Page 47 of Protecting Chaos

His lips twitched. “I giveth, and I taketh away. You enjoyed me nursing you back to health, didn’t you, Stella?”

She didn’t answer.

“Tell me you enjoyed the time we spent together. Tell me you wanted more. I patiently waited, but I can’t be patient anymore, Stella. I have needs. We’ll be so good together.”

She remained quiet, afraid to move.

“Tell me you feel it too!” he yelled and lifted the gun, aiming it at her.

“Drop the weapon, Conrad. It’s over,” Ashton said, appearing from the same darkened corner where Conrad had come from. Ashton’s finger rested on the trigger as he pointed at Conrad.

Words choked her, making her unable to speak.

“She’ll never be yours, Conrad. This fascination with her ends here.”

The gun wavered between Stella and Ashton as Conrad’s eyes narrowed.

“You made her sick,” Avery said as she appeared next.

Stella’s heart raced. “Avery, leave.”

She shook her head. “You helped me when I needed you.” Avery held up her hands. “Conrad, put the gun down and let’s talk about this. You know Stella’s a good person, right? You don’t want to hurt her.”

“Avery. I thought I told you to stay in the car,” Ashton growled.

“Conrad, please, don’t do this.”

“Shut up. All of you!” Conrad screamed and turned the gun on Ashton.

“You’re right. I feel it,” Stella said, holding up her hands and stepping toward Conrad. “They don’t understand.”

Conrad cocked the trigger.

“Conrad, look at me. I’m the one you want, right? You said you’d do anything to make me happy. Don’t hurt them. Let’s go. It will be just you and me.”

Conrad gestured to the backpack and money on the ground.

She followed his gaze and dropped to her knees and picked it up, putting it back into the bag. “We’re going to need money, right? We’ll take it with us.”

Her gaze dropped to Jenny bleeding out on the ground.

Conrad lifted his chin and held out his hand. “Stella.”

“Stella, you don’t want to do this. You have no idea what he’s thinking,” Ashton said.

“Shut up,” Conrad growled.

Sirens sounded in the distance.

It was now or never. He wasn’t going to let Ashton and Avery live. She knew it in her heart. This was her chance. She was the one he wanted. He wouldn’t kill her. At least not until he was ready.

“Let me just grab my bag,” she said and moved across the room away from everyone.

He glanced at her with hesitation, drawing his attention away. She slipped the gun out of her bag. Her hands shook as she pointed it at him. She couldn’t let him hurt Avery and Ashton. She moved her finger over the trigger. “Conrad, don’t do this. Drop the weapon.”

Distracted, Conrad swung the gun in her direction with a crazed look in his eyes. “You bi—”

His words were cut off as Ashton fired his weapon first.

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