Chapter 105 Bronson

Brody goes down, and I barely hear anything outside the scream Nikki unleashes. My head swivels over to Mick whose face is sporting a bored expression.

Sick bastard. I may not have liked the asshole that had no problem watching his sister get pummeled, but to kill him so easily?

“Brody! No.” Nikki’s tears flow as she stares at the vacant spot beside me that makes up where her brother once was. Her struggle becomes a problem when she attempts to get out of Mick’s hold, calling him every name in the book. “You son of a b*tch. I’m going to make sure you suffer for that.”

“Stupid girl. It’s your fault he’s in this situation to begin with.” Mick angrily shouts. I look over from them back to Charles, who is starring at them with shock. Brody was expendable and I think he is beginning to realize that he is as well.

“Do you see it now Charles? He has no plans of continuing on with you. He’s already gotten rid of one expendable person, who do you think is next?” Rand speaks up once again, his composure shocks the hell out of me seeing as there is a dead kid in this room along with us.

“Enough!” Charles shouts, but I see it. I spot the moment his gun wavers and his indecision begins to cut in. He glances back and forth between Rand, Mick and I, and in the last minute, his gun is then trained on his former boss. “Is what they’re saying true boss? You plan on offing me the moment we get out of this sh*t situation?”

Mick rolls his eyes, but his gun remains trained on Rand and his hand carrying the massive hunting knife in front of Nikki’s throat begins shaking. I want to run to her, hold her in my arms, but I can’t move. Charles is the irrational one in this room now, and one small movement could give me the same fate as Brody. Thinking of him causes my eyes to drift to the form on the floor and when I see a small twitch of his leg moving, followed by a whimper, I blow out a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding.

He may be an ass for nearly getting his sister killed, but Nikki would have never forgiven herself if he died.

“How pathetic must you be to assume I am lying to you?” Mick shouts and I shake my head, not realizing I had drifted away from the tension in the room.

Get it together Fortworth.

“I ain’t pathetic. I didn’t think you would off the kid and here we are. Is what they’re saying true? You trying to get rid of me so that you could keep the money?”

A small smile traces Mick’s thin lips. He chuckles under his breath, mutters something to Nikki and another sound of the gun goes off, this time only a mere inch from me. Another scream leaves Nikki’s body as Charles falls to the ground, blood pouring out form around his dead body.

F*ck, this man is unhinged.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nikki screams turning her body in awkward angles, causing the blood to run deeper down her shirt. I move forward, not knowing what Mick has planned but he catches me off guard holding her body tighter to his own.

“Here is what is going to happen now.” He eyes pull me in, his lips turn up in a sinister smirk making him look crazier than before. He’s looking at me, but speaking to both Rand and I. He knows he’s out numbered, but he still holds all the cards if he has Nikki in his arms. “You want her alive Mr. Fortworth, and I’ve already made quite a mess.” Nikki jolts up at his tone again, but he continues to keep in her in his firm hold. “I want out of this situation alive, but I’m no fool in thinking I can get away with anything. So, you’re going to let me leave, then you’re going to put the money into the account. Once I have confirmation, I will let her go.”

My eyes swivel over to Rand, whose gaze is still trained on the man that holds my future in his hands. He’s shaking, making me more unsure of what will happen in the next few seconds. I can’t risk her life, I won’t, but I don’t trust this man. I need to do something, something to get her out of this.

“Take me instead.” I can feel Nikki’s head jerk and cringe when even more blood steams down her neck. “Think about it Reynolds. You need me, not her. Yes, I love her, but I can get you more money, more than from the accounts Anabe has promised you. But you have to take me instead of her.”

“Sir.” Rand shouts. “Do not do this,”

“It’s alright Rand.” My hand goes up and I show him my palm to cut him off. “I know what I’m doing,” Looking back over at Mick, who seems to be debating my offer, I give him a chin lift in question. “So, how about it? My life for hers.”

Mick smiles, then lifts Nikki up and begins walking slowly towards me, his hand that carries the gun still trained on Rand.

“You know….” Mick begins dragging out the scene. “I almost want to believe you, but I am no fool. This girl came to me and I saved her and her brother’s pathetic life.” I can hear Nikki whimper at her brother being mentioned, but I remain quiet, not wanting her to know he’s awake just yet. “And here I am being the bad guy. If she would have just did as I said, and not let her heart get brought not the mix, none of this would have ever–“

A loud crash breaks Mick’s speech and he turns just in time for a bullet to go right through his shoulder. I dive into him, pushing Nikki out of the way with one hand as another shot rings out, this one from Mick’s gun, leaving everything around me to go black.