Page 58 of Use Me
I stopped in my tracks and held up my hands as he pointed the handgun at me. I had every intention of being the hero. I wanted to run in and save the day, be Ashtyn’s savior. That was until I was standing with the barrel of a gun pointed at me. “What the fuck are you doing? Let her go!” I yelled though I knew he wouldn’t because no bad guy did that.
“I can’t do that,” he growled. “You have what I want.”
I realized then that Ashtyn wasn’t dead. It was clear he wanted to be with Ashtyn, and if he killed her, then neither one of us could be with her. What I needed him to do was drop Ashtyn. Sure she’d have some bruises, but then I could charge at him and hopefully grab the gun.
“Fine. Just let her go. She’s a forgiving person. I’m sure you two will be happy together.”
“Then leave.”
“I can’t do that. At least let me know she’s okay.”
“She’s fine,” he hissed. “Ten or so minutes after I remove this cloth from her face, she’ll wake. It’s only a little ether to knock her out so I could get her home.”
“Just take the cloth off. Let me stay with her until she wakes up so I can say my goodbyes.” I thought I faintly heard sirens. I never understood why police did that. That was how they got in foot chases with criminals. It was like they needed to announce their presence when, in reality, they should make a stealth attack.
“She left me without saying goodbye the other night. You don’t get the pleasure either.”
“How are you going to get past me?” The way he was holding her, there was no way he could move forward. He’d need to drag her behind him or carry her, and that would give me the chance to make my move.
“Well, I’m going to shoot you then leave like I’d planned.”
“Then do it!” The moment those three words left my mouth, I realized I was standing in front of a man who was pointing a gun at me, and I wasn’t scared. All I cared about was Ashtyn because I loved her. I didn’t know when it happened, but I knew I’d do anything for her and that included taking a bullet.
Philip started to smirk as though he would gladly shoot me, but then his head twitched to the side slightly. “You called the police?”
“Of course I called the cops.”
He brought his arm up higher, and I knew deep in my gut that he was seconds away from pulling the trigger. They say that when you’re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes, but what flashed before mine was the night I met Ashtyn. Meeting her had turned my shitty night into the best night of my life. I’d met the person I wanted to bring coffee to in bed.
There was a flash of our silly date on the booze cruise in the middle of the day, and then a flash of us going down to have hot bathroom sex. And then there was one of me telling my mother that I was going to propose to Ashtyn. It didn’t matter that it had never happened. It still flashed because that was what I wanted for my life. I didn’t care that we’d just met two months ago, or that we’d just started dating. She was the one who made my world complete. Being with her made everything in my life whole. She made me happy.
“Drop your weapon!”
I turned to see the guy I hadn’t held the elevator for move into Ashtyn’s condo, a gun raised at Philip.
“Well, this is turning into quite the family affair.” Philip chuckled.
I stared at the man dressed in jeans and a black coat, my arms still raised in defense.Family affair?
“I said, drop your fucking weapon!”
“Not gonna happen,” Philip replied. “If I do, then you’ll definitely have the upper hand because I know you won’t shoot your sister.”
Sister? Well, this was an awkward first meeting.
“Get behind me, Rhys.”
I moved behind Ashtyn’s brother. I’d never met her brother, but given what Ashtyn had told me, he’d watched my broadcasts before. I had no idea why he had a gun though, but using him as a shield was in my best interest. The sirens were getting closer now, and I just wanted the cops here already. The longer this was taking, the more I feared it wouldn’t end the way we wanted.
“All you need to do is drop the gun, and no one gets hurt.”
“No—”
I jumped at a loud pop. Philip stared at us, a hole now in the center of his forehead. Slowly, crimson blood started to trickle out of his head. Ashtyn’s brother had shot him. He fucking shot him in the head!
Philip fell back with Ashtyn in his arms, and then she rolled as his arms loosened around her, the cloth falling away from her face. I stood in shock, still wondering how her brother had the guts to shoot Philip. Ashtyn’s brother moved, kicked the gun away from Philip’s lifeless body, and then picked Ashtyn up and placed her on the couch.
“Are you okay?”
