Three Gangs and a Silver Sin

Chapter 43, First kiss

Jane points a gun at Marigold.

I nearly lose it right here.

Are you going to let that bitch kill Marigold?

If I kill Jane, Sterling wouldn't have a daughter for me to marry. The North couldn't merge with them. I'm sure as hell not marrying Taminn over here. But if I let Jane live, Marigold is at risk... Save the world or save Marigold? Both will turn me into a monster. The question is, which monster is worse...

Maybe I can just wound Jane enough to let her back the fuck off.

I unwrap the maroon handkerchief from my fist and let it hang from my hand. I look over and Paul nods at the signal. Nessa and Daniel are quick to follow my giant friend to the back. I glance up and Jack's on the balcony with his phone. I let the handkerchief swing back and forth in my grip. Jack nods at the signal and disappears.

I look back over at what Jane's doing. Lynch, the poor kid, holds a gun in his shaky grip. There's no way he can actually shoot Bowmen.

Impatient, I wait for my inner-gang to execute the plan. I look back up and Paul is on the balcony. He shows me a thumbs up. Any moment now. Any moment this madness will be stopped.

"Mercy! I'd show Mercy!" Marigold cries.

Paul starts counting down. 3... 2...

" And that's why you could never have been a gang leader," Jane says before without warning, shoots Lynch in the head.

There's only a second where everyone in the crowd lets out a collective gasp before the lights are cut off. Panic erupts and screams are let out at the sudden darkness. The only light available comes from the few synthetic candles at the walls. A loud shot goes off and Jane falls to the floor - her shoulder bleeding out.

I look up in alarm at the balcony. Through the dimly lit room, I watch Paul shake his head in confusion. That wasn't our shot...

"The South!" Jane yells out, "Every person to kill a southerner gets fifty grant!"

Everyone starts running around, but I walk straight for Jane on the floor. I refuse to look at Lynch's limp body on the floor. In one swift movement, I pick Jane up by her throat and growl at her. "What the fuck was that? You just killed a fifteen-year-old!" I grip her throat tighter - her feet kicking in the air.

"You kill me and you die," Jane croaks out while scratching and clawing at my arm.

"You think I care about my own life?" I ask.

"Of course not," Jane coughs - blood coming out of her mouth. "You care about this precious world. Don't you?"

I drop Jane and she falls down hard before clutching her throat and looking back up at me with narrowed eyes. "You don't think I did my research? Poor orphan Xavier only wants to make the world a better place. I'll give it to you, you're nearly as good at acting as I am. Pretending to be this merciless gang leader when in reality you want to be some hero. Kill me or break off the engagement and you'll see how Sterling can set this world on fire," Jane threatens.

Marrying Jane is the absolute last thing I want to do. But... Sterling is the only one that can stop the South's plan. It takes a monster to kill another monster.

Gunshots echo through the room - mixed with screams and people trying to escape. It's an orchestra of chaos and death and everything I don't want this world to be. The flickering synthetic candles paint the scene in a violent color.

"When we get married, and you do something like this again, I will make your death slow," I growl at Jane before turning away.

Amber is on the floor. Exactly where those men left her. She's shaking and can't stop looking at Lynch bleeding out a few feet away. I rush over to her in a heartbeat.