Inked

Chapter 44

                                 I can feel my heart beating in my ears. I've never shot anyone. I don't want to go to jail, but I'll do anything to keep her safe.

Joey: Or what? You're going to shoot me?

                               I cock the gun, putting my finger tightly on the trigger, the bullet sliding into place.

Bentley: Absolutely. I should have killed you that day. This time, you aren't leaving alive.

                              The motherfucker laughs. LAUGHS! He sounds deranged. I can see Harley clawing at his arms, he must have tightened his hold on her.

Joey: I have the upper hand here. I can slice her throat a lot faster than you pulling that trigger. You aren't shooting shit.

                             Can I? I've never killed before, but I also had no one to protect. To love......I absolutely will. I love her. I will die protecting her.

Bentley: Try me motherfucker.

                            Joey slowly turns around. Harley's eyes lock with mine, and I can taste the fear in the air.

Joey: Are you going to shoot me while she watches?

                          Joey kisses her temple and nibbles her ear lobe. Harley looks ill. My grip tightens. I'm going to do it.

                                                                                                   *Acheron (Ash)*

                                   Bentley shoves the bags at me and takes off running down the hall. Something is wrong, I can feel it. Putting the bags down, I find an officer that is searching rooms.

Acheron (Ash): Officer?

Officer Jones: How can I help you? I'm Officer Jones.

Acheron (Ash): My friend just took off down the hallway. He looked scared. Something feels wrong.....really wrong.

Officer Jones: Where?

Acheron (Ash): Follow me!

                                   The officer follows me down the hallway. We get outside of Peyton's room and we can hear them talking. Some random guy says that he can slice her throat faster than he can pull the trigger. Slice whose throat?

Officer Jones: I need you to go back down the hallway. Get my partners, Officer Keith is one of them. GO!

Acheron (Ash):  Okay.

                                     I take off running and as I look back over my shoulder, Officer Jones has his gun out and is checking his rounds.

                                                                                           *Bentley*

                                       I'm getting ready to pull the trigger when the door opens. I hear a gun cock behind me.

Officer Jones: Put the scalpel down Joey. Put it down now!

                                      Joey's eyes grow wide and Harley looks like she is on the verge of blacking out.

Bentley: About time you got here.

Officer Jones: You can put the gun down now Bentley.

Bentley: No. I'm not. I'm not putting it down until this fucker's arms aren't on her anymore.

Officer Jones: Bentley....it's okay. You can put the gun down now. I'm here, I have this.

Joey: Yea Bentley, put the gun down.

                                       I see him press harder, a drip of blood runs down her neck from the blade.

Bentley: Officer, you either shoot him now or I will.

                                      Joey looks at me with a sadistic grin. I look at Harley and she looks back.

Bentley: Close your eyes baby.

                                     She shuts them tightly and so does Peyton. I pull on the trigger. It feels like slow motion. I can hear my heart slowing down, and it is deafening. Bum bum.....bum bum....

                                                                                                 BANG