Chapter 41
“Drew, baby. You got this.” Eli tells me.
I can hear my brothers’ huff through. I’m sure Z’s trying to quietly argue with him.
“We cannot beat them there.” Eli explains before a thud comes through. “Break the lights; let your eyes adjust.”
Nodding my head as if he can see me, I hurry over to the side, slamming the butt of the gun up into the light bulb before moving into the bathroom, shattering that bulb as well before I find my cover.
They’d think of the tub.
The only downside is that there’s nowhere to run to.
I feel the fear creeping up, consuming me. “I — I can’t.” I whisper.
“Fuck,” Zeke mutters. “As much as I hate to admit it right now, he’s right. You consistently surprise me. Always have.”
The tears fill my eyes as his voice falls the longer he speaks.
There’s silence.
I try to maintain my breathing, as I know only a door and a few feet separate me from my potential death.
“You’re fearless.” Z whispers. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’re so much like Mom… she’d be proud.”
I can’t stop the water as it streams down my face, doing my best attempt at muffling my sobs enough so they can’t hear me. Sliding backwards until my back hits the wall.
“They’re in. She pushed herself into the corner of the bathroom.” Jag tells them.
“Make them regret underestimating you.” Eli says, his words somehow stopping my cries.
I know I can’t respond. They’ll hear me. But it still surprises me when he continues.
“Not for being Z’s sister. Not for being Ash’s daughter.”
Letting my gun rest slightly, I rub my hands over my face, trying to ready myself.
“But make them regret underestimating exactly who the fuck you were born to be.”
His last words bring a smile to me.
He’s right.
People confuse why they should be afraid of me. Sure, it has to do with who my family is, but not because they’ll fight my battles for me, but because I am them.
They underestimate me because I’ve never needed to handle anything. That doesn’t mean I can’t.
The door opens as a few shots echo from the room, and then footsteps start.
“Fuck,” Jag gasps in my ear. “They shot out the cameras in the room and in the hallway, but they’re just now going in.”
“Let’s go,” Eli whispers, and then there’s multiple people breathing heavily as I assume they’re running.
The world slows down as I hear the footsteps growing closer.
Because of exactly who the fuck you were born to be.
Eli’s words give me strength as I ready my gun, pointing it in the doorway’s direction.
Whispers come as they clear the room, before pushing into the bathroom.
They can’t see me, as I push myself further into the darkness.
Taking a deep breath, I move my finger to the trigger.
Who the fuck you were born to be.
The confidence comes over me as the image of me punching Eli in my face when I was 12 flashes into my head.
Exactly who the fuck I was born to be!
The first man steps through the door.
You think it would take more force to pull the trigger of a gun.
Or that a gun with this much power would have more kick, but surprisingly it doesn’t.
He hits the ground.
“Fuck,” is called out. Panic shots start in front of me as I push myself further against the wall.
A second man breaches through, pulling the trigger again. Pushing myself up from the wall, I see the wood next to me fly out as bullets are spraying through it.
I drop back down, returning fire the same way.
Hearing multiple thuds before silence.
It’s done? That seems too easy.
Pushing myself off the floor, I lift my gun, stepping around the men, my eyes set on the open door.
Thank god.
Hearing it at the last second, spinning as I raise my gun, pulling the trigger as the shot sounds. But the searing pain starts in my shoulder.
Everything’s muted.
My throat’s straining, but I can’t hear any noise.
I’m not used to the pain.
I scream, trying to make my way to the door, but hands are on me, pushing me against the wall.
Shaking my head as the comms is snatched from my ear, and can hear the audible crunch next to us, and my gun is ripped out of my hands, clattering as it falls to the ground.
I’m spun around and come face to face with none other than Matthews.
“Of course it’s you.” I laugh. “They’re coming.”
“Still counting on it. But we won’t be here.”
Pulling me off the wall, he forces me out into the hall, down a few doors before he shoves me through one. My feet keep slipping as he pushes me quickly along. Flinging open the closet door, shoving me inside.
“Really, you’re gonna put me in a closet?” I ask him, rolling my eyes. “How cliché.”
“Shut up.” He’s exasperated with me, before pushing me up against the wall and forcing my mouth open, and shoving a piece of cloth in before I bite him.
“Pussy.” I shout at him through the cloth, which just makes it come out more like grunts, as he pulls out the tape and placing it on my face.
Swinging at him until he shoves his finger into my bullet wound and a muffled scream echoes in the closet with me. I’m woozy as the clicks from the zip tie start and I’m shoved against the wall.
* * *
I’m not really sure how long I’m in the closet, as my reality comes back, my shoulder throbs as I let myself lower to the ground.
The only thing I can do is push myself around until my feet are at the door.
And I kick. I kick so fucking hard that if anyone passes, there’s no way they could miss it.
“Drew!” Z shouts as he flings open the door. “Eli!” he calls back as he leans in, pulling the tape off my mouth, and I spit the cloth out, gagging immediately.
“He’s not out here!” Zeke’s voice calls into the room.
“What?” I shout as I push myself off the wall, turning around. “Cut them.”
“Drew.”
“Goddamnit! Cut them!” I scream at my brothers, causing both of their eyes to widen.
“Too many rooms.” Zeke says. “He sent us down this way to start.”
Looking at the rooms where we are, I pause. There’s a reason.
“There’s too many.” Z reiterates.
“No, there’s not.” I mumble as I move back towards the room I was hiding in earlier.
Stopping just short and looking at the door.
“This one.”
“How’d you know?”
“He made it 3778.”
I don’t need to look over to know both of them are confused.
At least both of them are until Z mumbles, “Eli’s badge number.” I shouldn’t be surprised that Z knows this.
Nodding before I pushing the handle. “You have shit to pick a lock?”
“I got it,” Zeke starts.
“No!” I snap back at him. “I was always better at this.”
“You’re shot.” He tells me.
“I don’t give a fuck. I could’ve already had us in there by now.”
“Give it to her.” Z tells him.
I grab it, then try to push the tension tool into the hole. An audible grunt comes out.
“I’ll hold it.” Z tells me, stepping in and taking it from my hand. He looks over at Zeke and whispers. “Kill the lights.”
Nodding as I ease in the pick, feeling each pin.
As soon as we feel it release, Z grabs the pick and turns it for me.
The boys pass me, and I shake my head.
“Drew, no.”
“This is mine.” I demand looking at them. “Did you not see back there? I’ve fucking got this.”
Z stares at me for a moment, and I watch a proud look come across his face before nodding and whispering. “Okay. We’ve got your back.”
I push the door open.
I know Eli sees me even though he doesn’t look at me. He gives me the slightest of head shakes, just like the one I gave him at the arraignment.
Zeke moves past me. I’m about to yell at him, but not only would that blow our cover, but he’s already reaching over and disarming Matthews.
Matthews’s shock causing him to stumble, falling into Z. And jumping again.
Z and Zeke both look worried as they stand staring between Eli and me, but Matthews hasn’t noticed me yet. “We’ve gotta go,” Z starts.
“Oh, are the cops here?” he laughs, still not noticing me.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” I finally speak. I can see his eyes widen as Z lets him go, and I raise my gun, pointing it at Matthews. “You guys go.”
Z hesitates.
“I’m right behind you.”
Feet shuffle on the ground as they move out the door.
“Come on.”
I’m about to yell at them again when I hear Eli start. “I’ll catch up.”
“Go.” I tell him.
“No.”
“Eli!” is shouted from the door, but I don’t look towards it, just keeping Matthews in my shot.
I can’t help but laugh as I nod. “What’d I tell you before?”
He refuses to say anything, just nods his head.
“You’re gonna regret this.”
“I won’t.” I shake my head. “Say it.” A slight grin spreads on my lips.
“Fuck you.”
“Not quite.” I laugh, pointing at his foot and pulling the trigger.
He screams.
“Say it.”
“Why, you’re just gonna kill me, anyway?”
“The faster you say it, the fewer bullets you end up with.”
“You don’t have —”
Another gunshot.
A scream. “You fucking cunt!”
“Where do you think he’ll finally cave?” I laugh, looking over at Eli, who’s staring at me wide-eyed. “Here.” I say, lifting my gun slightly higher, pointing it right at his dick.
“No! Fine!” Matthews shouts. “You said you would be the one to ki —”
My next gunshot cuts him off.
His body falls. Hole perfectly between his eyes.
I huff, looking over at Eli, who’s still looking at me wide-eyed. As everything comes into reality around me, I worry I may have scared him off.
“Shit,” I mumble as I drop the gun.
“No,” he laughs, breaking out of his trance. “I think that’s the hottest thing you’ve ever done.” He laughs as he pulls me close and kisses me again.
“Damnit,” he whispers as he breaks the kiss. “Come on.”
“What?”
“There’s fire.”
“What?” I repeat. “How do you know?”
“Zeke tossed me his comms. Cops are here, they’re coming in, but there’s also a fire spreading through the building.”
“Low!”
“They got her and Dan out. They were practically at the entrance when the cops got here.” Eli searches my eyes as he holds my shoulders, before his right hand comes up and he looks at it before looking where it was. “No,” he gasp, looking at me. “You’re shot.”
“Oh, yeah.” I match his tone, looking down at the blood that’s seeping down my chest. “Weird, I can’t even feel it.” Laughter then consumes me and I’m smacking my lips together. “I’m so thirsty.”
“Drew.” His eyes widen as I continue to laugh.
Shaking my head. “I’m fine.”
“Come on.” He motions, reaching around me.
Shaking him off, I start. “I can walk.”
“Let me carry you. You’re losing too much blood.”
“No, shit. I’m shot.” I laugh louder now. Leaning against him, trying to keep myself calm, knowing the higher my heart rate goes, the more blood I’ll lose.
“Let me carry you; you’re not steady.”
He’s right.
“Okay,” I finally nod.
Pulling off his shirt, “Hold this, put as much pressure on it as you can.” He says as he lifts my hand up and pushes it against the wound.
I scream out, tears pricking my eyes.
“Hold it.” He demands.
It hurts like hell, but I know he’s right.
Scooping me up, I want to wrap my arms around his neck and pull myself close to him, but I don’t. I just smile as the pain slowly drifts from me, even with the pressure I have against the hole.
“Help!” he screams as we round the corner.
My body bounces against his.
“You’re pretty.” I whisper to him.
Glancing down, he gives me a smirk, but I can see the worry in his eyes.
“It’s fine.” I tell him as he looks back up.
“Help!” he shouts again before lowering his voice and looking at me again. “I know it will be.”
Closing my eyes, leaning my head against his chest as he runs with me, I feel a calm wash over me as his heartbeat lulls me.
“Help!” he screams again, his voice cracking with the volume as we round a corner.
“I love you.” My voice is so much lower than I intend for it to be as my eyes crack open, looking up at him.
Pressing his lips together, he looks down at me and sighs. “I love you, too.” He keeps moving. “I hear someone; keep talking.” He tells me.
“I hated being away from you.” The words start flowing out and I’m not even sure what I’m saying. “I hated being mad at you. When you got out and told me, I wanted to tell you to stay, but I was still pissed.”
“You had every right to be,” he tells me.
“Not doubting that.”
I feel his sad laugh vibrate my head.
“Help!”
“I don’t want to be mad at you anymore.”
“Baby, you can hold it against me for the rest of my life.”
“Unless I die.” It’s almost as if I realize the possibility in one swift moment.
“You’re not gonna die.”
“I may die.” Finally, feeling the fear set it.
“You’re not going to die.”
“Eli…” I start.
“No,” he shakes his head, speeding up and rounding another corner.
My eyes close as I lean against his chest again.
“Help!” he screams. I can hear something in the distance. “Stay with me.”
Something wet falls onto my face.
“I just got you back. Stay with me.”
My body feels cool, and I almost feel as if I’m floating.
“You’re too fucking stubborn to die.” His voice breaks this time with a sob, and another drop lands on my face.
Everything feels like it gets further away as I listen to Eli’s words through his chest. It’s weird because I can’t seem to understand any of what he’s saying, but the sound of his voice soothes me.