I had to pull the trigger.
Fuck, I had to kill her.
Otherwise, Richie was fucked.
My people were fucked.
Colm would burn everything I loved to the ground, and his people would spread the ashes across the city as a message to those that defied him.
As I tensed my finger, the dog suddenly looked back at me and started to bark.
“Petey, stop it,” the girl said and began to turn back.
My eyes went wide, terror springing into my chest. I didn’t think it was possible to feel more afraid, more broken and confused, but it was. Adrenaline spiked in my core, causing me to feel almost dizzy. Time slowed down, and I made my decision faster than I even knew possible. Before the girl could turn fully, I whipped the gun behind my back, out of sight.
As she faced me, I felt something break inside my chest. I felt something change forever, something shift in my world. I knew I wasn’t going to pull the trigger, and could never pull the trigger again for a man like Colm. I knew my life just got that much more dangerous.
I worked my jaw, trying to find words, eyes wide and heart racing.
Chapter Six: Ellie
“Liam? What are you doing down here?” I asked, laughing.
He looked as surprised as I felt, although he was sweating and a little pale. Still, he was as handsome as always, with a chiseled jaw and a certain presence about him. Petey barked some more, and I pulled softly at his leash.
“Stop, Petey, calm down,” I said, and he looked up at me.
Liam didn’t say anything. He looked like he was trying to formulate words, but nothing was coming out. Something felt weird about the whole situation, and I wondered what the hell he was doing down in an underpass with nobody else in sight. I hadn’t seen him as I was walking, which meant he must have been hiding somewhere out of sight, or maybe he had come from a path I hadn’t noticed. I stared at him quizzically.
“Liam?” I asked again, taking a step closer.
Suddenly his shocked and confused expression melted away, replaced by his large, cocky smile.
“What, are you following me or something?” he said.
I laughed. Petey barked again, and I kneeled down next to him and began to gently pet his shoulders, calming him. Liam did something with his right arm, maybe dropped something behind him, and then came a little closer.
“Who’s this guy?” he asked.
“This is Petey.”
“Hey there, Petey.” He held his hand out for Petey to sniff, and he began to softly stroke his back.
“What are you doing down here? You scared me,” I said.
He laughed. “Sorry about that. I was just out for a walk.”
I looked around. “Where’d you come from?”
He gestured back the way I had come. “Back there. I saw you from a block up and thought I’d catch you, say hello.”
“Oh, well hey.”
He grinned at me. “Hey yourself.”
There was something about him, something irresistible. I couldn’t tell if it was his muscled body or his confidence, but I hadn’t been able to get him out of my mind ever since he had approached me earlier to ask me out. He had acted like it was obvious that I would say yes, and for whatever reason, he was right. Just like back at the school, I felt compelled to be around him.
I stood up and looked around as he kept petting Petey.
“Creepy place,” I mumbled.
“What’s that?”
“Just saying how this is a creepy spot.”
He looked around and shrugged. “No different than anywhere else.”
“You’re probably right,” I said softly.
He stood up. “Where are you headed?”
I shrugged. “Just a few more blocks and then back home. Feel like joining me?”
“I’d really like that,” he said. He said it with such a serious expression, like it was the most important thing in the world. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What?” he asked, the serious expression fading, replaced by his smile.
“Nothing. You just looked so serious. It’s just a walk,” I said, teasing.
“Not just a walk, the best walk of your life.”
“Yeah, why’s that?”
He grinned his perfect, arrogant smile. “Because I’m here.”
I laughed again and shook my head. “All right then. Let’s get going.”
I started moving, and Petey charged ahead. For some reason, he was being particularly bad, like he had no interest in doing anything but pulling me along behind him. I guessed it was punishment for coming home later than usual.
“So, how long have you had him?” Liam said.
“Little more than a year. He was a rescue.”
“Good looking dog.”
“You should have seen him when I got him. He was a mess, way underweight, had worms and bite wounds from fighting other strays.”