Page 104 of Subbing For Santa

I lift it out, hoping like hell that Ewan is like my dad and doesn’t lock his gun up. I nearly yell out a cheer when the lid lifts open, and under the moonlight coming through the office window, I see not one, but two handguns.

“Thirty seconds.”

I quickly check that they are loaded and slip one down the back of my denim shorts before I run out of the office, gripping the other one in my hand.

“Twenty seconds. Tick tock, Agatha.”

I bolt onto the back deck and hurriedly climb the steep stairs, making it on top just as the voice yells.

“TEN FUCKING SECONDS!”

“I’m here!” I yell, darting forward with the gun raised at the lanky man who I realise was one of the boat crew.

The entire Marx family, and the remaining four staff, are on their knees in a line facing the man, their hands tied behind their backs, with gags stopping them from speaking. My eyes find Griffin’s, which are wide with fear as he glances frantically between me and the man.

The man in question chuckles, his bony features picked up under the moonlight.

“Well, well. Just in the nick of time. What are you going to do with that? Shoot me? You’re a civilian, Agatha. You wouldn’t even know how to shoot a gun.”

“Wanna test that theory?” I hiss, pretty happy with how brave my tone is right now.

Again, he chuckles before pointing the gun in his hand towards Griffin’s head.

“The real question is. Do you? Because if you miss, you’re gonna have to say goodbye to lover boy here.”

“What the fuck do you want?” I snap, not sure what else to do but stall this crazy fucker.

“Revenge. I thought that was obvious. Now, either you put that gun down, or say goodbye to this arsehole.” When the man shoves the barrel of the gun hard against Griffin’s forehead, I cave and drop the gun.

“Ok. Stop!” I cry, my tears searing as they stream down my cheeks.

“Come here.” He hisses, and I slowly walk towards him with my hands up in the air, my legs trembling as my eyes glance at each one of the captives.

The moment I’m close enough, he fists my hair, tugging me to my knees, and he holds me in place.

“She is a pretty one, isn’t she?” The guy chuckles sadistically. “Maybe I’ll fuck her first before I kill her. It's not exactly the way you killed my sister,” he glances at Griffin, “but it will feel good making you suffer.”

Griffin starts to struggle against his bonds, and his voice is a muffled yell that’s incomprehensible. It just makes this crazy fucker laugh even more.

When the man turns back to face me with menace written all over his face, I reach back to the gun shoved in the back of my shorts and whip it out as fast as I can, pressing it under his chin before he comprehends what has happened. His eyes widen a split second before I pull the trigger and the crack of the gun is loud, echoing out into the vast ocean surrounding us as blood, skull and brain matter rain down on me.

The cries, whimpers and muffled yells of the captives shake me out of my daze after I watch the body slump to the floor with a thud.

I scramble up, dropping the gun before rushing over to Griffin and removing his gag.

“Aggie. Fuck, honey. Cut me loose.”

I’m sobbing, I realise as my body starts to convulse with shock, and it takes me way too long to figure out how to cut him free of the zip ties.

“There’s a knife over on the bench.” Griffin instructs, and I go to stand, but my legs collapse under me, sending me crashing to the floor.

“Aggie. Baby. It’s ok. We are all ok. Just slow your breathing.”

I try to do as Griffin says, willing my body to comply, and after a few attempts, it starts to work. I crawl over to the bench and pull myself up to stand, finding the knife before stumbling back to Griffin.

I cut the zip ties around his ankles and wrists, and the moment he’s free, he pulls me in his arms.

“It’s ok.” He squeezes me close. “You’re ok.”

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