Page 117 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
“Shit, man, come on, let’s just get the fuck out of here before they show up.” I still and hold my breath at the sound of Spike’s voice and pray with everything I am that Floyd agrees, but no such luck.
A second later I hear a branch snap, sounding too close for comfort. “Come out, there is nowhere for you to hide, I know these woods like the back of my fucking hand, and if you don’t surrender now, when I do catch you, I will fucking make you suffer just like I did your bitch of a mother.”
I feel Christopher tense before leaning in and putting his mouth right against my ear, “I’m going to lead them that way,” he whispers, pointing across the woods in the opposite direction. I shake my head frantically then feel myself sway with dizziness. “Yes. This is our only choice, and I can run faster than you right now. Cade and the others will be here soon, we just need to hold out until they do. It will be okay, I promise.” Before I can stop him, he’s gone.
“There!” I hear several branches crack from fast and heavy boot falls. I slam my hand over my mouth to cover my scream of fear when I hear another shot.
Everything goes silent, no crackling, no movement, no nothing. I keep my hand over my mouth and try to pull in enough oxygen through my nose, my heart pounding rapidly in my ears.
A wave of terror slices through me when I hear a sudden, loud crack and Christopher bellow in pain. “You little fucking bastard,” Floyd yells, “I got him. You better come out, bitch, or I kill him right here, right now.”
“Don’t do it, Faith. Stay where you are!”
I hear him strike Christopher again. “You have three seconds to come out, or I will put a fucking bullet in his head. One!…”
“Don’t do it, Faith!”
I cry in defeat, knowing I can’t take the chance whether he’s serious or not.
“Two!”
“Stop, I’m here,” I yell, stepping out from behind the tree. “I’m right here. Please don’t hurt him.”
“Grab her!” he orders Spike, who is already storming toward me.
Before I can brace myself for what’s about to happen, he backhands me. The unexpected hit knocks me to the ground and has darkness dancing at the edge of my vision. “Your goddamn boyfriend is a real pain in the fucking ass.”
I scream in pain when he pulls me back up by my hair and starts dragging me through the woods quickly, ripping the strands from my head.
“Let go of her, you asshole!” Christopher struggles to fight against his father, trying to get away from him.
I hear them scuffle before he comes into view, getting dragged along next to me, his father’s arm wrapped tightly around his neck. Just as we are halfway to the car, a bright light falls from the sky and the noise of a chopper sounds above us.
“Oh fuck!” Spike yells.
A second later a truck comes speeding up the driveway, its bright headlights and loud sirens adding to the agony inside of my head. I briefly see a bunch of bodies tumble out, but it’s hard to tell who it is from the bright lights.
“Freeze! Drop your weapons, now!”
I sob in relief at the sound of Cooper’s command, but it’s short-lived when I’m shoved to my knees and feel the sharp blade of Spike’s knife pressing against my throat.
Floyd does the same thing to Christopher but holds a gun to the top of his head. “You drop your fucking weapons, or I fucking shoot him, right here, right now!” My fear escalates at how crazy and panicked his voice sounds.
Cooper comes into view as he steps in front of the truck, keeping his gun trained on them. “It doesn’t have to be like this, Dennison. There’s still time for you to do the right thing. No matter what, you’re surrounded and you aren’t going anywhere. Don’t add to your list of charges.”
“Shit, man, maybe we should just let them go. This wasn’t supposed to be the deal.”
“No!” Floyd responds, before shouting at Cooper, “Fuck you! You fucking think I care? If I’m going down for this I’m making sure to take him with me.”
“No, please don’t! Please just stop,” I plead, not being able to bear the thought of losing Christopher, or watching another boy die in front of me.
“I mean it. You fucking let us out of here and we will let them go. If you don’t, I take them down with me. Your choice, Sheriff.”
Cooper shakes his head. “I can’t do that, Dennison, but if you let them go now, unharmed, we can work something out.”
“No! That is the only fucking deal I will make. Now I’m giving you three fucking seconds to make up your mind before I pull this goddamn trigger!”
“Shit!” Spike curses. “What the fuck are you doing, man?”
“One!”
“No, please!” I sob and feel Christopher reach over to grab my cuffed hands, which only makes me cry harder.
“Two!”
“Hey, asshole!” My head snaps to the left, at where the taunt comes from, and see Sawyer walk out of the shadows, stopping close to Floyd.
He swings his gun at Sawyer, and I scream at the loud blast, my heart coming to a fearful stop. Only Sawyer doesn’t fall to the ground like I expect him to, Floyd does.
“Shit, what the fuck?” I barely have time to comprehend what has happened before I’m yanked up by my hair. Spike quickly locks his arm around my neck, robbing me of oxygen.
Panic pounds in my ears as I struggle to breathe, darkness dancing at the edge of my vision once again. Everything suddenly moves into slow motion as I feel myself get dragged back. I watch Christopher try to run to me, tears streaming down his face, as Sawyer holds him back. Cooper’s shouting something, but I hear nothing, I can only see his mouth moving. I feel my eyes close briefly, and when I open them, I’m further away from them all.
