet cough sounds as Ronan rolls away from Caleb. There is blood everywhere, or that's what it feels like to me.

I try desperately to get past Aiden, but he holds me back as Declan moves forward, his gun still steady and aimed at Caleb. Only when Declan makes it to the gun on the ground and kicks it aside does Aiden let me pass.

I launch myself at Ronan, my hands reaching out to touch him, to confirm that he's still with me. He wraps his arms tightly around my trembling body, providing a momentary anchor in the midst of the chaos.

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