Page 60 of Marek

“No,” he roars, shoving me back, not hard but just enough to startle me.

I gape at him. “You know what? Fuck you. I’m done here. I’m so fucking done. That show, what I made happen out there tonight, was incredible. You know it, even if you won’t admit it. But I’m not going to give you anymore. I’m not going to waste my career on building something with a man who can’t even swallow his own twisted pride for one minute and admit that he cares.”

I turn on my heel, hands shaking as I reach for the RV door.

“You leave...” he begins, but I glare back at him.

“I swear to God, Marek. If you come after me, I will make your life a living hell. We’re done here. Do you hear me? Good luck with your show, it’s nothing without me.”

Then, I run.

I don’t bother stopping for my things.

I don’t bother doing anything except making a break for the exit.

I just reach the gate when Marek barks my name.

Turning, for just a split second, I see his eyes flash before everything changes. One moment I’m standing there, free, the next there is someone holding on to me, the cold steel of a gun pressed against my temple.

And just like that, the show is over.

15

Those moments in life where it feels as though the entire world stops, are moments you never forget. Sometimes, they’re associated with something amazing, like marrying the love of your life, or meeting your baby for the first time, and sometimes, they’re associated with the most heart-wrenching, gut turning things that will forever tarnish who you are.

That’s what this moment is, for me.

It starts off as a cold chill running up my spine, an alert for my body that something is very wrong, and it quickly turns to intense panic. The gun is cold against my temple, a stark reminder that in this very moment, I am at the hands of someone who could so easily take my life. The way he’s holding me, his grip firm, the gun pressing against my flesh, tells me he’s not messing around.

Marek is standing, and I can see in his expression that this has caught him off guard. He wasn’t expecting anyone to be here and judging by the fear that flashes in his eyes, he knows this person is dangerous. It’s his fear that fuels mine, and my legs begin to shake as a lone tear rolls down my cheek, my voice frozen in my throat, my lungs struggling to work.

“Make your men stand down, Marek, or I’ll blow her brains all over this road.”

The man’s voice is icy, scratchy, and cold.

Marek raises a hand, and the men appearing all stop what they’re doing, lowering their weapons.

“One move, even one, and I’ll kill her.”

“What do you want?” Marek growls, his voice edgy but not as cold as it usually is.

Is Marek scared?

“You killed my brother, and now I’m here to get revenge.”

“Your brother fucked me over; he knew what he was doing. You want to mess with the wrong people, you die.”

“You’re right, you do, that’s why I’m going to kill this little possession of yours.”

“Marek,” I croak, my eyes pleading, the fear washing through me unlike anything I’ve ever felt.

His eyes move to mine, and I wish I could read the expression on his face. I wish he would tell me it’s all going to be okay, but I don’t see how it is. Every man surrounding us has their gun lowered, if they so much as flinch, this man will kill me. I don’t see a way out of this, and that realization has my bottom lip trembling.

The expression on Marek’s face is one I’ve never seen before – it’s full of pain and fear.

Heknowsthis man is going to kill me.

“Are you scared, little girl,” the man chuckles behind me, his voice low, “don’t be, it’ll be over so fast you won’t even feel it. He will, though. Won’t you, Marek?”

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