Page 45 of Most Of All

“What I am owed.” He answers smugly.

To my dismay I find myself compelled to ask. “And what is that?”

“You. Dead!” he replies with a malicious gaze in his eyes.

Every muscle in my body tenses, but I refuse to let fear paralyze me. I stand my ground, determined to face the situation head on. He starts laughing to himself maliciously, and I challenge the doubt creeping into my mind and proceed toward him. In that moment, I realize the power he holds. Jack looks at me with a chilling expression that leaves an indelible mark. Wickedly, he glares down at my dad and without hesitation he pulls the trigger.

My entire life rushes through my mind in a dizzying blur. I can hear the piercing screams, but it takes a moment to realize they’re coming from me.

Somehow, I must have lost consciousness for a moment because now I find myself down on the floor, Jack looming over me like a dark shadow. Without warning, he yanks me by my hair, dragging me toward the bed where my father lies lifeless. A wave of panic crashes over me, making it feel like there’s no oxygen left in the room. I gasp, desperately trying to fill my lungs, but each breath feels shallow and futile. Forcefully, he stands us both beside the bed and wraps his fingers tightly in the back of my hair with one hand, holding the gun to my head with the other. I try not to look at my dad's body, there’s so much blood everywhere. My heart’s pounding, as I struggle to keep my eyes wide open, terrified that if I let them close, I might never have the chance to reopen them.

Suddenly, the door slams open, and Don strides in, flanked by three intimidating men. Time seems to freeze as they all fixate on us, their gazes heavy with an unspoken tension. I turn to Don, searching for a glimmer of reassurance, but what I find in his eyes is far from comforting, it's a reflection of fear that chills me to the bone. Don attempts to say something, but Jack stops him when he forces my face down into the bed, smothering me in my dad’s blood. He rapidly drags me back up by the hair, securing me back into the same position, with the gun to the back of my head.

“I don’t want to hear a word from anyone, I want everyone to back off. I will shoot her brains out if anyone says anything,” he yells out. I’m so fucking scared that I’m going to die, that he’s going to kill me. My whole body is shaking with fear.

From behind me I feel Jack shift on his feet before he loudly announces,

“I want everyone to back up, I want a safe passage out of here, otherwise this bitch gets it.”

All the men’s gazes land on Don, who gives a subtle nod. Instantly, they retreat from the room like shadows slipping into the night. Jack proceeds forward, heaving me along painfully. I strain to keep my eyes locked on Don, with my dad's blood dripping off my forehead into my eyes, it’s nearly impossible. “Make sure it’s clear all the way out.” Jack yells out, continuing forward. Don shifts to the side, raising his hands. Jack doesn’t stop; he keeps advancing, glancing around cautiously as if searching for something lurking in the shadows. It’s a strange choreography of movement, and I find myself caught in a web of confusion and fear. My heart races, and my body seems to react on instinct, propelling me forward even as uncertainty grips my mind. Before I know it, we find ourselves stepping out into the open air.

WhatamIgoingto do? My next steps are crucial; I can't afford to hesitate now. Why do I keep letting her down? This is all my fault. How could I have doubted her regarding Jack? I should have trusted her instinct instead of waiting for proof I could see for myself. Jack has her at gunpoint, and is currently dragging her through in the garden, by her hair. I’m trying my hardest to come up with some sort of solution, but my mind has gone blank. He’s going to kill her if I can’t get my shit together. Trying to talk him down would be pointless; he’s not interested in anyone’s words. Even if I did manage to get through to him, it wouldn’t matter, compassion simply isn’t something that registers with him.

Cautiously he edges his way around the side of the house, proceeding toward the driveway. I trail behind him, keeping my distance. Just far enough that he won’t swing the gun in my direction, but close enough to keep Raine in my line of sight. I can't lose her; the thought of what he might do if I fuck this up sends a chill down my spine. My heart races as I try to anticipate his next move. I have to find a way to get Raine out of his clutches before it's too late. He halts at the end of the driveway, pausing as if weighing the gravity of his surroundings. Confusion flickers in his eyes.

In a startling shift, he yanks Raine off the ground by her hair, his voice booming as he screams inches from her face. The tension crackles in the air, thick with the unexpected eruption of emotions. “This is all your fault, you did this.”

I’m frozen in place as I resist the urge to run up to her, if I do anything, my stupidity could get her killed. One wrong move and he will shoot her, I have complete faith that he will rise to the occasion. Abruptly he shoves Raine to the ground, still pointing the gun at her. She squirms and moans lying in the fetal position and with a hard swing of his foot, Jack kicks her in the stomach again and again. Fury burns through me and I close my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to find my focus. I refuse to stand by and watch him hurt Raine any longer. There has to be a way for me to do something.

I can’t quite grasp the events that unfolded in the fleeting two seconds I had my eyes closed, but when I opened them again, I was met with a captivating sight: Raine was expertly targeting Jack’s feet, her kicks precise and unrelenting. With every swift jab, she disrupted his balance, making him sway. Finally, with a hefty kick, she sends him tumbling to the ground, where he lands flat on his back, a surprised look etched on his face.

I’m already in motion before my mind fully grasps the gravity of the situation. Just as I near them, Jack rises, his eyes fixed on Raine with a chilling intensity. For a fleeting moment, there’s a flicker of fear in his gaze, but it quickly disappears.

With a harsh grip on her upper arm, he yanks Raine back to her feet, aiming the gun at her as he begins to retreat toward the parked cars across the street. He keeps walking to the cars, and I keep my distance, my feet practically itching to sprint closer. It appears he’s locked in a confrontation with Raine, though honestly, he could just as easily be arguing with himself, his rants are a trademark of his.

As they draw closer to the parked cars, my view of them begins to fade, and a cold wave of dread crashes over me at the thought of losing Raine. My heart races, pounding against my chest like a war drum, each beat echoing my fear. I’m frozen momentarily, paralyzed by the terrifying possibilities that loom ahead. I suck in a few deep, grounding breaths, before cautiously moving forward. Anger blurs my vision and I strain to see clearly, catching only a fleeting glimpse of Jack's head in the distance.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of a gunshot pierces the air, followed by the haunting sound of Raine's screams reverberating in my ears. Panic surges through me as I sprint toward her, fueled by a primal instinct to protect, oblivious to the danger that surrounds me. I refuse to entertain the thought of losing her; I simply can’t. When I finally reach Raine, she’s hunched over on the ground, and a chilling sense of urgency washes over me as I scan for Jack, who seems to have vanished into thin air, where the fuck is he?

Wheredidthecargo? I left the getaway car right here, but now it's vanished with no sign of where it might have gone. Everything felt like it was falling into place, but clearly, that was just an illusion. What on earth am I going to do now? Hiding amidst the thick bushes lining the street, I eased my way down, using the rows of parked cars as my cover. Time was slipping away, and I couldn’t afford to linger. Considering my options, this was the most promising move I had left.

My mind wanders to Raine, did I actually kill her? That stupid bitch kept clawing at me, defiant until the end. In the chaos, I lost track of my aim.

Now, my next move hangs in the balance, a tangled mess of uncertainty. Reflecting on different perspectives I realize, why am I hiding? I came here to kill one of them, preferably Raine, and I’m not leaving until I do. They should be afraid of me, not the other way around. I shouldn’t be hiding away like I’m scared, because I’m not. I’m strong and unwavering, no matter the challenge, and I won't back down from anyone. Let them bring it on.

Slowly, I emerge from my hiding spot. Straightening up quickly, I roughly remove any dust that clings to my clothes. I check the gun for any issues, and steal a glance at my surroundings. Donovan is crouched low, focused intently on Raine, while a few figures linger across the road, oblivious to my presence. Nothing will distract me from my goal. I have a mission to fulfill and one way or another I will get it done. With the gun aimed erratically in front of me, I tread back up the street toward Raine and Donovan. They remain still, unaware of my approach from behind. Ooo, I could kill them both, I love a good ‘buy one, get one free’ deal.

Approaching closer, I scan my surroundings one last time, my heart racing at the thrill of the moment. A wave of satisfaction washes over me. I'm just mere seconds away from achieving what I’ve set out to do. With careful precision, I aim the gun to the back of Donovan's head, proceeding to clear the distance between us. “Any last words?” I mock, shocking Donovan with my presence. He doesn’t respond or turn around; he simply pulls Raine closer, positioning himself between me and her. Like I care which one I kill, as long as I get one that’s good enough for me. Laughter bursts out of me, and I dig the gun further into Donovan’s head, “You thought you could beat me.”

Joyful at my achievement, my fingers lock over the trigger, ready to fire. Suddenly, an excruciating pain pierces my skull, and my whole life flashes before my eyes. The control I have over my body vanishes as I fumble backwards, I can feel everything slipping away as a force edges me into darkness.

IfirmlyclutchRaineas the sharp crack of the gunshot reverberates in my ears. I tightly shut my eyes, and gently press a kiss to the top of her head, savoring the warmth of her presence. In this chaotic moment, I find solace in the fact that I discovered love before my time ran out. I brace myself for the searing pain, but instead, there’s nothing. To my surprise, the gun abruptly lowers from the back of my head, and I watch in disbelief as Jack’s body collapses to the ground, the tension in the air shifts in an instant. What the fuck? My heart races as I tense up, a chill running down my spine. Was he really going to kill me? Panic swirls in my mind. What just happened?

I quickly turn my attention to Raine, who lies unconscious before me. Carefully, I check her breathing once more, a mix of dread and hope swirl within me. When I found her, she was already out cold; the evidence of Jack's attack clear, the bullet only grazed her arm, a wound that bleeds just enough to worry me, but seems far from life threatening. Quickly glancing around, I take in the chaos unfolding in my surroundings. People are rushing toward us, their figures blurred in my hazy vision. I can’t decipher who they are. With a firm grip on Raine, I hoist myself up from the ground, determination coursing through me. Rising up, I kick Jack’s body over, there’s blood everywhere and a bullet wound in his forehead, right between his eyebrows. Someone got him good.

With a sense of caution, I begin my trek back to the house. Suddenly, a woman and two men emerge from the shadows, blocking my path. The woman is carrying a sniper rifle. I embrace Raine, drawing her close, and instinctively turn my body to shield her from the looming threat of these strangers. The urgency of the moment ignites a fierce protectiveness within me, and I can feel my heart racing as I brace against the unknown.

“Donovan?” The woman raises her voice.

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