"What are you doing?" I jolt up only to see Jordan click the safety off the gun which ceases Nate's struggling.

"I advise sitting down, the both of you."

He shoves Nate forward and I'm quick to latch onto him, maneuvering on instinct to shield him from the weapon being aimed at us. I grip onto his arm in a death like grip and feel him lower behind me to sit down.

"Why are you doing this? You weren't one of the people on the list."

Jordan's eyes narrow and he steps closer while keeping the gun pointed at me. "My sister was and she didn't like what she saw in that text. Does the name Hayden ring a bell for you?"

"Your freak of a sister who was obsessed with my brother, yeah I remember her."

When he gets closer and tries to aim the gun at Nate I step in front of it again. My grip loosens completely and I try not to burst into tears at the cold barrel pressing to my chest. It's directed over my head and I notice Jordan blink multiple times in shock at my guts.

He isn't going to hurt Nate - he's his own boyfriend for christ sakes.

"Hayden had a thing for Rhys?" I try to keep his focus on me rather than Nate. "You may want to fill me in on that one. Rhys isn't particularly willing to bear information about the past."

Jordan's eyes stay focused on mine and he grits his teeth. "He made her feel like a freak because she was in love with him. He didn't have to brutally dump her but he did because he's a heartless bastard."

I bite the inside of my cheek to stop from commenting on that one. Rhys never mentioned another - unless he meant the one who tried to plan a wedding. But he never gave me a name and I'm assuming that would be Hayden.

"Maybe your sister should learn to take a hint when a guy isn't interested."

I grit out, knowing that my comment was stupid. He reacts instantly and swings the gun directly at my face. I hit the ground instantly with a throbing to my cheek and blood in my mouth. Nate is beside me instantly and I squeeze my eyes shut at the pain to avoid crying out. 

Okay, no more provoking. That's a bad idea and one that's going to result in one of us getting hurt severely. I hear the door bell ring and open my eyes to look at Nate who has tears glossing over his eyes with a look of anger that I recognize from Rhys' facial expression. They really are brothers.

"That would be the last person to arrive." Jordan backs away and I wait until he's out of sight before grabbing my phone.

I put in the code and pass it off to Nate when I hear the door open. Using my body as a shield I watch him go to messaging and select the last person I contacted. The door closes shortly and just as Nate sends a SOS - NATE.

"Who's ready to get this party started!" My blood runs cold and I turn seeing the person they were supposedly meeting.

Dominic carries a hammer in his left hand while grinning brightly at us. Now he is someone I know will hurt us. His lips slip into a frown and he shoves Jordan with a tsking sound.

"She asked for it."

"You could have at least waited for me that way Rhys will get to see it all," He pulls out his phone and smiles before showing the screen. "A live feed from my computer of what's happening. Of course he isn't there at the moment but-"

Suddenly there's buzzing coming from between Nate and I. They share a look before Jordan steps forward, instantly digging between us to retrieve my phone that fell down the cushions. I glance at Nate while Jordan returns to Dominic.

"It's Lachlan."

Dominic narrows his eyes before snatching my phone and answering it. "The person you called is unable to come to the phone at the moment."

He removes it from his ear and presses the speaker. "Where is Kira?"

"She's right in front of me, along with your brother. As expected you forced her to stay where it's safe and now she's got a pretty bruise on her pretty face," I feel sick when he winks at me and chuckles. "Not my doing by the way. I have other plans for your girlfriend."

"Don't touch them."

"Well here's the dilemma we're faced with at the moment. Jordan wants retribution for what you did to his father and sister," Dominic twirls the hammer in his hand and looks at us. "I just don't want you back at work and what better way then making you suffer in the worse way possible. You get to pick between your brother and girlfriend."

"I'm going to kill you."

Dominic chuckles and moves closer to stand by my side. "One is going to have a broken hand and the other an abdomen gunshot wound. You get to pick or I leave it up to fate to decide."

"You don't have to do this," Lachlan adds as if he's going to make a difference. "Rhys doesn't want to go back to work anyways. He's making sure sick fucks like yourself stay away from them."

"Rhys was the one who broke Jordan's fathers hand and I was shot by him so tit for tat. Last chance to pick who you want to suffer and more than likely die?"

"How do I know you haven't already killed them? Prove they're alive."

Dominic shrugs and moves closer. I latch onto Nate having him stop in his tracks. "How sweet, your girlfriend is trying to protect your brother. I wonder if she would offer up an alterior form of payment. . ."

"She's a virgin and as pure as they get," Jordan adds and glances to Nate. "According to Nate, Rhys was waiting for her for it to be perfect but I think that other payment could be just as satisfying as a gunshot wound."

"Oh please, you like it up the ass too much to have sex with a woman."

I gape at Nate in shock, seeing nothing but hatred towards his ex boyfriend. Jordan's expression falls at the same time red flushes his cheeks. You would think Nate would have been - yeah no, not going there. Suddenly my hair is yanked.

Inhaling sharply I grit my teeth to avoid screaming at his tactic to sike out Rhys. "What do you say, Kira?"

"Don't even consider it," Rhys' voice sounds through the speaker and I keep eye contact with Dominic refusing to give in to him. "Kira! Answer me."

"You're not going to be able to keep your promise," I grit my teeth and bring my foot up to kick Dominic where it hurts. He screams and drops to the ground. "You forget that glass sometimes has sharp edges."

Dominic drops the phone and latches onto my throat. I coil back, seeing Nate move only to have the gun point at him. I claw at his hand while glaring with determination overruling my fear. I'm sick of being the victim. I'm sick of being suppressed. I'm fighting back because if I don't I will die.

"Well Rhys your bitch of a girlfriend just decided for you. Break his hand."

I thrash underneath him as he uses his body to pin me down. They exchange weapons and he pushes the cool metal barrel against my stomach. I wrap my leg around his hip and try to buck him off me but fail to do so. 

"Put your hand out or I'll shoot her."

"Don't do it," I continue to buck only to feel the pressure increase and my breathe become shorter. Nate looks fearful and I shake my head the best I can. "Don't."

"What's happening?"

"Dom has her pinned, crushing her windpipe and a gun pointed at her gut," Nate whines, trying not to cry as he moves to the edge of the lounge. "I don't know what to do. I'm sorry."

I want to hug Nate and hearing Dominic laugh makes me want to headbutt him. "Kira. Remember the belt, what do you do?"

Dominic looks down at me when I stop struggling and go slack. My heart slows down and I force myself not to fight the strangulation to get the pressure eased off me. After a few more seconds Dominic laughs and pulls back in the slightest.

"She's passed out, it's time to break your brothers hand now. Ready to hear him scream."

I heave and gain his attention back on me. Dominic's eyes widen and I force my fingers to jab into his eyes. He screams, gun going slack against me as he covers his face from the invasive pokes. Sitting up I clench my fist, delivering a blow to the crook of his neck just as I hear a scream.

When I delivered the blow to his neck I witnessed the hammer being slammed down to Nate's hand. Bone crunches underneath and I fight back the gag as the bone clearly dislodges itself. Despite having a broken hand Nate lunges for the gun at my feet while I dive on Dominic when he regains focus.

Seconds later I hear a gunshot and a thud before I'm rolled onto my back. Dominic's eyes are clouded with red from my assault while tears escape based on instinct. I barely have time to process it before he reaches behind him to pull out another gun.

He pulls the safety and I inhale when it skims my stomach. The second gunshot that goes off is louder and seems doubled in volume. I feel a rush go through me before the pressure of Dominic's weight crushes me. Nate kicks him off and despite the removal of weight there's still a pain.

I try to sit up only to scream and I realize why it was so loud. Nate didn't just shoot him but Dominic shot me at the same time. I notice the blotches of blood; one on my shoulder and the other my stomach. My lips part in a shaky breathe as I glance to Nate. He's cradling his hand and with teary eyes they land on my stomach.

"What's happening!"

"I'm so sorry," Nate sobs and I fall back loosing all strength. "Call an ambulance!"

My vision blurs and ears ring at a high pitched frequency. I can feel the searing pain across my stomach and shoulder. I flinch when contact is applied to my stomach and feel my hand dragged to my shoulder as well. I barely can keep my eyes open to see Nate over me, his lips are moving but I can't hear him.

I let my eyes droop shut and fade into a much needed sleep.

Wow. I don't feel like much is needed to be said from me over this chapter.... apart from the next update will be Saturday.

Question: did you expect it to be Jordan? thoughts in general over what happened?

Thoughts? Feelings? Predictions?

-inspiredrlh 💕