Page 58 of Haven Bound
We each slip in an earbud that will allow us to communicate amongst ourselves, and then we step out of the car and head for our chosen entry points. My heart feels like it’s preparing to break through my chest, but it’s not fear that’s pumping through my system. It’s adrenaline, and it’s providing me with the clarity that I need to get in there and save my girl.
Assuming that Jason has Chelsea in the main living space, the door that leads into the kitchen is the second closest entry to her. Hailey’s got the closest point with the front door, but she’s also acting as a sort of distraction. We’re hoping that his attention will shift to her and give us a chance to get in and grab Chelsea. As much as I’d love nothing more than to kick down the front door and shoot the fucker in the head before he even has a chance to blink, I can’t risk Chelsea being caught in the crossfire.
The side entry door is locked but easy enough to pick. I open it slowly, trying to avoid any potential creaking from the old cabin door. Jason’s manic voice reaches me, rage burning in my throat when I hear the words he’s spewing at Chelsea. Glock in hand, I peer around the corner into the living room to find him standing over her, his gun pressed to her chest. His brows are pulled together and sweat is beading along his temple as he yells.
“Of all the times I couldn’t get you to shut up. Turns out all I had to do was make good on my threats, hm?” The words leaving his mouth and the anger lacing his voice have me gritting my teeth as I lift my arm, keeping my hand steady as I close an eye and aim the gun in his direction.
“I’m in,” Zack’s voice fills my ear, his breaths nearly inaudible over the line. The entrance at the back of the house enters into the primary bedroom down the hall from the kitchen but his footsteps are silent, no sound of movement coming from anywhere aside from the scene playing out in front of me.
“At the front,” Hails murmurs. I glance behind Jason to the large window beside the front door just in time to catch a glimpse of my sister’s brown hair as she steps up to the door. “Am I busting this bitch down or what?” She may be on the shorter side, but I don’t dare underestimate her strength. I don’t doubt that she could kick down the door without trouble.
“Hold,” I grunt. Jason has yet to lift his gaze away from Chelsea, but his body is leaning back slightly as though he’s preparing to back away from her. I can see her body shudder as her chin dips to her chest, her head hanging. He takes a few steps backward and drops his arm to his side, providing me with the moment I was waiting for.
I’m right here, Sunflower.
“I thought I fucking told you to stay away from her,” I growl, stepping around the corner and aiming my Glock directly between his eyes. Chelsea’s head lifts and whips in my direction, her wide green eyes finding mine. Her bottom lip quivers, a few tears gliding down her cheeks. I can only hope that she can feel my love for her as my eyes flick back to Jason.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt true malice until now. Every single life I’ve ever held at the end of my gun has simply been an assignment. Nothing more than a job that needed to be finished in the same way that a mechanic must fix a car. Every day that I’ve spent taking a life up until this point has merely been another day at work.
Zack and Hailey make themselves known as the words leave my mouth, guns aimed directly at Jason. His eyes widen and dart around the room, the tremble of his hand hinting at the nerves likely coursing through him. We’ve got him surrounded.
48
Chelsea
A massive weight waslifted from my shoulders the second that Austin stepped into the room, Zack and Hailey not far behind him. Seeing my best friend aim a gun at my ex-boyfriend was a little startling, and yet I feel like after twelve years of friendship, I’m finally being introduced to who she truly is. I’m finally being introduced to the real Anders family, and I’ve never been more grateful to be part of their inner circle.
“Put down your weapon,” Zack snaps. The deep timbre of his voice would frighten me if I didn’t know that it was being directed at someone else. He looks very much like a police officer right now, his entire body honed in on Jason.
“Damn, sweetheart. I didn’t realize you had your own little entourage of security,” Jason quips. His fingers widen as his grip on his gun loosens, and he begins to slowly lower the weapon. His eyes flick between the three people who are watching his every move.
“Get Chelsea out of here,” Austin snaps, his words directed at Hailey. She’s at my side and cutting the plastic ties from my wrists before I have a chance to respond. Zack and Austin move in sync across the room, each of them taking slow, measured steps toward Jason.
“Aus—” I start to say, desperately wanting to stay with him.
“Go, baby. I need to know that you’re safe before I end this fucker’s life.” His tone softens towards me, but his eyes remain hard and trained on Jason. Hailey steps around to help me stand from the couch, the adrenaline coursing through my body making my legs unsteady beneath me.
The sinister gleam in Jason’s eyes doesn’t fade when Zack moves swiftly, taking the gun from his hand. It doesn’t fade when Austin presses the Glock’s muzzle to his forehead, and it doesn’t fade when Zack steps behind him, securing his wrists behind his back in a pair of metal handcuffs.
I know that Austin won’t allow Jason to live to see another day. I know that witnessing Jason’s life come to an end is something that will likely stay with me forever. Still, I can’t bring myself to tear my eyes away from him. I can’t seem to make my feet move.
“Chels, c’mon. We don’t need to be here for this,” Hailey says from beside me, her hand grasping mine as she tries to tug me away. But she’s wrong. I do need to be here for this. I need to see this man who has haunted me for far too long be brought to his end. I promised myself I would prove that I could handle this part of Austin’s life.
“I’m not leaving,” I say firmly, pulling my hand away from hers and crossing my arms over my chest. Austin’s head dips slightly, a heavy breath expelling from his lungs. He waits for Zack to step around Jason, the muzzle of his gun firmly pressing between Jason’s eyes before Austin steps away.
He rests his hands on either side of my face, leaning down to rest his forehead against mine. Inhaling deeply, Austin breathes me in before he takes a small step back, his deep blue eyes meeting mine. “You’re sure? Iwon’t make you leave if you don’t want to. But, Chelsea, I can’t let him live. He doesn’t deserve the comfort of prison.”
“I understand that, but I’m not leaving.”
He heaves a sigh and shakes his head, warring with his own emotions. He’s trying to protect me from witnessing this side of him, but it’s not something that I need protection from.
“I love you,” I tell him, his eyes lifting to meet mine as the words leave my lips. “I love every part of you, Austin. Even the parts that you think are too dark. Let me join you in the shadows. Just this once.”
He nods and presses a soft kiss to my lips, his nose rubbing gently against mine. “I love you, too. I always have.” He spins around and crosses the room once more to Jason. Zack steps away to stand beside Hailey and I, their bodies placed slightly in front of me to act as a barrier. Jason’s eyes have completely clouded over in a lifeless haze, all emotion completely drained away. Strands of blond hair hang down over one eye as he leans into the gun currently being pressed to his forehead, taunting Austin.
I’ve never considered what it would be like to watch someone die. I’ve never put much thought into the way their body would jerk from the impact of a bullet flying through their skull or the way their blood would splatter from the force. Austin’s arm is still held outright, his finger resting on the trigger, as Jason’s lifeless body drops to the floor. An eerie silence fills the room once the loud bang of the gun has dissipated, our combined breaths the only sound.
Austin turns away from the body and disappears down the small hallway, my eyes tracking him as he walks away. The sound of water running reaches me a moment later.
