36. The Gift
Chapter 36
The Gift
H e kissed me like it was the last time he might see me, demanding that I stay safe and remember that I belonged to him, and I didn’t utter one fucking word. Why didn’t I say anything? He might die out there, trying to protect us from his father, and I chose that moment in my life to remain silent. What the hell is wrong with me?
This man has all my emotions tangled up inside of me, and wrapped in dark chaos. Blood, mayhem, and unhinged violence, surround him like a thick layer of steel that is impenetrable, and yet he sat there and showed me a weak spot in his armor. I no longer comprehend if the world is up or down right now; all I do know is, that was the hottest kiss I’ve ever received, and the sweetest words anyone has ever spoken to me, and I let him go. Is this what it feels like to be genuinely wanted and cherished? To be overwhelmed by passion, and lose yourself to your emotions? All of these feelings are foreign to me, and they terrify me down to my guarded and mistrusting soul.
My hand tightens on the gun he gave me, as I stare sightlessly ahead to where he stood mere moments ago. I feel like I’m not seeing anything in front of me, just a haze, and instead, only the image of his serious expression, and those dark, stormy gray eyes as he declared that he loved me, remain. “I’d like to think that I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, but the truth is I think my heart has always been in love with you, and it was just waiting to meet you. You, Chrissy Cranbrook, are the reason it beats, and without you, there is no reason for me to keep breathing.”
Who the hell says things like that? Who declares their love to a person they kidnapped, during a siege, and then walks away? Instead of replying to his words, I sat there stupefied and overwhelmed, staring into his gunmetal gray eyes filled with expectation and hope. No one besides Daisy has ever told me they love me, and she certainly doesn’t mean the type of love that Nic is implying. All I could think about was whether this was what it felt like to be wanted. No one besides Toothless and Daisy has ever needed or wanted me. They have always been my only family. I spent my childhood and teenage years alone, with no one to count on besides myself, and I have always had to fight to protect myself from the monsters who would enjoy hurting me.
My heart soared with his words, and the earnest expression on his face. I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back, but instead, I froze. When he begged me to respond, I couldn’t make the words form on my lips. I wanted to tell him that I felt something for him too, that it wasn’t just one-sided, but nothing left me, as my throat closed up with dread. What if he’s just saying all that to keep me here, playing me for a fool? I didn’t want anyone to see the constant self-doubt and vulnerability that lives within me, the one that never adds up to others’ expectations, and constantly causes me to feel like I’m lacking, or less than them. I’ve been hurt too many times because I trusted others, and they used that to exploit me. I refuse to allow anyone the opportunity to destroy what’s left of me.
A loud bang, as the door at the end of the hall splinters, and a black ball of fur races down the hallway toward me, reduces my current thoughts to ash. “Toothless! Hey, baby!” The sweet boy almost takes me down to the ground in his eagerness to get to me, and I wrap my arms around his thick neck. He’s happy and distracted for a mere second, before Micah makes the deadly mistake of moving. Before I can restrain him, he’s darting out of my arms, using his body to protect me and Daisy, and growling ferociously in Micah’s direction. “SHIT! Call off your beast!” Micah shouts with panic.
“I don’t know, I say we let Toothless eat him; he’s a dick,” Daisy shouts above the barking, as I grab onto the large dog’s collar, and am almost taken off my feet. “Stay, Toothless, friend!” Though I doubt that very much.
Toothless instantly heels, but continues to growl aggressively at Micah in warning, and honestly, I’m okay with that. I don’t trust the slimy fuck, he went to my house with nefarious intentions, and he’s the reason his psychotic father is here now. Who’s to say he wasn’t in on this plan from the very beginning? The only ones I can trust are Daisy and my dog, and actions always speak louder than words. We can trust Nic; he’s out there trying to save us, my mind supplies.
The sound of gunfire outside of the cabin gets all of our attention, and for a moment, I’m not sure what to do. I want to go help Nic, but he made it clear we’re not to step foot outside of the cabin, and to shoot anyone besides him who comes in. “We have to do something; we have to help him!” I yell at Micah, who has the audacity to point his gun towards Toothless. “Trust me, Red, my brother doesn’t need our help outside. He’ll have them all dispatched to hell shortly, so all we have to do is worry about anyone getting past him and inside.”
Just as he finishes his statement, we hear the sound of glass shattering, and painful, shrill screams from the other side of the cabin. I don’t hesitate to move in that direction; my self-preservation lost amongst all the noise, my gun firmly in my hand, and the blade shoved into my back pocket. I can hear the thundering footsteps of Micah, Daisy, and Toothless behind me, as we reach a large oak kitchen area, and see the glass all over the floor from the shattered patio door. A man is shuddering on his hands and knees, his body contorting grotesquely as electricity soars through his limbs. Jesus fuck, what the hell have I found myself involved in?
Toothless doesn’t hesitate to barge past me, growling deeply in his throat, as he places himself between us and the threat. The guy suddenly stops shaking and makes a move to attempt to stand, and before I can stop him, Toothless launches his muscled body at him, and bites into his upper arm, tearing into him. The screams are right out of a nightmare, and so is the blood.
My eyes meet Daisy’s, and where I thought I would see identical fear and disgust, instead, I’m rewarded with sparkling eyes, and a mischievous smile across her pixie face. “Daisy!” I shout to get her attention, but she hesitates to pry her eyes off the scene before her to meet my glance, and all the while, screams of terror and ripping sounds are happening, that cause bile to race up the back of my throat. “ Good boy , Toothless! You show him who’s boss!“ She cackles with glee, and claps her hands like a small child. I search for Micah, thinking the fucker must have escaped in the chaos, but I find him pressed against the furthest wall, looking a little green, his gray eyes wide with dread. “Keep... that... monster away from me!” He turns to the side and empties the contents of his stomach. I can’t really blame him; I’m close to doing the same.
A shadow moves from the corner of my eye, and before I can scream out a warning, a man dressed in dark camouflage grabs hold of Micah. His large arm wraps around his neck, and a gun is drawn to Micah’s temple. “Your daddy’s not too impressed with you, boy ,“ his southern twang fills the air, and I have to grab Toothless, and haul him back with all my might, before he attacks the newcomer. “In fact, the governor has issued an order to kill you and your brother on sight. You must have really pissed him off.”
“I’ll... double... whatever he’s... paying, let... me... live,” Micah gasps as his face goes red with strain, but the response is a deep, rumbling chuckle from the man with the gun. “I don’t think you have that kind of money, boy. I’ll take my chances with the governor.” His dark eyes trail over Daisy and me, and my skin crawls with revulsion. “I’ll be taking those sluts as spoils of war too.” He tilts his chin in our direction. The fuck, he will! I would rather die.
I raise my hand with the gun, and it trembles in my grasp. “Whatcha gonna do with that, girlie, hmmm? Why don’t you put that down before you get yourself hurt,” he calls with a grin. I can almost read his disgusting thoughts, and I know that if this creep manages to kill Micah, and make it past Toothless, Daisy and I are going to wish for death. My finger twitches against the trigger as I take a few deep breaths. I’m only going to get one shot, before he fires that gun and kills Nic’s brother, and I’ve never in my life shot a gun at a person. While I’m busily contemplating what to do, and how accurate my shot needs to be, an explosion sounds from my other side, and the man’s head blows back against the wall and explodes like a crimson balloon. “Don’t call us sluts, you dirty old cunt!” Daisy’s shrill voice meets my ears, and I turn slowly to stare at her in awe, my mouth dropping open in horror.
The man’s body drops like a sack of stones, and he releases his hold on Micah, who is covered in blood splatter and trembling. “HOLY SHIT!” He gasps, as he bends forward and grabs his knees, as he attempts to breathe. “Jesus, Daisy, how the hell did you learn to shoot like that?” I grab her arm, which is still pointing the gun in that direction, and force her to meet my eyes, all while Toothless whines at our side.
“Girl, I was raised on a farm, you know that. My daddy was an abusive asshole, but he made sure we all knew how to shoot.” This is the first I’ve heard of her knowing how to handle a weapon besides a bat, and I’ve lived with the brat for three years. We can’t stop to discuss this now. There are sounds of shots being fired in close proximity to the house, and I’m afraid more men like that asshole, whose brains are coating Nic’s kitchen walls, are coming.
“We have to get out of here!” I utter, as I look for a possible way out of the cabin. How the hell did Nic get outside?
“You, missy, aren’t going anywhere,” a strong, male, authoritative voice catches my attention, and has my neck craning around, to stare at a man in his sixties, wearing an expensive wool coat, and pointing a gun right at me. He has the same gray eyes as his sons, but more wrinkles line his aged and fake-tanned face. “Hello, son, I see you’ve made new friends. Pity all of you are about to die.”