I didn't know she was going to do that." James sighed, as he drove the truck caring the supplies.

"Sure." I dismissed, wiping the last bit of blood from my mouth.

James gave me an unreadable expression before reaching out and rubbing his finger gently over the gash on my lip. His sudden softness took me off guard and I slowly turned my head away from him before he could see the rise of color in my cheeks.

"That shouldn't have happened." He sighed quietly, averting his attention back to the road.

"But that's the thing with this business, one minute you think you know where you are, and the next thing you know the ground is shifting beneath your feet."

"Look," I spoke. " I heard you talking to my mother this morning. I know you think I'm too weak for all of this, and I know all of that you were saying to my mother was bullshit. I don't blame you, I get it, self preservation, I get it. So you can stop with all of the fake concern. If I'm so much of a problem for you, then I can do this on my own, I don't need you or anyone else's help."

James looked genuinely shocked by my words. And I thought for a moment I saw a glimmer of hurt in his eyes.

"Who said anything that I said was a lie?" He finally spoke. " If you heard what I said, then you know what I think of you. You have so much potential to do actual good in the world Catalina, just not this one."

He gave me a half smile as he spoke the last words and I wasn't sure just how to react to what he was saying. The person I was talking to didn't seem anything like the one I'd previously been dealing with, so I didn't know how to take him. Was he telling me the truth? If he was then that left me even more confused. I barely knew him, and yet he was willing to protect me because of whatever goodness he saw inside of me, contrary to the reasoning he had given me previously. I wasn't entirely sure about him up until this moment, but my gut was telling me I could put every ounce of my trust in this man, so that's what I'd do.

"Thank you." I smiled warmly back. "I appreciate your concern, but I can't just walk away, it isn't that simple."

James sent me a frustrated glance before directing his attention back to the road.

"Of course it is!" He protested. "You have no ties to this world, this business, no one would come after you." He stopped for a moment. "You're free."

The way he lingered on the last words made me think he had himself in mind as he said them. The sudden thought made me sad. To think someone like James who was so much a part of this business, wanted something more beyond the drugs and killing, was a hard thought to process.

"Are you not?" I questioned without really thinking it through. After a few minutes had past without an answer, I decided to move on.

"I do have something holding me here, you know that already, but I also have my mother and sister too."

James clenched his jaw as if contemplating something before saying, "I can't attest for your sister, but your mother has more than just one motive for everything princess, just remember that."

"You don't think I know my own mother?" I questioned a bit to harshly.

"I don't know, did you ever think she'd plan to take her own daughter hostage and get the crap beat out of her just to prove something?" He countered, just as harshly.

I sat in silence for a moment as I thought over his words. He was right, I never would have suspected my mother to do something like that to me. Honestly it kind of scared me. I knew my mother was a ruthless woman but she was always different with us.

"Are you." I started, finding it hard to get the words out. "Saying my mother had another motive for what she done than what she told me?"

James thought about my question for a moment, I could tell he was having a difficult time answering. But then he looked at me, and his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

"Why would she-" I began but was interrupted when James abruptly shouted.

"Shit!"

"What?" I questioned as he sped forward.

"We have trouble." He stated plainly, but I could tell he was anxious.

James turned a corner sharply and drove down a dimly lit alleyway.

"Why are we stopping?" I questioned nervously. "James what's going on?"

By now the worry was evident in my voice and James took notice. Gently he grabbed both my shoulders pulling me slightly towards him.

"Our look out gave me the signal that we aren't safe." He spoke. "Catalina, you're going to get out of this truck and you are going to run as fast as you can back to the warehouse, you got that?"

My heart was beating franticly in my chest and my throat was so dry that all I could do was nod.

"Here." he said, placing the handgun he kept in his back into my hands. "Just in case you run into trouble."

"James, what about you?" I finally spoke as I gripped the gun loosely in my hand.

"Don't worry about me." He shook his head.

The sound of screeching tires speeding up the pavement behind us filled the alleyway.

"What no!" I argued, my whole body becoming suddenly frigid at the thought of being alone.

"Catalina!" James hissed, running his hand through his already messy hair. "Please, for once just do what I tell you without arguing! Now go!" he finished, shoving me out the door as the vehicles behind us came to a stop.

I did what I was told this time, running as fast as I could without looking back. The sudden sound of gunshots ringing out behind me took me off guard and I let out a small scream.

Then the realisation hit me. James was buying me time to get away. He was risking his life for mine. But why? I thought as the tears began to fill my vision. Why would he do that?

Quickly, I ducked behind a corner and pressed my back firmly against the hard brick as I caught my breath.

The image of a hail of bullets ripping through James one by one filled my vision and I glanced down at the gun he had given me.

Gently I turned it over in my hands contemplating my next move. I knew James wanted me to run and for once I really did want to listen, but James was risking his life for me, and if he died doing that, I didn't think I'd ever be able to live with myself.

That was it then, my mind was made and I knew what I had to do. I took a deep breath, clenching the gun tightly in my hands. I had never shot a gun with the intent to kill anyone or anything in my entire life. But if I wanted to save him, then that's what I'd do.