Chapter Twenty Five

Brax jumped into his car and peeled towards the location Hammer had set. His heart raced as he thought of Charlie being in danger. She might have dumped him for some woman but it didn't mean he could let her suffer at Hammer's hands. Regardless of how she felt about him, he was still in love with her. A part of him hoped that perhaps, if he saved her then she might realise he was the person she was meant to be with. He doubted some paramedic could compare to what he and Charlie had. This was his one chance to both save her life and save their relationship.

Aden had failed to shake Joey out of her mood. She was more depressed than he had seen her in a long time and while he kept trying to stand up for Charlie, he was losing patience with her. And he would absolutely hate her beyond forgiving if Joey was right and she got hurt all over again. His best friend had been through enough and he doubted that she would recover this time if Charlie broke her heart again.

Charlie fought to stay strong as Hammer paced the room she was being held in. He had let her out of the gag but she was still tied at the wrists. She just hoped that Brax would be as good as his word and come to save her. She hated being in a position where she had to be saved. But her faith was faltering. Perhaps a few weeks ago, Brax would have done anything to protect her from his enemies. But she had just dumped him, however privately, for Joey. Why would he even care if Hammer was threatening her life? Why would he bother putting himself at risk?

"Why don't you try and call her again?" Aden tried.

"I'm not desperate!" Joey snapped.

"Jo…" he tried.

She turned her back on him, consumed with her own fear that Charlie was being untrue to her again. She really didn't think she could take it a second time.

"Look, let's just not think about it," Aden suggested. "When she gets here tonight, you can talk things through."

"If she bothers to show up," Joey remarked darkly.

Brax arrived in a hurry and Hammer let him into the warehouse.

"Finally!" he said. "I thought you'd given up now that your chick's a muff diver!"

Brax blanched and looked anxiously at Charlie. Hammer knowing about his relationship with Charlie was dangerous. Hammer knowing that she had dumped him for a girl was just humiliating.

"Why don't you just let her go?" he said. "She's got nothing to do with any of this."

Hammer nodded and untied Charlie. Brax looked on cautiously. There was no way that this would be that easy. Standing up, Charlie winced as she felt Hammer press his gun into her back.

"Tie him up," he instructed.

Trembling, Charlie obeyed. Kneeling in front of a compliant Brax, she apologised.

"It's fine," he said. "Just as long as you're safe."

Kicking her out the way, Hammer stood in front of Brax. He pointed his weapon at his head.

"I'm going to shoot her," he said. "And then I'm going to shoot you."

Brax swallowed.

"Just shoot me," he said. "I don't even know why you've got Charlie here! She's not involved in anything going on between us."

"You're in love with her," Hammer accused.

"I'm not!" Brax lied. "We might have hooked up a couple of times but it's nothing more than that."

Charlie swallowed uncertainly. Hammer shook his head.

"I don't believe you," he said. "If that was true, you'd have just let her die. It would have been no skin off your nose. You've done worse things."

Charlie cringed a little. For many, many reasons, she was relieved that she had come to her senses. Not only was she desperately happy with Joey, she wanted no part in any of the things that Brax and the rest of the River Boys were caught up in.

"I have," Brax agreed. "I guess I'm trying to change."

"How sweet," Hammer snarled.

He cocked his gun and aimed it at Charlie's head. As soon as he switched his attention, Brax leapt up. Despite his hands being tied behind his back, he launched himself at Hammer and knocked him to the floor. Hammer dropped his gun as he quickly gained the upper hand with Brax. In a state of panic, Charlie grabbed the gun and fired.

Next time… Charlie has to choose between Brax and Joey while Joey makes some bad choices of her own…