Page 113 of A Second Dawn

My heart thunders in my chest, the wild beats reverberating through every fiber of my being.

Time has slowed to a crawl, and all I can see are their intense gazes locked in a deadly standoff.

Tension grips my muscles, sending tremors down my spine. My palms are clammy, and my fingers quiver involuntarily in Rhia’s hand. The air is more suffocating with each breath I’m taking, the weight of impending doom heavy on my shoulders.

My mind races, torn between pleading for mercy and preparing for the worst. I know Tiero’s anger all too well. It’s a tempest that can consume everything in its path. And he’s brandishing that gun with a fierce determination in his eyes.

Aiden, on the other hand, seems eerily composed. His calm demeanor only adds to my anxiety. I can’t fathom the depth of emotions he’s suppressing beneath that stoic facade.

I stand frozen. My pulse pounds in my temples, each throb echoing my fear and trepidation.

My mind tries to find a way to defuse this explosive situation. But in this charged atmosphere, my thoughts are tangled, and I can’t find the right words to bridge the divide between them.

A tumultuous mix of love, concern, and helplessness surges within me. I’m torn between the instinct to protect them both and the sinking feeling that I don’t have the power to save them from this collision of their souls.

“Over my dead body will you get to Ella again,” Aiden’s voice suddenly breaks the silence.

My breath catches in my throat as Ade’s taunting words pierce the tense air.

“That can be arranged,” Tiero replies cooly.

His grip tightens around the gun, knuckles turning white as the atmosphere around them becomes even more charged.

Oh God, no!

The pressure in my chest intensifies. I’m going to suffocate under the weight of their confrontation.

I have to do something!

Tiero can’t kill Aiden. I can’t let that happen.

I’m about to fly off this deck and rush between them, when Aiden speaks again. His bold words strike like lightning, paralyzing me in my tracks.

“Why don’t you put down the gun and fight me like a man?” he goads.

The reckless bravado in Ade’s taunt hangs heavy in the air, daring Tiero to let go of his weapon.

Every second stretches into hours as I watch the emotions play out on Tiero’s face.

Anger and a flicker of uncertainty dance in his eyes. His grip on the gun wavers momentarily, and for a fleeting moment, it seems like he might accept Aiden’s challenge.

It would put them on a more even playing field… that is, if you forget about Tiero’s men who are ready to jump into action should things not go Tiero’s way.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. We are so doomed.

“Are you afraid you might lose?” Ade taunts further.

I hold my breath, silently pleading for a flicker of reason to emerge amidst the turmoil as their stare-off continues.

The silence is deafening. Not even a rustling of leaves can be heard. It’s like the universe is holding its breath right alongside me.

Whatever is going to happen next will irrevocably change the course of our lives forever.

After what seems like an eternity, Tiero resolutely tosses his gun aside and takes off his jacket.

It’s only now, I notice he isn’t wearing his customary suit. He’s dressed in black jeans, a black long-sleeve Henley shirt and a leather jacket. He looks the epitome of the bad boy… and hot as hell.

Now is probably the worst time to get aroused, but someone tell that to my body… or my brain… or both.

---