If You Give an Artist a Killer Muse: A Dark Grumpy Sunshine Romance

Chapter 37

Rurik

What a fucking shitshow my life is.

There I was, minding my own business and just trying to enjoy my lunch break from work when some fucking asshole decided today would have been an excellent day to kidnap me like I’m some helpless child.

Seriously though? How fucking dare they. I’m the senator’s stepson, for God’s sake. A shitty senator, I realize, but still a senator.

The fucking audacity of these people.

Then, one of the kidnappers had to go and threaten Briar and tell her to leave the State. After asking for money. Again… the fucking audacity. Why are people like this? Why?

Fuck. My heart hurts.

Literally and figuratively.

My heart literally hurts. I feel like someone’s fist just punched through my chest and is now squeezing my heart so little by little that I could barely breathe.

But my heart hurts because I can never get rid of the vision of the look on Briar’s face when she watched me. Like she’s afraid for me. And Briar is never scared of anything.

I just want to kill everyone here and kidnap her somewhere, which is saying something because here I am, having the audacity to think of kidnapping.

Now here I am, listening to these two kidnapping assholes talking amongst themselves as if I’m not here.

“Do you think that worked?”

“It has to, he said to do whatever it takes.”

“I don’t know, man. She looked pretty unhinged.”

“She’s fucking puny. Don’t be a pussy.”

“Yeah, don’t.” I blurt out, interrupting them. “I happen to like pussies. I don’t know if my girl will appreciate it if I start liking you.”

The guy holding the phone makes a threatening move toward me, but his partner shakes his head.

Asshole.

“We can’t hurt him, remember?” He tells him.

“Fine.”

I was about to interrupt them by talking out of my ass again, but their phone started ringing. Hope blossoms within me when they answer, but it quickly squashes with anger and confusion when I recognize the voice in the other line.

Briar’s uncle.

“Did you do it?” Briar’s uncle asks.

What did she say his name is again? Mark? Marcus?

“We got him, Marcus,” One of the men answers.

“Good. What did my niece say?”

Holy fucking shit. I should have known her stupid uncle would pull this off. I should have beat the shit out of him when I had the chance.

“She freaked out like you said,” His friend snorts. “We also asked for the million dollars, but Jack and Ron didn’t confirm if it’s been wired over.”

I’m assuming Jack and Ron are the assholes with Briar. I swear if those two hurt her…

“Call Philip.”

I freeze at the name.

What…The fuck?

“Call him on your other phone and put us on loudspeaker.”

I’m about to interrupt them again and demand to tell me what the fuck is happening when I hear his voice.

His. Voice.

My stepdad.

“I told you not to call me unless it’s done,” My stepdad snaps as a greeting.

“We did exactly what you said,” Marcus snarls. “We took the boy and threatened Briar. But if you want us to let your stepson go free, we expect another million dollars wired to our accounts.”

“Done,” My stepdad says without hesitation. “Let Rurik go. His purpose as bait has been fulfilled. Briar’s probably freaking out right about now, and that’s exactly what we need.”

“What do you want us to do with her?”

“Do whatever it takes to get rid of her,” Philip says in a bored tone.

They all hang up simultaneously, and silence falls around us.

I can’t think…

“Why were you talking to my stepdad? To Philip?” I ask them. “What does he have to do with this? What does he mean to get rid of Briar?”

They ignore me.

“Call Ron again,” One of them says. “Tell them we got the money and to kill the girl.”

“Do we have to kill her?” His friend asks with an evil grin. “She’s fucking hot. Maybe we could use her for other means.”

Briar.

“Touch her, and I will fucking kill you both,” I growl, getting their attention.

They just laugh at me.

“Don’t worry, we won’t do shit,” One of them says. “Jack and Ron will.”

“What does Philip have to do with any of this?” I snap. “Tell me!”

“I don’t know, man,” One of them sighs. “I guess there’s history between your girlfriend and stepdad.”

“That’s kind of weird, don’t you think?” His partner taunts. “You don’t find it odd that they knew each other in the past?”

“I already know about the animosity between the two, but why the fuck did Philip get me involved in all of this?” I snap, confused as fuck.

They ignore me. Again.

“Ron’s not answering. Maybe he’s already sampling the goods, if you know what I mean.”

“I bet her cunt is as tight as that ass.”

Briar. They’re going to hurt Briar.

Fuck, Briar’s uncle planned all this, and he somehow roped my stepdad in, didn’t he?

I open my mouth to yell at them, to tell them that if they hurt Briar, I will end them. But nothing leaves my lips because I can feel my heart painfully thudding against my ribcage, each beat echoing in my ears as I continuously inhale air back into my lungs.

Briar.

Oh God, is she safe?

As soon as I’m able to breathe a little better, I shift my weight from side to side, trying to manipulate the ropes holding me down. “Let me fucking go!”

They both finally give me their attention as they try to stop me. I manage to free one of my legs and immediately kick one of their shins, earning a punch in the face.

“He says not to hurt him!” One of the men says.

“Then do something to calm him down, damn it!”

I’m pissed, hurt, and I’m feeling rather murderous.

I continue shouting at them both when the door slams open.

I freeze at the sight of a bloodied woman, her eyes wide and wild, her hair a complete mess, resembling a deranged siren.

I’ve never seen anyone look so beautiful.

“Briar?” I croak, my voice barely above a whisper.

Before I could blink twice, she’d already shot the men and somehow stabbed the other man in the throat with a flying knife that looked decorated with pink jewels. If I weren’t already losing my mind, I would have laughed at the absurdity of a flying knife.

But holy shit.

I stare at the two men on the floor—two dead men.

She killed these men in less than two seconds. No fucking wonder she’s those gangsters secret weapon.

“Oh, angel.”

My head whirls as I see Briar leaning over me, placing her gun and knife on the floor beside her. Her lips press all over my face as she releases my bindings. I inhale deeply, the scent of her filling me like oxygen.

“You’re safe, angel,” She murmurs, kissing my throat and then my mouth.

“You’re here,” I say, staring at her as if she’s some illusion.

She forces a smile, “Yeah, Rurik. I got you.”

“Your uncle,” I blurt out. “My stepdad. They did—”

“God, I’m so sorry they hurt you,” Briar shakes her head, her face pale. “I’m so sorry you got into this mess.”

What the fuck is she talking about? Why is she sorry? She saved me. Why is she apologizing?

“Briar—” I freeze. A random man stands outside the door, looking stunned for a second before his face morphs into pure anger.

Without thinking, I throw myself over Briar, and we tumble on the floor in time at the sound of the gun going off. I immediately grab the gun Briar left on the floor and shoot the guy dead before he can fire again. I drop the gun like it’s poison and turn to Briar, who is staring at me with wide, fearful eyes.

I shake my head, “Baby, you’re safe. I got you, okay? You’re safe.” I repeat her words, wrapping my arms around her as her body shakes. “You’re safe, you’re safe, you’re safe.”

She is. She’s here. Alive.

I can feel the beating of her heart against my chest.

Fuck, I never, and I mean fucking ever, want to experience this shit again.

Never.

I open my mouth to tell her this when a sharp pain slams into my chest.

Fuck.

Briar notices the change in me because she looks up and says something. But I can”t hear her. All I could feel is this heavy pressure that’s radiating across my chest and pain spreading my arms, back, everywhere.

I try to inhale, placing my hand on my chest to try and massage and ease the pain, but the tightness intensifies.

I feel soft hands all over my face, and I look up — when was I lying down? — to see Briar staring down at me with so much fear. I could feel moisture dripping on my face and realize it”s from her.

Baby. My girl is crying?

I try to reach for her. I try to reassure her that everything will be fine.

But I can”t.

My vision is becoming blurry, and I feel dizzy. I try to lift my hands. But they remain on my side. I can’t fucking reach for her.

Her hands are on my chest, and she”s yelling, “Rurik! Stay with me... Breathe... Nat! Oscar! Rurik, please, please, please.”

Will she get mad if I tell her how fucking devastating she looks right now?

“Don’t leave me, Rurik, please. Angel, please.” Unlike anything I’ve heard before, the noises she makes pierce my already pained heart. I want to restore the beautiful melody back to her voice. “I”m so sorry! Sorry… Sorry…Nat! Oh God — Natalie! HELP ME!”

What? Baby, why are you sorry? Also, why the fuck would I leave you?

Honestly, I”m not ready to die. The thought of death ripping me away from Briar scares the shit out of me, so that”s not a fucking option. I try to tell her everything I’m thinking but can’t.

My vision is turning black, and I’m slowly losing consciousness.

I can’t feel a thing now. I can’t hear what—