Run from his Shotgun

Chapter Fifteen- Wildfire

"You guys really are heartless, aren't you?" I was crying freely now.

"Jesus, Isla! Don't cry, come on!"

"How can I not cry? You're planning to kill my brother and not tell me about it! When would I find out? A month later? Or five years down the line? You'd make me think he'd gone missing or was just in hiding or something, anything other than coming home!"

Jonno looked anxious, glancing to the door and then back at me, "Isla, please, come on. Don't cry."

"Shut up!" It came out as a snap and then I promptly hiccupped, making me lose my pace and causing my anger to dwindle slightly. "At least just let me go with you. You can just sneak me in the car and say it was all me!"

"He would kill me, Isla! You know how he is about trust. You did see what he did to Tony, didn't you?"

I stilled then. But he was Jago's right hand man. Surely, that didn't apply to him. 

"Fine." I had come to my conclusion anyway. "It's all fine."

He wasn't so convinced. "Really?"

"Absolutely. I understand."

"OK."

He hadn't noticed but I had- the slight protruding edge of the drawer, and I had edged right up to it. As Jonno turned to the door, I leaped to the bedside table, hoping I'd find what I was looking for. The metallic gleam stunned me a little, and it felt a lot heavier than I'd expected, but I retrieved the gun and held it up.

At the same moment, Jonno, hearing my movement, turned and he frowned, "Come on, Isla."

I aimed it at him. "I'm serious. I know it's loaded."

"It's got a safety lock on it."

"Really?" I mused, glancing back inside the drawer and holding up a tiny key. "Is this it?" Not waiting for his reply, I went on, "Can you believe that Jago left the drawer open today? The door and drawer. He must be overwhelmed with excitement. It's almost as if he's been looking forward to this day for years." The part was pure sarcasm; we all knew everyone here was relishing these very moments.

"Isla." Jonno said steadily, "You're not going to shoot me."

"Of course I'm not. You're staying here while I sneak off to the car." I edged around him, still aiming the gun at him. "Step away from the door."

He did so, cautiously, probably more scared of my clearly unstable and erratic state. As I opened the door behind me and edged out, an arm wrapped around my waist and my stomach, and pulled me backwards to a hard chest. 

A chest that I recognised, having been in similar positions before. 

I groaned inwardly.

"I'll take that." His large hand closed around mine and took the pistol from me. "Give me the key." He pried my fingers open, as I tried stubbornly to hold on, holding me tightly as we wrestled, but his strength was no match for mine. Finally, he spun me around to face his furious face and those storm-swirling eyes.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" His snarl made me cower. He gave Jonno a quick glance, "Jonno, go. They're waiting for you." 

Jonno left the room, leaving to face the dangerous man's wrath.

"You can't blame me," I said, ready to argue with him.

"Oh really?"

"You're planning an attack today, an attack to kill my brother, and you weren't even planning on telling me!"

His eyebrow arched up, "Why would I tell you about our plans?"

"Because that's my brother! If this is his last day to be alive, I'd say it earns me the right to at least see him for the last time!" I can't believe he was being so dense and so cruel.