Page 71 of Torment

Chest heaving, Jolie took an unsteady step back. “I… I’ll shoot you,” she said.

“Oh, please. You probably don’t even know how to turn the fucking safety off,” Tom replied, still grinning widely.

Jolie glanced at me for a split second, and I tilted my head to the right. She immediately felt around on the top left side of the pistol before flicking the safety switch off. “I do, actually, and I will shoot you,” she replied. I could tell she was trying to sound calm and determined, but her voice was shaking as much as her body.

Tom aimed his pistol right at her. “I was only given instructions to take you alive, sweetheart. Nothing in there about you being maimed in the process, just so long as you’re still breathing in the end. So if I have to shoot you in the arm to make you drop that fucking thing, I’ll do it. I’m gonna count to three, and—”

Before he could start counting, Jolie fired. Unfortunately, her aim was exactly what I’d expect from an inexperienced shooter, and her body jerked back instantly from the recoil. The bullet whizzed two feet over Tom’s head and lodged in a skylight on the other side of the room. Shit.

“You little bitch,” he snarled, eyes narrowing. My heart lurched as I saw his finger begin to squeeze down on the trigger.

In that tiny fraction of a second, I leapt into action, viciously tackling him to the ground as the gun went off with a loud pop. He didn’t even register me coming at him because he was too preoccupied with his attempt to disarm Jolie.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her dodge to her left as we went down with guttural grunts. She was completely unfazed. Thank fucking god.

Warm blood dripped onto my lips, and I could feel pulpy tissue in my mouth from where my face had slammed into Tom’s right shoulder a few seconds ago, smashing against my front teeth. He lay beneath me on the floor, winded from the hard fall.

For good measure, I clenched my right hand into a fist and slammed it into his solar plexus, making him gasp even more as he tried to drag air into his lungs. He was a big guy, well over six foot five and jacked as hell, but that couldn’t save him from the wrath of a man protecting the woman he loved.

“I should’ve done this to you years ago. I should’ve killed all of you the second I arrived at New Eden. Sick fucking bastards,” I snarled, wrapping my hands around his throat as adrenaline surged through me.

Tom tried to reply, but the pressure on his windpipe made it impossible. His eyes began to bulge, showing a hint of fear.

“Mason, stop!” I heard Jolie say from somewhere near me.

“You know, she’s right. I should stop,” I hissed, relaxing my hold on Tom’s neck. “You don’t deserve to die like this. You deserve something far more painful. You’re just fucking lucky I don’t have a lighter and a jerrycan on me right now, you son of a bitch. Otherwise I’d set you on fire too.”

Jolie stepped closer and tried to grab at my arms. “Mason, please, you have to stop…”

I shook her off and smashed my fist into Tom’s face, shattering his nose and left cheekbone. He let out a pained grunt, and then he stretched his bleeding lips into a strange grin. “You can’t win,” he bit out. “Now that we know where she is, we’ll keep sending more guys until we get her. You can’t protect her.”

“Wanna fucking bet?” I growled. With a roar of fury, I grabbed both sides of his head and slammed it onto the floor with all of my strength.

The blood came out thick and strong, flowing through my fingers as I continued to lift Tom’s head and smash it down, over and over. Soon the back of it was nothing more than a gory mess of tissue, shattered bone, and chunks of brain matter. His face was grotesque too. Bloody spit drooled from his slack jaws and his eyes were dark and swollen. His outside now matched the inside. Hideous and revolting.

I stood up, wincing as I pressed a palm against my abdomen. I was still slightly winded from the drop to the floor a couple of minutes ago. “I really hate to say I told you so,” I said, looking over at Jolie. “But do you believe me now? About the cult still being out there.”

Jolie simply stared at me, her eyes wide and her skin ghostly white. One hand went over her mouth for a second, and then her eyes dropped to my chest. “I’m calling 911,” she said, fumbling around in the front pocket of her jeans.

“He’s already dead.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook her head. “Not for him. For you.”

Frowning, I followed her gaze and looked down. On my left side, dark red blood was seeping through my shirt, filling my nostrils with a distinct metallic scent. “Oh,” was all I could stupidly say.

“I thought I saw blood on you,” Jolie said in a ragged murmur. “I wasn’t sure. That’s why I wanted you to stop.”

I knew Tom’s gun went off earlier, but at the time, the only thing I cared about was making sure it missed Jolie. When I saw her dodge away to safety, I forgot about it and concentrated on holding Tom down so I could beat the shit out of him. It didn’t even occur to me that I might’ve taken the brunt of the shot. All the adrenaline had stopped me from registering the pain.

“I’m sorry,” I said, dropping to my knees as the shock faded and the burning pain finally began to set in. I stared up into Jolie’s eyes. “For everything. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Don’t go anywhere!” She shook her head wildly, crouching in front of me. “Please, Mason! Stay with me. I’m getting help. You’ll be okay.”

She pressed her palms against my mangled flesh, putting pressure on the wound. It didn’t help. There was so much blood, all that precious life fluid draining out of me in its garish red until my head turned light and dizzy. One by one I lost control of my limbs, and soon I slumped all the way to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated.

“Don’t be. You saved me,” Jolie said in a ragged whisper. “Please stay with me. Please!”

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