Page 92 of Entangled

“Kurt!” Kyle’s enraged voice sounds from the other side of me but I only turn my eyes back to Jace.

“Just let him say goodbye, man.”

I run forward at his words, closing the distance between us and launching myself into Jace’s arms, burying my head in his neck as silent tears stream from my eyes.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I can’t lose him. He’s my sun.

“Hey, hey.” His fingers trail up and down my spine before reaching up to tug at the back of my hair, making me lift my head from his chest and look at him. A small, sad grin pulls at his lips. “In case I don’t get to say it later… you know I love you, right?”

I nod my head quickly, fresh tears leaking at his words. “I know,” I whisper, heart twisting up painfully that I can’t give those same words back to him, even now. I just can’t make them come out.

“Good.” He nods, bringing his hands up and cupping my face as he drops a kiss to the top of my head. “I just needed you to know.” Dropping his hands, he wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. Pressing our bodies against one another’s and dropping his head beside mine, whispering so low I can barely hear. “Now, go. And try to be quick about it, yeah?”

Jace steps away slightly as if ending our goodbye before he quickly grasps my waist and practically throws me over the bar. I scramble over the bottles on the other side and land hard, hearing the shouts of both Morrison brothers behind me. But I don’t stop, quickly popping up and throwing myself through the door leading to the kitchens without looking back. I run through the kitchen and hold on to the wall as I come up on the hallway where the office is, whipping around it and powering back into a sprint. It only takes me five more strides before I make it to the office and dive through the door, slamming it shut behind me. My fingers fumble for the lock, shakily turning it as the sound of yells filters back to me.

I have to be quick. I have to be quick.

Scrambling forward to the desk, I drop my phone and start ripping drawers open at random, riffling through the contents in a desperate search. Each second feeling like millennia as I come up empty again and again. Reaching down, I pull open a bottom drawer and rip the paperwork out of it before coming to a halt when I spy the small black gun within. I recoil at the sight of it, unable to stop the gut reaction, paralyzed and hearing my pulse pound in my ears.

A loud crash sounds from the bar, making me jerk my head up and stare at the door as the unmistakable sound of Jace’s voice yells before trailing off into a groan. I reach down and grab the gun without hesitation, gripping it tightly in my hand to cover up my tremors as I walk back to the office door. Flipping the lock, I throw the door open and march back through the kitchen in determination.

I won’t lose him too.

I lift the gun in front of me as I come up on the door leading to the bar and grab the handle, pulling it open and stepping through. My eyes quickly find Jace, seeing how he’s down on the ground, holding his side defensively while Kurt stands above him, bat in hand and Kyle grins maniacally on his other side. A table is overturned near them and chairs are scattered from the fight. Kyle lifts the knife to strike, not having noticed me yet and I point the gun at him.

“Stop.”

Everyone pauses at the sound of my voice.

Both brothers turn their heads toward me, shock filling their faces at the sight of the gun. But it’s the sight of Jace lifting his head to give a small grin before bringing his hand up as he coughs that gives me the courage to continue. I dart my eyes quickly between Kyle and Kurt before lifting my head in stubborn challenge.

“Leave. Now.”

Kyle chuckles nastily. “And if I don’t? What are you going to do about it, girl?” He shakes his head. “Nah. I don’t think you have it in you.”

“Really? You don’t?” I lift the gun higher, trying to make sure I’m aiming for the center of his body and take a step forward. “Maybe I’ll drag it out, make Kurt here watch, enjoy it for a little bit before finishing you off.” I give him a savage smirk. “Not so fun when the tables are turned, is it?”

His eyes turn livid at my words and he goes to take a step forward before Kurt darts out a hand, grabbing his brother’s arm and stopping him.

“This is done, man.” Kurt shakes his head, darting his eyes to me nervously. “Come on. We need to get out of here before someone else shows up.”

Kyle doesn’t move, just continues to stare at me with loathing and Kurt steps over Jace to push at his brother. “Save it for another day.”

I keep my eyes locked with Kyle’s as Kurt pushes him from the bar, gun held aloft and aimed at them even after the door closes behind them. Not moving, hardly breathing as the adrenaline still holds me tight in its grip. I notice Jace standing from the floor of the bar and flick my eyes to him, checking to make sure he’s not bleeding and watching as he slowly limps around the bar to me. Unable to speak to tell him I just can’t move.

He comes up next to me, soft eyes raking me from top to bottom in assessment before coming back to land on mine. “You with me, Blondie?”

I jerk my head down in a nod, keeping my eyes on his.

“Good.” He moves behind my body, raising one hand to my elbow and gripping my hip with the other. The sea-spring scent of him cutting through some of the panicky fog in my brain. “Wanna go home? Smoke a little and then bang each other’s brains out? It’s kinda been a hell of a day.”

Something between a sob and a laugh rips out of me at his words, the absurdity of them in this moment.

“Yeah,” I answer, voice cracking, tilting my head back to meet his eyes. “Yeah, Dawson, I do.”

“Good.” He slides his hand up my arm, folding his fingers over where mine rest on the gun. “Feel like letting go of this yet?”

“I–I’m not sure I can.” I try to flex my fingers and fail. “My fingers won’t move.”

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