Page 39 of Betraying Family Vows
Suddenly his head jerks backward and warm blood splatters across my face and chest.
I choke, wipe my face as the man's body hits the pavement beside me, a hole appearing between his eyes.
Turning, I see Dimitri, his gun still raised, gaze locked with mine.
He saved me.
Before I can move, three men rush him.
He turns too late. They slam him to the ground, his gun flies from his hand as their fists pound into him. He fights back, but he's outnumbered.
Two more men run up and slam their boots into his ribs.
I scream.
"No! Stop!"
They're beating him bad.
I can't. I... Shit. What can I do? He's only like this because he saved me. Now they're going to kill him.
My eyes fall to the dead man beside me.
His gun, right there, still in his hand.
I grab it. My hands shaking. It's heavy, cold, like nothing I've ever held before.
"Come on. Come on, Athena," I say to myself, my body shaking with nerves.
I raise the gun and aim at the men attacking Dimitri.
"Get off him!" I scream, but they don't even look up.
I squeeze the trigger.
BANG.
The recoil jolts through my arms. One of the men slumps forward, falling across Dimitri.
The others turn toward me, their faces twisted with surprise and rage.
Time seems to slow as their hands move toward their weapons, their mouths opening to shout orders.
But the moment of distraction is all Dimitri needs.
He grabs a gun, I don't even see from where, and suddenly the night erupts with more gunfire.
The men drop one by one.
Then silence.
Dimitri staggers up, blood dripping from his face, his breathing heavy. He scans the area, checks the bodies, and kicks a gun away from one twitching hand.
I can't move. The gun is still in my hands, but I've forgotten how to let go.
I killed someone. I actually killed someone.
My vision tunnels, the edges going dark.
