Relentless

Chapter 48

Juliet

I look down and see that I landed on my stomach on-top of a stump. My stomach hurts like crazy and I want to stay down, but I feel someone turn my around with force. I open my eyes and see the ugliest thing in the world hovering over me.

"Hey there, beautiful." Jackson taunts. I try to get out from underneath him, but he pushes me down. "Not so fast, baby. You and I have so unfinished business to attend to."

"Get off of me!" I yell, trying to push him off of my body.

"Jackson! Enough fooling around! Let's go!" I hear Daniel yell.

"Fine!" Jackson yells in return. He looks at me with a smug grin on his face and picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I scream. "Stop, please! Ashton!"

"He can't help you, sweetheart." Jackson says. "See for yourself." He turns quickly and I look up so I can see what he's talking about, but I wish I hadn't.

I feel every inch of my body freeze as I see him on the ground, struggling to pick himself off of his knees. As I see him quickly crumble under his own weight, blood soaking the grass beneath him, a scream erupts from me without my permission. I can't stop saying his name, as if my pleas will make it all go away. But it won't, so I start squirming in Jackson's hold and punching his back, doing anything possible to get me to Ashton's side.

I look over Jackson's shoulder and see Daniel smiling at his son. It was a wicked smile, filled with evil and accomplishment.

I start kicking even harder until I hear a blast go off and we both fall to the ground.

"Jackson!" I hear Daniel yell. Lifting myself up, I see Jackson lying on the ground with his eyes closed. I crawl over to him and watch to see if his chest is moving, but it's not.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Daniel screams. I look over to him and see him charging at something. Glancing in the direction that he's running in, I see Ashton trying to stand. He's leaning against a tree, hunched over and holding onto his stomach with one hand and a gun in the other. He doesn't see Daniel.

"ASHTON WATCH OUT!" I scream at the top of my lungs. He turns around as fast as he can, only to be tackled to the ground. I use all of my energy to stand up and run over to them. They are wrestling each other and throwing fists right and left. I lean down and try with all of my might to pry Daniel off of Ashton. My arms go around Daniel's neck as I try to choke him. I feel his elbow contact my stomach and fall backwards onto the ground. I hear them struggling and look over only to hear a blast go off and the two of them freeze. I lift myself up on my elbows to try and see, when another shot goes off, causing a squeal to escape my mouth.

I watch closely to see if either one are moving, but don't see anything. I rise to my feet as fast as I can and run over to them. I use all of my muscle to push Daniel's body off of Ashton's and stare at him. His eyes closed and body still.

They're gone.

Both of my tormentors are dead. I release a shaky breath and look at Ashton, who is gasping for air. I look over his chest and see two wounds with blood pouring out of them.

"No, no, no, Ashton!" I say rapidly, moving over to the side and putting his head in my lap. "Ashton, look at me." I see his mouth start to open, but it closes and he swallows hard. He releases a groan and struggles to open his eyes. I see his body trembling and look back at his face to see his eyes open slightly. "Hey." I say, relieved that he's still alive.

"Hi." He whispers. He shuts his eyes tightly and then opens them again. "Where are they?"

"They're dead, Ashton. They're gone." He smiles a weak smile and then winces in pain. "What can I do?"