Apartment 306

85. "Dead end"

It was terrifying, but at the same time, this is the first time I ever felt in control.

"Now this—" Zane stopped himself to cough, darting his pupils up to me, "Is a surprise. Are you here to get some hits in too? Your little boyfriend gave me a little makeover."

Seeing his face for the first time made my temper spark beyond this world. Anger and fury stirred within me, thinking of the day he broke in, sending me to the hospital. I didn't even want to think about the shit he's done to everyone else, people that I don't know about.

I sucked in a large puff of air, keeping my distance. "No, I'm here to talk, and you're going to listen," I said with a shaky voice. I had the gun pointed towards the ground as I moved to the other side of the room in case the other guy woke up.

"When did you start giving orders?" Zane asked, almost inaudible. He could speak, but it seemed painful and uncomfortable.

"Since your life is in my hands," I raised my voice, flaring my nose as I stood with wariness. "So, I suggest you listen to me." I only said that for him to take me seriously. This isn't a damn joke anymore. I've had enough.

Zane took a second to get himself together. "Oh, you're big and bad now. Shoot me because, as you can see, I don't die. A few punches won't hurt me."

I raised the gun to his head, letting him know that I wasn't playing. "Don't tempt me. I'm not here to argue with you. I just want to talk and end this right now." I raised my voice, my voice straining. All of this is new—holding a gun, sneaking into a club in the middle of the night, and demanding control. I wanted to be heard.

"It's a little hard to listen with a gun pointed at my head. Don't you think?" Zane muttered under his breath.

It took me a while to lower the weapon. "Zane, you were there when I was little. You looked me dead in the eye and told me that nothing would happen and that you'd be there for me. That was the entire point of the bracelet," I vented, hoping to get through to him.

He laughed, followed by a deep, painful cough. "I was a different person back then. Things change," he replied like it was nothing.

"Blood doesn't," I altered my voice. "And you tried to kill me.

"You and a few others," Zane confessed, trying to move his leg, but didn't make any progress.

"Shut up!" I yelled, wanting to get this over with. Zane's the kind of person that likes to get inside your head, playing a sick game. "That's enough. Please leave us alone, and this can be over. Stop running Noah and Gael's life because they are good men and want to live out their lives instead of running from scum like you. Zane, they paid their debt to you. Let it go. I'm asking you nicely first to leave them and me the fuck alone."

Zane took a deep breath. "Are they good men, though?"

"Leave us alone, Zane. Don't break into our fucking house, and don't touch me. We can do this the easy or hard way. I know what goes on in this club, and you'll never get away with it," I repeated, raising the weapon in his direction, feeling my heart violently beating at a fast pace.

"Again, Cassandra, you won't kill me," Zane said, adding fuel to the fire. He doesn't even know when to stop. What the fuck is wrong with him?

"You don't know that," I shook my head.

"Yeah, I do," he choked. "You don't even know what to do with that gun, do you?"

I stepped closer before moving back, unsure what to do with myself. "I pull the trigger. That's all I need to know."