Omertà

Chapter 12, Part 1: I Can't Wait

I always used to think it'd be super cool to be in an action movie and look all badass, but now that I'm sprinting for my life and dodging bullets, it all seems less appealing. Outside the warehouse, the men who were standing guard start yelling orders and calling for backup. I scream as a bullet flies past me. Dimitri looks back and slows down only enough for me to catch up before grabbing me and pulling me forward. I struggle to keep up as he continues shooting back at our pursuers.

"You planning on just tagging along, or helping?" Dimitri shouts at me as he ducks down to dodge a bullet.

I look down at the firearm I my hand and hesitantly look back. How hard could it be? I aim it behind me and pull the trigger. The gun bucks in my hand and I let out a cry of surprise when it goes nowhere near where I was aiming.

"You know... I think... It's best if... I just follow!" I gasp out between breaths.  He doesn't answer, he just continues dragging me through the makeshift battle field. I let out a sigh of relief when we finally stop at a car.

"Get in!" He yells, opening the door for me. I rush inside and turn back to face him just as a man grabs him from behind.

"Dimitri!" I yell as the man puts him in a choke hold. I watch in horror as the man cuts off his airway, his efforts lethal. I fumble for my gun, turn off the safety and aim at the man's head.

Bang!

They both fall to the ground. "Dimitri?"

"I thought you were going to shoot me, Bella." He groans, moving the man aside and getting up. "Nice aim."

I look down at the motionless man on the ground as Dimitri climbs into drivers side and starts the car.

"Is he dead?" I whisper quietly. Dimitri glances at me as he drives off towards wherever it is the house is.

"Si, Bella."

I bring me feet up and tuck my knees under my chin. "I killed someone?" I whisper again, a tear escaping the corner of my eye. I killed a man. A man with a family and a life of his own. I took everything away from him without thinking twice about it.

Dimitri glances over at me once more time. "Bella, if you hadn't I would be dead. It was self defense."

"I'm going to go to hell... Oh, God. Why am I such an idiot!" I scream, more tears beginning to fall down my face.

"Bella! It's not your fault, you had no choice. Now stop, this is ridiculous! He was trying to kill us!" Dimitri yells, losing his patience.

"Fuck you!" I sob. "All of this happened because of you! I used to have bad luck, but this, you, are the worst thing that's ever happened to me!" Dimitri slams on the brakes and I jolt forward, my seatbelt barely stoping me from going through the windshield.

"Don't say that." He seethes, staring straight ahead. His jaw is clenched and his knuckles are turning white from gripping the steering wheel too much.

"What?" I yell. "That your the worst thing that's ever happened to me?"

His jaw ticks. "Stop."

I can't help it, I can't stop yelling at him. He managed to break me, no, he managed to shatter me. "I hate you. I fucking ha-" He cuts me off by grabbing my throat. My pulse picks up in fear at the situation. His grip isn't tight enough to hurt me, but it's uncomfortable.

"You don't hate me." He says slowly, closing his eyes. That's when I realize what he's doing, he's calming himself down. He takes me by the arms and pulls me over the console before I can protest and pulls me onto his lap so that I'm straddling him. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me tightly to his chest. "I won't let you hate me." He mumbles, tucking his face I to my neck.