Chapter 13

A/N: Hello, people of fanfic. So, here is a new chapter. I know you are all excited to find out what happens next, so here it is. Thank you for all the reviews and recs. We love to hear from you all. Thank you to our AMAZING prereaders Maplestyle, SassyNoles, and 2brown-eyes, they give us great suggestions and comments. Also thank you to Alice'sWhiteRabbit because she helps us make this readable. Love all you girls.

Songs- Girls like you by Maroon 5, Monsters by Shinedown

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I rolled over in the monster bed, coming instantly awake when I bumped into the warm lump beside me. Never had I ever brought anyone into the privacy of my life. Blinking past the foggy fingers of sleep still claiming me, I stared up at the ceiling as I sought to process all of the changes occurring at warp speed in my life.

Before Bella appeared at DarkStrip, I never would've guessed I'd want, or need, someone. Let alone bringing someone to my penthouse, not to mention my bed. A part of keeping my emotions disconnected over the last several years was making sure no one had the opportunity to penetrate the block of ice my soul had become. Honestly, if someone asked, I still wasn't a hundred percent positive how this all would go … there was so much about my life Bella didn't know, and I was in absolutely no hurry to correct that oversight either.

Who wanted to sit down and tell someone they cared about that they were a hitman for the mob? "Hey, babe, by the way, I blow people's fucking brains out all over their carpet, and I couldn't fucking care less." I could already envision how that particular conversation would go, and I could see her back disappearing right out the door.

Days ago, she'd asked me about my life before our meeting, the day I'd pitched Alec and his broken fingers into the street. Gloom threatened to overtake me as I contemplated her inquiry, yet I managed to shove it aside. "What happened to your parents?"

How did you tell someone—anyone—that your parents were put on their knees and their brains splattered all over the carpet? Then, how did you go about explaining you now worked for the people responsible for dictating the person I'd become?

I watched the lights from the city flicker across the ceiling, completely lost in thought. She'd given me some background information into her life before me, and honestly, except for a few particulars, our lives hadn't been all that different. The mob may have taken my parents, but her mother committed suicide, and she'd found her bleeding out.

Her confession was like a blow to my gut. How could a parent willingly take their life, knowing they were leaving behind someone so precious? I suppose the same type of parent who gambled way beyond their means, costing his family their lives. Yet as she expressed this definitive moment in her life, her pain became mine in every possible way.

The pain I'd seen flash in her eyes wounded a spot in my chest. The need to protect Bella became an instinctive measure, and to do that, I had to keep her as close to me as possible.

That meant bringing her home …

Into my private domain where I would be able to guard her at all times, especially with asshole Alec on the prowl. I knew deep down that my breaking his fingers wouldn't be the last of hearing from the prick. Pushing Alec out of my mind, I focused once again on the things that made us similar compared to what made us very different people.

Each scenario was extremely earthshattering and had a devastating effect on a small child. The only difference in our situations is Bella didn't go and work for the people responsible for ending her mother's life. Yeah, well, there was a reason for that ending, and to be truthful with myself, I felt a connection with the late Connor Murphy. I understood his reasoning for his decisions a lot better than I would care to admit. It was those minute details I wasn't really looking forward to expressing.

I glanced over at Bella, nestled in my bed, her hair fanned out over the pillows. Leaning over, I brush a kiss to her bare shoulder, peeking from beneath the sheets. No, I hadn't fucked her, and I applauded my newfound willpower, but with each passing day, I felt our bond strengthening, making the temptation to make her mine overwhelming. While turmoil roiled in my chest, warmth circulated as well, and this constant state of confusion left me shaken on several different levels. On the one hand, I wanted to keep her at arm's length; yet on the other, I had this need burning to life. A need to keep her close, slip between her thighs, and bury myself so far I couldn't define the connection.

Especially at times like this when she turned in my direction and draped that body over mine, nestling her nose into the side of my neck. Since snapping fucking Alec's fingers in two, I'd coaxed Bella back to working at DarkStrip as only a bartender, yet she excelled at the role in every possible way. She was beautiful and vibrant and enjoyed the same tips she would've enjoyed dancing. Now, however, her body was off-limits to everyone besides me. Taking advantage of this new position with all the perks, I ground into her soft thigh as she settled it across my crotch. Instantly, my cock responds to her pliant flesh, and I rocked into her, liking the slide of skin on skin.

She moaned something incoherent yet didn't disengage. Needle pricks of sensation caused me to grind into her again, the crown of my cock brushing against the flesh of her hip. "You feel so good, but I'm trying to sleep, impossible man."

"Ummm, impossible, huh?" I asked, letting my fingertips skate down her spine to her hips. When she wiggled her warm frame into mine and her breasts were pillowed against my chest, I let my fingers wander lower, slipping between her buttocks. With a feathered touch, I let my fingers coast between her butt cheeks until I skimmed Bella's dewy center. "Let me show you just how impossible I can be."

I didn't give her a chance to respond; rolling her to her back, I slipped beneath the sheets, grinning when I felt her fingers wind in my hair. Stabbing my tongue into her belly button, I laughed as her stomach fluttered, her sensitivity to my touch spurring me on. Roughly, I pushed her thighs apart before slipping between her legs. My tongue was probing Bella's silken channel, relishing the oooh's and ahhh's filling my bedroom when my cell trilled to life. I went still as soon as I heard the ringtone I'd set for Seamus. Bella wasn't even close to peaking, yet I shuffled out of the bedding and reached for my phone.

"Hey," Bella huskily mumbled, her arms looping around my neck as she tried to distract me with her womanly curves. "You aren't even close to being done yet."

"Baby," I murmured with a grimace. "I will press your naked ass against all those windows and lick that pussy clean as soon as I finish this call."

I heard her grunt of disbelief as I shoved free from the bed and padded naked toward the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her frown and push upright, her eyes dropping into a glare as I crossed the threshold. Closing the door firmly behind me, I cleared my throat as I answered the call. "Seamus, what do you have for me?"

"Took you a minute to answer my call, Cullen." Liam hummed with speculation. "That's so not like you to keep me waiting. What if I found a new hitman to do all of my dirty work?"

"Liam? Where the fuck is Seamus? As for the delay, sometimes pussy will do that to a man," I told him, trying to sound like it was no biggie. While the girl lingering in my bed might mean more to me than the pussy I mentioned. I didn't find the need to let the king of the Celtic mob in on that fact. "I was tongue deep, if you get my drift."

"Seamus went under for a minute. The cops are sniffing around, and he thought it best to visit the homeland for a minute. That means you get to deal with me, cuz. Must be some pussy … wouldn't go sticking mine in just any cunt … never fucking know, huh?"

Mentally, I groaned. The last thing I wanted was to express how important she was to me, but my choice of phrases had given away my position, quite fucking literally. Hoping to change the subject, I gave a dry chuckle as I headed toward the fridge. "Oh, it's quite a pussy …"

"You aren't going soft on me, are ya, Cullen? Still the same cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch I've come to know and love?"

"That would be an accurate assumption. Just pussy, Liam, nothing important," I said, grabbing the orange juice from the top shelf and closing the fridge. Heading to the cabinet, I took a glass and stopped at the breakfast nook to pour a drink. "So, what are we looking at?"

"Well, I checked into that dirty cop, Swan. Remember him? The pussy hasn't affected your memory, I'm hoping."

Jesus fucking Christ, I cursed silently. I should've never mentioned anything to do with a woman. There was no way Liam would disregard the subtle reference, considering it was so entirely out of character for me. "Nope. I happen to be on my game. So, let's have it."

"Well, I did some checking, and it's looking like Swan is involved with Marcus and his lot. I'm not so keen on having my money going to fund the Italians. Definitely need to stop that. He has a nephew, fifteen—might need to send a message."

"The nephew?" The hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up as he mentions a kid. I had no conscience when it came to putting down a dog, but a kid? Fidgeting with the label on the plastic container of OJ, I bit the inside of my cheek. "Since when do we deal with children?"

"Is there a problem with my decision? What would an extra hundred K do for ya? Could've grabbed the fucker's daughter but appears she has come up missing."

Glancing absently toward the bedroom door, I headed to the deck's glass doors and slipped out into the chilly morning air. Gooseflesh rippled over my body as I leaned over the railing, observing the scenery. "Since when do we off children or nab daughters, Liam? This doesn't seem like the Celtic's style. Just a clean hit normally … this … this …"

"Apparently, I have to send a drastic message to hammer down a situation. Since when do you question the mission? Where is the man that just… does?"

"I still do the fucking dirty shit, Liam, just …" I fell silent as I studied a tree off in the distance. The discomfort was definitely foreign to me. When people mentioned having nausea, I had no fucking clue what they could mean, other than being sick with the real flu or some shit. Blood, guts, brains … It was really all the same to me, yet the idea of looking into a child's eyes and taking his life because of something done by his family … That hit a little too close to home for comfort. Years ago, I'd been that child, witnessing shit I had no business seeing. "Just … I … Fuck, don't mind me. A hit is a hit and for the right price—who the fuck am I?"

"That's what I like to hear, cuz."

"So, who is this daughter who went missing? Maybe with a description, I can keep a lookout," I mumbled, still feeling queasy. It wasn't exactly my style to nab chicks either, but again … I just did the fucking dirty work.

"Betsy … or Becky … some shit like that. Dark hair, pale complexion, green eyes. Supposed to come from some small town up north. Forks, I think Devon said when he came with his report."

"Well, how the fuck am I supposed to find someone with such a vague description, Liam. I'm not fucking Houdini. I need solid facts because your narrative is quite possibly half of the country." As I chewed out the man raised at my side as my "extended" family, I glanced back toward the windows of the penthouse.

Why is it his depiction was fairly similar to the woman currently nestled in my bed? She had sort of arrived right out of the middle of nowhere. Was it possible Bella was this Swan's daughter? No, no, not possible, I reasoned, brushing off the thought as I decided to end the call with Liam. "Just have the fucking money on my desk with a picture of the kid and leave the rest to me."

"Wonderful, Cullen. Give that pussy a lick for me. Care to share, cuz?"

I had shared women with Liam and Seamus in the past. Hell, sometimes, we'd fucked them together, yet the idea of having someone else sample the flesh I'd been buried in moments ago held no appeal. Still, if I said as much, I would be inviting the Celtics to dig up why exactly I didn't want someone else's dick in "my" pussy. And yes, it was "my" pussy, and as soon as this hit was over, I would be sticking my cock in it until I couldn't fucking inhale without smelling the fragrant musk still on my lips. "Never know what the future holds, Li."

"Give me a buzz when it's done."

I clicked the phone off and stared at the blank screen. Just the mention of having another man lay hands, tongue, or finger anywhere near the pussy I'd been munching filled me with a fucking vicious need to lay claim to that delicate flesh. With long, purposeful strides, I reentered my penthouse and made a beeline to the bedroom. When I went to push into the room, however, an object seemed to be blocking the door, and with another shove, I finally stepped inside to find Bella sitting in the middle of the bed. "I see you stayed precisely where I left you?"

"Where else would I be?" Bella seemed a bit breathless as I approached the bed.

Licking my lips, I gestured toward the windows and gave her a no-nonsense look. "Get your fine ass out of that bed and join me over here for a minute."

There was a hesitant expression on her face, but finally, she threw the covers aside and padded toward me. Her gaze was clouded with shadows suddenly, and the look she gave me seemed a tad weary. Had she heard my conversation with Liam? Nah, impossible. I'd made great effort to keep her from overhearing my business dealings. Even though my office was in this penthouse, and I'd brought Bella into my world, the door was securely locked. All of my secrets were buried where they belonged between me and the safe down the hall.

For the next twenty minutes, I pulled Bella's legs apart in front of the windows lining the wall, making sure to show the world exactly what was off-limits, as I proceeded to feast on her pussy. I ate her until she cried out for release, I nibbled until she screamed with passion, and I continued long after the waves of pleasure faded away and slowly began again.

X

I sat in my booth later that day. Typically, when I came to DarkStrip, I stayed locked away in my office. If I really wanted to watch naked women, I could undoubtedly have them perform in the comfort of my private rooms, but alas, they were never the reason I lingered in the bar. Typically, when I sat out here, I was awaiting business affiliates, and while in part that was true now, I enjoyed the view I had of the bar.

Actually, I couldn't give a shit less about the bar. The woman serving drinks, on the other hand, had me enthralled on all accounts. Em sat at my left and must've picked up on my energy because his gaze danced with humor as he witnessed me staring like a love-struck teenager at Bella. Not that I had the faintest idea what occupied the mind of a love-struck teen; I'd never had the privilege of being one.

"What?" I wanted to know, shooting a lifted brow in Emmett's direction. While my friend had shared a pivotal moment with me, I didn't see it having changed shit between us. There were just particular points to my life Emmett may understand better than he had days ago. Stabbing my fingers through my hair, I cast him a glare. "Why the fuck do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Just never seen you so distracted before. I knew she was getting under your skin, especially when you had Finn drop her off at your place last night," Emmett explained with a goofy fucking grin. Taking a swig of the water in front of him, he chuckled. "Tell me, boss, how many women have seen your penthouse?"

"I don't take women to my place," I shot back with no hesitation. "You did hear me when I told you Alec showed up over there and was pressing his unwanted ass all upon her, right? Broke his fucking fingers. Should I have left her over there to see if he came back?"

"Probably not," Emmett stated, mulling over my explanation. "Dude, you can be the same prick I've known all my life and still be fucking swept away by a chick. Hell, it happens to the best of us."

With a grunt, I watched his gaze fly to the chick riding the pole. Glitter … if someone came in here with guns blazing, we were both going to be in a world of mess. As the thought played with my mind, I watched Bella closely as she served several gentlemen before turning to clean the countertops. Every once in a while, I'd catch Bella gazing in my direction with a smitten look on her face, and instantly, I know she was falling or had fallen for me. Fuck … So much trouble lay before me, and it was way too late to protect her from the vortex of my underworld.

Knowing I'd already given my feelings about Bella more emphasis than I'd ever intended, I glanced at Emmett. "So … say …"

I cleared my throat, the words seeming to get clogged as I sought to ask the questions that were beyond difficult for me. Trying again, I said, "I … um … If I wanted to, you know, take her somewhere … you know, romantic …"

"Holy shit, man. You are so fucked." Emmett broke off, slapping his knee as he laughed. "You've never taken a chick out?"

"Barely had to," I stated with a shrug, and I felt the corners of my eyes crinkle as I said, "Most of 'em just kind of do things … for literally nothing."

"Sick son-of-a-bitch. You know, you are such a dick …"

"Oh, what the fuck ever. Don't sit and act like you didn't fuck anything with a skirt before Glitter sashayed her ass in here. How many girls did I find in your bed right before we did that hit last year? Hmmm … answer me that one, and I'll give you a hundred bucks right now." Emmett was such a smart-ass, and sometimes … sometimes, I just could … Before I even realized what is happening, I laughed at my own example. "It was at least five … Hell, even impressed me … I have a hungry dick, but I would've been sore for a solid year."

"It was a challenge," Emmett acknowledged, his mind seeming to drift off for several moments. "I think I got the clap from one of those bitches too. Should've sued their asses for giving me an STI."

I couldn't contain the fucking laughter at that. Damn near choked on my mouthful of tequila, holding my fucking nose to make sure it didn't squirt liquor all over the tabletop. Still, I managed to spit half of it out, and I swiped my palm over my slacks. "So, where do I even fucking start?"

"Well, Bella hated the fucking flowers, so don't be doing that shit again. She threw the last ones I put on her counter into the trash. Said roses reminded her of her ex." Emmett played with the tie around his neck as he weighed the options available. "Umm. Maybe try dinner and some dancing …"

"Dancing? Really?" I gestured around the club. "Are you daft, man? I think she's had all the dancing in one lifetime she can possibly stand."

"I'm not talking about rippin' her fucking clothes off. Like ballroom or some such shit," Emmett corrected with a shake of his head. "Dude, seriously, watch a show or something. Chicks dig all that cheesy shit."

"You do know who I am, right?" I shook my head at the suggestion. Yeah—dancing may be a classical and elegant practice, but it was not something I'd ever attempted to do. "When the fuck do you think I had a chance to learn ballroom dancing? Suggest something else."

"Well," Em started, and then broke off to think. "You have all that fucking money. Take her somewhere, roman—"

"Dude, if I knew anything at all about romance, I wouldn't be asking you for your suggestions. Fuck it. I'll figure something …" My voice trailed off as the front door was pulled open and Liam and his cronies stepped inside the club. His gaze sought me out from the entrance before making his way to me. Trying to be as subtle as possible, I threw a look over toward the bar. Thankfully, Bella seemed to be preoccupied and didn't notice the new arrivals. Shooting a look at Em, I tilted my chin in the direction of my office. "Business … Let's get this going."

Liam was a tall fellow with the typical pale Irish complexion and black hair. His square jaw was clean-shaven, which was a new look because he usually sported a goatee, trimmed with refinement most mob members sported. His sleek frame was covered in a long trench coat, hanging nearly to his ankles, yet I knew what he hid beneath that coat. In one holster hidden beneath that oversized coat, he had a Ruger 9mm handgun, and on the other side was a similar model. Even as I watched him come closer, his hands shifted in preparation to grab one of his best friends—as he referred to the weapons he carried—sending an uneasy feeling coasting down my spine.

When I was brought into the fold as a child, Connor Murphy took me under his wing, and Seamus was like a brother. Liam was Seamus's cousin, and while we shared a similar past, there had always been a particular reservation in me when dealing with him. He was impulsive and didn't give things the proper etiquette. Upon Connor's passing five years ago, Seamus and Liam had become partners in dealing with the Celtics. Honestly, I much preferred dealing with Seamus, but, you know, a buck was a buck.

Em and I slid out of the booth, and I tipped my head toward the hallway leading to my office. Meeting Liam halfway, I took his hand and shook it in a firm grip. "I'm assuming you have all the information I need?"

"Sure do. All the dough and info is in the briefcase Riley has," Liam announced, sliding into my office. "Dylan Swan lives by the coast with his mother. The target is the boy … if the mother happens to get in the way … However, I'll throw in an extra few hundred grand. I want this to fucking sting and let that fucking cop know we're on to him."

As soon as Liam said mother, visions flashed in my head, sending me through a tunnel of darkness until I once again sat in that living room. Mother. Fuck my life … The way my mother's head jerked back as the bullet penetrated her skull flashed in my mind and replayed over and over like a tape recording.

Reliving that moment repeatedly within the next few minutes caused me to go weak. I reached for the desktop before me, relying on it to keep me upright. The rest of Liam's explanation seemed to get lost in the sound of rushing blood in my ears, as if I were a million miles away. The buckles on the briefcase were released, and the lid was pulled open. I glanced at the bills and the picture with an envelope lying across the money through a haze.

"You going to be okay, Cullen? Look a little gray," Liam acknowledged, stepping in front of my desk. "It's just one kid. Nothing a guy like you can't handle … Right?"

I felt my nostrils flare, and my fucking nose burned from the well of emotion threatening to burst from my inner being. My chest felt tight as fuck, and my stomach whirled with anxiety, clawing and ripping at my guts. Unable to pick my gaze up from the picture of the boy in the suitcase, I nodded in confirmation. "When?"

"Riley has been following him after school. It looks like he cuts through an alley on his way home, and that would be a ripe opportunity to get the job done. We left a map inside the envelope to show you his route," Liam explained, gesturing to the monitors on the desk. "Looks like business is rocking it. Who's the new chick behind the bar?"

At the mention of Bella, I ripped my gaze from Dylan Swan's picture, and I could feel the anger mount in my chest. Clenching my jaw, I look at Em with a warning flashing in my eyes, and as usual, we share a secret conversation. Finally, I shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a new hire tending the bar, no big deal. She wasn't any good at dancing, so I kind of took pity …"

"Pity? Interesting," Liam mumbled, tearing his eyes from the monitor. "Didn't even think you knew what the fuck that was. Would that be the pussy you were tongue deep in this morning when I called?"

As Liam's intuition pegged my interest in Bella, I froze, and I knew instantly I was giving him all the information he needed. This … This—right here, is exactly why I'd taken great pains in keeping weaknesses out of my life. I could literally feel the tension crackling in waves from my body. All I wanted to do in this particular moment was put a plug in this guy's head and throw him in the fucking river … Anything—anything to keep him from knowing what he'd just become aware of.

He must've concluded his fate because his hands flew up in surrender. "All right—all right. That pussy is off-limits. Trust me … I had a few in my life I didn't wanna share either. It didn't exactly keep me from doing it, but … I have little doubt of my fate if I fuck with that—you know, judging by that lethal glint in your eye. Wouldn't even need that 500K, huh?"

Fuck … Fuck … Fuck … The curses may not have been spoken aloud, but they were the only words managing to make any sense to me. Shit … Shit …

I was so fixated on the change of events I barely noticed when Liam and his cronies exited my office. Luckily, Em was one step ahead of me and escorted our guests out. I noticed through the monitor, however, Liam paused close to the bar before pushing through the exit. Hitting my desk with a closed fist causing the shit on my desktop to rattle, I yelled, "Fuck."

It was nearing four o'clock in the afternoon when Em and I sat in the SUV, waiting for Dylan Swan. Em kept looking in my direction, and my skin was alive with awareness. Rubbing the scruff on my chin, I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You've gotten pretty outspoken over the last several weeks … If you have something to say, then fucking say it."

Emmett's large form shifted in the passenger seat. "Man, I've been along for the ride for what? The last ten years? I've never questioned one hit in that time, but … A kid? When did we start killing kids to make a point?"

"Not exactly my forte," I admitted, staring out the windshield. "Think I'd rather be chewing on glass, to be frank. I really don't know what Liam thinks this will prove, and he had Seamus's phone this morning. I don't know what the fuck that was about. Said he was in charge for the time being, and Seamus went to the homeland to lay fucking low. I would imagine killing this kid is going to start more problems than it will fix."

"Then why are we doing it?" Em wanted to know, shifting uncomfortably again. Emmett glanced at me with a million questions in his eyes. "After what you told me, I know this shit isn't sitting well. How are you going to handle this? Staring into the eyes of a youth and wiping out his future … You good with that, man?"

Currently, if I could list all things I wasn't all right with, I'd need more paper than I owned. Why was this shit bothering me? Even as I contemplated the question, I already knew the answer. Bella … She made me question everything about myself. If she knew I was sitting in the alley getting ready to cap a kid … What would she say? I could imagine the horror on her face, and those imaginary twisted features hit me in the gut like a jackhammer.

I didn't get long to consider the rest of the equation because Dylan appeared at the far end of the alley, and my muscles went tense. One time, I'd been hoping the intel had been incorrect, and it turned out to be a fruitless wish. Gnawing on the inside of my cheek, I reached inside my coat and withdrew the Beretta and slowly twisted the silencer on the barrel.

When the boy came within twenty feet of the SUV, Em and I pushed the doors open and stepped from the vehicle. There was a look of surprise on Dylan's face as he became aware of our presence. For a moment, it seemed as if he would dart in the direction he'd come, but like any other teenager, he lifted his proud head and slowly came toward us.

When he came within a few feet, Emmett squared his shoulders and stepped in his path. "You would be Dylan Swan? We've been waiting for you. You're the nephew of Charlie Swan?"

"Ahhh … Who?" The boy looked utterly confused as his eyes widened, and his gaze darted between Em and I. Tears seemed to well in his eyes as they settled on the gun in my hand. "I have a few uncles … Which …"

My gaze shifted away from the pleading I saw light his gaze. Yet instead of crying, he too, like my mother, lifted his head proudly and squared his shoulders. There was something about his stance that spoke to me. My fingers trembled slightly on the handle of my gun, and before I could reconsider any alternative, I lifted it and pointed it directly in the center of his forehead. "Your uncle Charlie has been making trouble with the Celtics. We're just passing along a message … one that he needs to take very seriously."

"My family doesn't ev-even speak to that part of the family," Dylan stated, a tear leaking down his cheek. "My m-mom says he's overbearing, and w-we don't—don't talk to him."

I followed the path his tears took, watching them drip off his lip, and I felt as if an elephant was stepping on my chest. The gun in my hand wavered, and my finger hadn't even come to rest on the trigger yet. The acid in my gut burned up into my throat, and my nose flared as I sought a breath to quell the anxiety screaming through me. My lips pressed so hard against my teeth, and I felt them bite into the tender flesh.

I was just getting ready to lower my gun when the frightened kid did a one-eighty. He busted out some moves I'd only seen in the few Jet Li movies I'd watched. In the blink of an eye, his hand shot out and smacked the gun away, clattering to the pavement from the unexpected move. Before we had a chance to react, he jabbed Em in the throat, hitting him square in his Adam's apple, and without missing a beat, he dropped into a fighting stance, aiming his hostility in my direction, saying, "I have a black belt in karate, motherfucker. Back the fuck off, or I'll drop you like the piece of white trash you are."

A fucking thrill I hadn't experienced in a long time rushed through my blood, and amusement tickled my chest. When Emmett's face turned red and made a move to go after the little bastard, I held my hand out, blocking his path. "Boy, get the hell out of here before I change my mind and waste you where you stand."

"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?" The little prick did some variation of a couple of flips before kicking me square in the jaw without hesitation. He didn't miss a beat as he landed a sound kick to Emmett's abdomen, effectively doubling him over.

Before either of us could recover from this unexpected whirlwind, Dylan darted for the gun and lifted it with shaking fingers. Impressively, he didn't contemplate his move long before pulling the trigger.

One minute, I was upright in the alley, and the next, I was flat on my ass, holding my shoulder. The boy dropped the gun and ran like the hounds of hell were on his heels while I sat there, utterly perplexed, with blood earnestly pouring from my shoulder. Suddenly, the world started spinning, and everything went black.

Please Review

A/N: Ah, snap. Weren't expecting that were you? So how do we all feel? Drop us a review and let us know. Back with BPOV next week. Later lovelies!