Chapter 59 #2
Does Hudson fucking Anderson really need to take so long getting to his feet?
I growl, rushing over to him. Hudson collapses into me as he slips from Gigi. I catch him, feeling every tremor in his body as he sags against my chest.
“Th— Thanks … for coming … back.”
“Wasn’t my choice,” I say, hoisting him up further. “You’d be dead if it weren’t for her.”
He nods once, like he expected that, grimacing with each step. “It still … m-means something.”
Despite me holding the majority of his weight, we stumble closer to the exit. Gigi trails behind us, her gun still drawn tight, eyes moving over the room with quiet caution.
She meets my eye. “Keep your guard up.”
I want to grab and shield her. Her eyes darken at my unspoken truth, and she shakes her head. We need to work on getting out. Her words quicken my steps, my urgency earning sharp hisses from Hudson.
“Can you crawl?”
He nods barely.
The door starts to groan, reverberating the grinding of metal as it rises higher.
Shit.
I retreat a few steps, tightening my grip on Hudson’s arm to make sure he doesn’t slip.
Before I can take a breath, a door slams open and two figures burst from it.
Gigi spins round, intercepting the man straight away, pulling the trigger of her Glock and sending a bullet straight between his eyes. The second man charges her from the side, but she’s fast, brutal. Her dagger finds flesh. Metal against bone. He drops with a clean slice across his neck.
She pulls back, flustered, hand hovering against her cheek where a blade cut her.
Seething hatred boils within me that he touched her, but it’s quickly overcome by unmistakable relief.
Then, suddenly, someone charges her out of nowhere, tackling her to the ground with a thud that echoes the room.
“NO!” I roar.
I push Hudson off. He’s barely able to catch himself on the wall before I’m striding over, shoving the man off her. My teeth are bared, and I drive my blade into the soft part on the top of his head.
I turn towards Gigi, barely able to catch a glimpse of her, before a punch lands square in my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Another cracks against my jaw, pain exploding in my head.
A fist tangles in her hair, bringing her forcefully to the ground. She’s on her back, Richard’s bodyguard on top of her, his massive hands wrapping round her throat. Christ, he’s five times the size of her.
The second guard slams his fist into my side, knocking me to the floor. The bitter taste of blood spills into my mouth. I try to stand, but something metallic slams across the side of my head.
“No!” I manage through gritted teeth, spitting blood onto the floor.
Gigi’s kicking and scratching at him, drawing blood across his arms. She gasps – choking noises that tear at my soul.
The guard’s fingers dig into her neck, his thumbs pressing hard against her windpipe.
He’s too strong. Her face turns red, then purple, veins bulging.
She bucks her hips, trying to throw him off, but he’s got her pinned, his weight crushing her.
And then something … cracks.
The insanity snaps, morphing into a panic that falters her rhythm. She’s slipping between fighting back and the horror clawing through her insides. Hands close round her throat in the way Jamie almost brought her to death.
“GIGI! GET THE FUCK OFF HER!”
I break free for a second, red distorting my vision, lunging towards them.
A boot drives into my knee, the metal slamming against my spine with a force that bounces my face against the floor, rattling my teeth.
I hear Hudson yell mid-fight behind me.
The guard tightens his grip, and I see Gigi’s body jerk, her hands trying to pry his fingers away. Her legs kick out, but it barely fazes him. His eyes are gleaming as he watches the life drain from her. She spits at him even as her strength fades.
“Fuck you,” she manages to wheeze.
I can see the bruises forming, dark purple marks blooming under his fingers. She’s gasping for air that isn’t there, her chest heaving with futile effort.
“No – please don’t!” I shout. “Don’t hurt her, please!”
I grapple for the dagger in my pocket, closing my hand round the blade and swinging blindly. Blood soaks my palms, slicing deeper as the person above me falters. They yell, staggering.
I’m on my feet, making it a few strides.
A bullet whooshes through the air, and I roar as it sinks into my shoulder.
Another in my calf sends me tripping to the ground, my arms immediately pinned behind my back.
We’re supposed to win this. We’ve fought so hard.
Gigi’s hand falls limp for a moment, but then she rallies, raking her nails across his cheek, drawing deep gouges that bleed.
The man roars in pain and anger, slamming her head back against the concrete floor.
The thud makes my stomach lurch, and I see her eyes flutter, her body going slack for a terrifying second.
Tears mix with the blood on my face as I watch.
I watch helplessly as her eyes meet mine through the madness. There’s fear there, but also surrender, knowing she’d be sacrificing herself for the people she loves most.
“Stay with me. Look at me, Gigi. Look at me!”
Peace echoes through her whole body.
She smiles – or at least, I think she does.
“I love you,” she mouths.
I thrash violently against the men holding me, landing a solid punch. A hand grabs my hair, slamming my face into the floor. Dizziness washes over me.
I can’t leave her alone. I can’t fail her.
But she’s slipping away.
I cry out, “NO! No. Please! Let her go!”
Then, out of nowhere, a shot cracks through the air like thunder.
The guard straddling my back jerks violently.
A bullet tears through his back, exploding out of his chest. Another shot rings out.
A hole blooms in his forehead, blood and brain matter spraying across my face.
He slumps over, dead weight collapsing onto me, and I shove him off, coughing and disorientated.
I grapple for the metal pipe on ground, stumbling to my feet. I hurl myself forwards, swinging it violently. It connects with the side of guard’s head with a crunch, splitting his skull open.
He reels back, blood pouring from the gash. I don’t stop, hammering with abandon, striking my elbows down with ice-cold fury until his grip loosens. He tumbles sideways, eyes rolling into the back of his head.
Gigi sputters for air, coughing up raw blood as she clutches her throat. Her eyes are screwed tight, muffled cries barely about to leave her mouth.
I fall to my knees, wrapping my arms round her, feeling her tremble against me. “Y-you’re okay,” I stutter. “I-I’ve got you. You’re safe. I’m here, baby.”
Her breath is raspy, and she clutches desperately onto each inhale with a shakiness that barely satisfies her lungs. I press my face into her hair, breathing deeply with her, encouraging those needed breaths.
She lifts her head slowly, lips still stained purple from where I nearly lost her. I barely think, pressing my mouth against hers with a neediness that makes her whimper.
When I pull back, her head falls against my chest, her quivering fingertips tightening against my T-shirt. I lift my chin, turning round to the figure with his gun still raised.
“I …” Andy pants, smiling. “I thought you might need a hand.”
Relief swirls my chest. I laugh – I actually laugh – and I feel Gigi do the same, though hers teeters on the precipice of broken. A soft, hoarse sound vibrates from her, shaking her body with lingering tremors. Even Hudson smiles from the corner – barely. I think he’s missing a few teeth.
Andy pockets his gun, running his shaking hand over his jaw.
“You … could’ve come … a b-bit earlier,” Gigi manages between gritted teeth.
“I like to make an entrance.”
We’ll all survive this. Battered, bruised, and scarred, we’ll make it out.
I’m smiling, the pain a numb, distant thing as I look into the eyes of my best friend. He meets my gaze, and I duck my head in respect.
Movement in the corner of my eye has me glancing sideways. Richard steps out from the shadows, a familiar haunting smirk reaching his mouth, blinding me to the raised pistol in his hands.
He fires.
The shot lands in Andy’s chest, a wet thud that sends him staggering back. Blood erupts from the wound, spraying across the concrete.
I whip towards him, feeling the very essence of life dwindle from my chest.
“H … Harry …” he chokes out.
He clutches the hole in his shirt, his knees buckling before he hits the ground.