Don't Give Up On Me - Unedited

Chapter 36

The shot sounded and Charley froze waiting for some sign of what was going on in this dramatic haze around her. She knew Paul had a knife but a gun?

Paul's body jerked and a breath left him in a rush. He reached his hand to his neck swaying slightly on his feet and pulled a small dart that hung from his nape. He quickly came to realise it wasn't a bullet that shot him but a tranquillising dart. He dropped the dart from his hand feeling the effects of the tranquilliser start to take place. His mind became a sudden blur, his hearing picked up the noises around him but as though they were at a distance or under water.

If he was going down he was taking Charley with him. He just had a few seconds left before he succumbed to the sleep filled state. His grip was starting to loosen on the combat knife held tightly in his grasp. He needed to move. Fast.

As he slid to the floor, his hand shot out stabbing Charley in her lower back. He took satisfaction in the knife plunging through her delicate skin. Her scream followed suit, Paul wanted that sound to be the last he ever heard. It was music to his ears, as though Heaven opened up and angels sang.

Rachel stood frozen in place watching it all happen before her eyes, in little under fifteen seconds. She wanted to look away but could not. This would forever hunt her.

Hunter watched as Paul fell to the floor before seeing his angels blouse soak in blood with the small deadly weapon protruding from her back. Horror filled him instantly, the scream tore through his heart but it was her falling in defeat to her knees that made Hunter rush to her aid.

He made it to her as she collapsed in a heap into Hunters arms. The terror and pain reflected in her eyes broke him. She shook with the deadly mix of fear and adrenaline coursing through her. Hunter could not speak. He watched the life slowly dwindle from her, the fight slowly receding. Everything else around them became a blur as they could focus on nothing else.

Rachel watched the guards swoop in and restrain Paul whilst he was in the haze. She listened to the sirens of both the police and ambulance in the near distance coming to rescue. What was she thinking going along with him in the first place? She knew Paul was unstable, crazy and obsessed with Charley so much he could focus on nothing and no one else. The warning signs were there but she chose to stay loyal. She could never forgive herself for this but prayed Aidan and Charley could. She would forever lay in the guilt of not trusting her mothers judgement on the situation, she was a wise woman and was rarely wrong. To hear about the baby finally broke down the barrier of her pledged loyalty to Paul. Wether he raped her or not, Charley was still carrying her niece or nephew and there was nothing greater than the blessing of life.

Hunter stroked Charleys hair comfortingly trying to wrap his head around everything life had unfolded. He was never a religious man but he found himself praying once again for Gods help to save Charley and the unborn. If he could grant him that much he swore he would never let Charley leave his sight again and would be the best damn father he could be possible. Regardless of who the father was.

He snapped from his prayers to murmur into Charleys hair words of reassurance and calm. Telling her repeatedly everything would be alright. Just to stay awake and focus on his voice.

The police entered the derelict block of flats first with guns drawn incase of danger. The guards alerted them to the situation and the victim now laying in a pool of her own blood. Two ambulance men dressed in green took the stairs in quick succession and rushed to Charleys side. Hunter could not move far from her but held her hand in his hand to support Charley and to reign in the hatred and anger he felt for the bastard to do this. It took everything in him not too turn around and kill Paul for the havoc he has caused. But that would give Paul the easy way out. He wanted him too suffer as his angel silently had all those years. Hunter would pay to watch Paul bend over in jail to retrieve his fallen soap and receive the same treatment in retribution over and over again.