Codependent

Choices Part 2

The sound of the gunshot going off echoed from outside of the closed office door, deep in the back hallways of the club being muffled from the main floor, drowned out by the loud music blaring through the speakers and mix of voices from all of the conversations out on the floor.

Alani's eyes shot open as both her and Roman's eyes darted over to the door. Roman moved from behind her and started cautiously stalking towards the source of the noise.

Before he even got the chance to take the gun back from Alani, the office door burst open with a violent force, slamming against the wall. Trick stormed in, his face twisted in pure rage with a gun raised and locked on Roman. His finger curled around the trigger, and Alani barely had a second to think before she acted on instinct.

She had never shot a gun in her life and it was obvious. The kickback from the force of the bullet leaving the barrel made her arm jerk upward, the bullet that she was now aiming at Trick's chest, hitting him in his shoulder instead. It made her stumble back with a startled gasp.

Trick's grip loosened as he let out a yell in pain, and his gun slipped from his hand, clattering to the floor.

Roman didn't hesitate. In an instant, he closed the distance, driving his knee hard into Trick's stomach, making him double over with a pained wheeze. Before Trick could recover, Roman delivered a brutal kick to his chest, sending him crashing onto the ground. The gun slid across the floor, skidding to a stop just outside Trick's reach.

The room pulsed with heavy breathing, Alani's ears ringing, her pulse hammering against her ribs. Trick groaned, rolling onto his side, clutching his wounded shoulder as blood seeped between his fingers.

Roman took a step forward as his eyes lifted, and what he saw made everything in him go still.

Solo's body was slumped against the wall, motionless. Blood smeared the wood paneling behind him, his lifeless eyes staring blankly at nothing.

Something inside Roman snapped.

"SOLO!" He wailed in anger and disbelief.

His breathing was ragged and wild, he eyed the gun that laid on the ground, the gun that took Solo's life. Without thinking, he stomped towards it and grabbed it.

Alani was frozen in place, her body refusing to even twitch. Mercedes on the other hand was still hyperventilating in the chair, her cries causing her shoulders to shake in fear.

Roman made a slow, dangerous walk to approach Trick as he hovered over his body, still groaning in pain. His face was unreadable, his breathing slow and controlled despite the fury twisting his expression. His grip tightened on the gun as he pointed it at Trick's head.

He didn't even give it a second thought before the first shot rang out, the sound echoing off the walls in the office, making Alani flinch. Mercedes wailed in terror as Trick's body jerked, his head snapping to the side as blood splattered across the floor.

The second shot sent Trick's body limp, his hand twitching once before going completely still.

Mercedes was a screaming mess, scared that she was going to be the next victim. She thrashed in her restraints, her face streaked with tears. Alani stood frozen, her arms hanging at her sides, the reality of what she had done seeping in.

She shot someone, and not just someone. She shot Trick and then watched Roman kill him, with her own eyes, right in front of her.

It was like she was in a trance, she couldn't react. She didn't scream, she barely even moved, her body paralyzed in what she didn't know was more fear or more disbelief.