Page 111 of Roots of the Wicked

“Chase get out of the fucking way!” TK yelled, wanting to reclaim his aim at Amanda.

“Stop pointing that gun at my son!” My father had lifted his cane, pointing it at TK.

“Chase, move Goddammit!” TK continued to shout

“Chase,” Jax’s low tone sounded. It was the only voice I cared about hearing.

I continued to step forward, my gaze locked with Amanda’s. She lifted the gun, aiming it at my chest. My desperate moves had pulled her attention away from Jax, and she concentrated on me, her pleading gaze locked on mine.

My veins popped under my skin, my mind overflowing with the rage I fought to control. Fire had replaced the blood coursing through me. Although, I suspected that Amanda was hurt enough to shoot me, it didn’t stop me from advancing on her until the gun touched my chest.

“Chase. No.” Jax cried in a low tone.

“Chase!” I heard my father yell behind me.

With Amanda’s teary eyes on mine and the gun jammed into my chest, I reached blindly, shoving Jax out of the danger zone.

Reaching up with caution, I brushed a delicate hand along Amanda’s cheek and fought a grimace when she leaned her face into my palm. The gun shook in her hand, knocking against my chest.

“It didn’t have to come to this Heather. Do you really want to hurt me? Whatever I did to you, I can assure you, it wasn’t intentional.”

TK had lured Jax into safety behind me which urged the storm in my blood to surge harder. The notion of being outside myself took a hold of my mind. The gun sitting pressed against my chest could have gone off but knowing that Jax and our child were safe was enough in the moment.

“Chase!” Jax’s shout broke through the black cloud of rage surrounding me. I smiled at Amanda, but I ached to strangle her. I slid my hand along her cheek, lowering it with a delicate touch until it brushed the top of the pistol shaking in her hand.

“I love you Chase. I always have, from the moment I met you,” Amanda confessed, meaning every word. The true definition of crazy had manifested itself and was staring me in the face. Once I had a good grip on her gun, I snatched it from her hand and shoved her until her back struck the wall behind us.

“How dare you threaten the woman I love and our unborn child? Are you crazy?”

“Chase. Please. We were so good together. I can make you happy,” she choked out. She saw nothing wrong with what she had done, nor did she harbor empathy for the lives she had placed in jeopardy. TK or Jax had taken the gun from me, but my focus was concentrated on Amanda.

“Chase stop! She’s not worth it. This is not you. We need you!”

I didn’t realize I had a tight grip around Amanda’s neck until I felt Jax tugging at my arm. Her voice had broken apart the rage that had engulfed me.

TK stood on the opposite side of me, unphased by my behavior. I believe he would have stood there and let me kill her. I hadn’t heard my father yelling for me to stop, until my mind had realigned itself.

I backed away from Amanda. My hands remained frozen in the position they had been in around her throat, until I was a safe distance away from her.

TK gripped Amanda’s arm before turning her roughly to face the wall as he proceeded to frisk her for more weapons.

Jax kept her tight grip on my forearm, whispering to me in hushed tones. “I’m okay, Chase. We’re okay.” The sight of her, and the sound of her soothing tone was what had dragged me back to the present. A smile broke through my haze before my gaze fell to her stomach.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re both okay?” I scanned her thoroughly.

“We’re fine.” Her tender stroke brushed my jaw. Fresh tears leaked from her eyes and slid down her cheeks before she cast a glance at Amanda, then back at my father who stood observing us.

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