Page 13 of Broken Pawn

CHAPTERFIVE

VANESSA

They are here for me.

I should have expected this. My whole body trembled at the prospect of being caught by them. There were six tough-looking men who could make even the toughest man pee on his pants. The sick bastards were amused to see Anna on her knees, her head buried in the cushion. She screamed, and each ofher muffled screams stabbed me in the chest.

I caused this. One quiet man stood over Anna, his gaze on the other man holding the gun to my uncle's head. It was the first time I had seen Uncle Fred so terrified. He put on a brave face, but his eyes revealed how frightened he was of the man pointing the gun at him.

I couldn't see the face of the man threatening my uncle from where I was hiding, but I knew it was Ethan. His thick dark hair was combed back onto his broad shoulders, away from his collars.

"You know what? It'stime." Ethan stood up straight and aimed his pistol at my uncle. I knewhe was going to kill him.

What should I do?Fight. The response was straightforward. I couldn't possiblyrun. When Ethan and his thugs threatened my family, I knew I had to do something, anything, no matter how futile.

"Let's make this the way they do in the movies. Do you have any last words?" he asked in a light tone, evidentlyenjoying himself.

My legs moved on their own as I entered the kitchen through the second door. I went looking for a weapon and came across the knives. Despite the fact that they seemed to cut well enough, I knew I'd never be able to get close enough to Ethan with one of these.

Think quickly. I felt myself panicking once more. The vase. I moved to the door after noticing a glass vase on the table. All of the men were staring at Ethan as he prepared to shoot my uncle.

I flung the vase across the room with all my strength, and for a brief moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. It flew past the gunmen, who were too late to notice it, and struck Ethan on the shoulder. It bounced off and shattered into pieces as it fell to the ground.

They all turned to look at the source, and there I was, out of breath and lookingterrified as hell, of thatI was certain.

"It's me you want. Let them go," I demanded, trying to sound fearless.

I had no idea what he was going to do to me next, but I didn't care. I had to divert their attention away from killing my uncle.

However, I wasn't sure if I had succeeded because Ethan just smirked at me as if I were sillyfor doing what I did.

* * *

ETHAN

Minutes Before

I lowered my gaze to the man who had hurt my uncle. He stared back at mewith proud eyes that were devoid of regret.

He was not afraid of death.

I pressed the muzzle of the pistol against his head, but he just peered at me with apathetic eyes. As I looked at him, I wondered why he dared to betray us. He appeared to be in better health than the last time I saw him and to be living a comfortable and quiet life.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, drawing my attention away from my perusal of his home.

"I'llkill you. You understand that this is our world and that I have no choice,"I told him.

"Ethan, you always have a choice. You and the Mafia live by selfish codes to justify your actions. You're all just animals," he said to me with malice.

"I couldn't care less what you think of me." I moved my pistol from his temple to his forehead."It means nothing to me. What I want to know is why you tried to killmy uncle," I told him, trying to remain calm.

"Please, please," the girl next to him pleaded, and I motioned for Tristan to kill her.

Tristan moved quickly, instructing her to kneel on the nearest sofa and bury her face in the cushion. She screamed loudly as she begged for her life, but her screams were muffled by the pillow.

Tristan was about to pull the trigger on the back of her head when Fred yelled.

"Ethan!" he yelled my name, shiftingmy attention away from the murder that my capo was about to commit.

---