Page 153 of Waiting to Lose
“Shut the fuck up!” Peter shouted. “You two are making my head hurt. He pulled the safety from his gun and aimed at Jake. “At least Madi will get a chance to watch you take your final breath.”
“No!” Madi shouted as she tried to think. “If you really want to cause him pain, then use me. Hurt me and you hurt him!”
Peter smiled deviously as he considered her words.
“Madi, for the love of God! Don’t. Please don’t!” Jake’s words came out in a shaking whimper.
Madi regained her balance as she stood, pressing her hand to the throb.
“That’s not a bad idea. Maybe we can finish what I started in that bus a few months ago, only this time, he’ll get to watch. Have you missed me, Madi? You want to see me fuck your girlfriend, Jake?”
“Peter, please. I’m the one you want. Not her. Let her go. Take me. Kill me. Make me pay with my life for my sins. Madi had nothing to do with this. She’s innocent, just like Tessa was.”
“Well, I don’t get to have Tessa now, do I?” he sputtered. “You took her away from me. Maybe after you’re dead, I’ll have Madi instead. She can be my new Tessa.”
Madi cringed as she stared into Jake’s pleading eyes.
“Do you want to fight me again like you did the last time?” Peter asked. “I like it when you fight me.”
Madi swallowed hard as she carefully considered her word choice. “What good would it do me? You’re too strong. I have no power over you. I’m weak.”
Peter smiled. “That’s right, you are. If I remember correctly, I was able to hold both of your hands in one of mine easily.”
Jake’s eyes furrowed as Madi took a deep breath. He seemed to remember how strong she’d become.
“Should I just give them to you now?” Madi asked as she held out her crossed wrists to him.
He glared at Jake as he rubbed his chin. “She’s a willing participant. Guess you’re not fulfilling her needs.”
Jake gritted his teeth as he attempted to lunge at him.
Peter grasped Madi’s wrists in his hand and she attempted to struggle, but not much. “Oh yeah. I remember this now.” Peter fumbled with the gun in his hand, trying to touch her with the same hand while he held her wrists in the other.
“Don’t touch her!” Jake hissed.
Peter walked behind her. “Put your hands behind your back,” he ordered.
Madi did as she was told. He grasped her two hands firmly in his one, peering around her at Jake. “She’s going to enjoy this.”
Madi took a deep breath as she reviewed all her weeks of training with Rob. Every move, every angle, every possible outcome was considered in seconds. As Peter waved his gun at Jake and Jake struggled in his binds, Madi slid her right leg behind her through Peter’s, and quickly swiped his leg with the curl of her foot. As he lost his balance, she yanked her arms down and out to release his grip on her. The gun tumbled out of his grasp as he fell. Madi quickly turned and kicked him in the balls as hard as she could before she kicked the gun away from him.
Peter cried out in pain as she went back to kicking him, again in the nuts, and two more times in the ribs. His hands shot up to protect himself, but they were too late.
Jake gasped as Madi rushed to him to untie his hands.
“Madi. I can’t believe you—wait. Get the gun!” Jake commanded.
No sooner had Madi turned to reach for it than Peter slid toward it, grasping it in his hands and aiming at them from the floor.
Madi stood in front of Jake protectively as Jake tried to free himself. “Madi! No!”
A single shot rang out and pierced her ears. She closed her eyes as she waited for the pain to come. She expected to feel herself falling or feel a burn, but she felt nothing.
“Madi!” Jake cried out in agony. Madi forced her eyes open when she heard him, still waiting for a burn that never came. As she opened her eyes, Peter slumped to the floor, the blood pooling around what was left of his hand. He jumped up and rushed them, and another blast took him down. This time he didn’t move. Madi turned to see Rob at the door with his gun extended, his face ashen and focused. He’d shot Peter. She glanced down at her body and noted that she wasn’t bleeding. She turned quickly to Jake, who checked her over for wounds.
“Are you hurt?” he asked. His eyes searched her desperately.
“No. Are you?” she asked as she grasped his face in her hands.
