Temptation, chapter 3

Joy didn't have time to react as I see Marissa fire the gun. It's worst even than a nightmare ... it's reality.
Extanding my arms, I catch Joy before she hits the ground, my hands below her armpits. I lower her slowly but I have no time to check the extent of the injury, as Marissa rests the barrel against my forehead.

- "Drop her playboy" her icy voice makes me shiver.
- "Marissa ... I ... wait ... we can ... " I'm mumbling but I can't help but obey. I lower Joy the rest of the way as gently as possible.
- "I said drop her ... or ... maybe you want me to finish her now" she laughs bitterly and as I look up I see her standing above Joy, both feet either side of her body.
- "You are fucking her ... am I wrong ??"
- "Marissa you are ..."
- "Yes you are ... well I don't get what you see in her ... she's so banal ... you can't enjoy yourself with a short and flat bimbo ... you need a real woman" with that she comes closer to my face.

A second I can feel her alcoholic breath on my face and the next I see her contort in pain, falling heavily on Joy's form.
She struggles to get away from her but I don't leave her enough time to react, I launch myself onto her, knoking her off-balance.
Our fight is short, she's disarmed and I'm much stronger than she is.

As I make sure Marissa is unconscious, I turn my attention back to Joy who is watching me intensely.
She's still lying on her back next to the door, but she's smiling ... I do a double take ... yes, she's smiling.
Crawling on all four, I reach her side, taking her tiny hand into mine, then moving aside the lapel of her jacket to check the injury.

- "Don't talk ... I'll call Simon to get some help" I enjoin her, my voice trembling slightly.
- "It's nothing Largo ... don't worry" she smiles reassuringly at me, squeezing my hand in return.
- "Just stay quiet, ok ?" I admonish her ... she might be fine but I'm not ... the whole ordeal is slowly sinking onto me ... I'd have lost her ... just like that.
- "You know she's right" she takes into my alarmed expression before going on "she's breastier than me" I see her smiling, but it doesn't reach her ears. I know in certain ways, she feels like she doesn't compete with other women.
- "Maybe" ... I play along if that's what she needs right now ... "but you got her right into the gut" I force myself to giggle, wondering how a shot woman can summon enough strength to kick her asaillant's lower abdomen.

A loud bam on the door announces Simon's arrival.
I'm relieved to hear help coming our way, and I stretch a little to open the door for him.
Joy's still in the way and I don't wanna see her head smacked by my impeteous friend.I explain him briefly what happened as we wait for the ambulance.
A few minutes later Kerensky has joined us as well, his eyes turning icy as he realises Marissa's behavior. As he kneels by her side to handcuff her, I use that opportunity to grab a pair of jeans and a flanel shirt and get dressed.

As the ambulance drivers set her on the stretcher, I reach out and rise the cover up to Joy's shoulderblade. Fighting against exhaustion, she's watching my every move out of the corner of her eye, trying to reassure me with a gentle smile.
Looking around, making sure noone's watching, I bend down and kiss her nose soflty.
Opening fully her eyes, she flashs me a warning look.
- "Wouldn't want anyone to look over my girl" I whisper against her skin before retreating.

As we wheel her down the corridor and Georgi makes sure Marissa is in the capable hands of the policemen, I keep Joy's hand in mine.
For an outsider, I just look thankful to the person who just saved his life.
But for me it is more, I need to feel her pulse, feel her alive underneath my fingers, reacting to that simple contact.
We don't break eyescontact for more than 10 seconds as we make our way to the Tower's entrance, and I eagerly get into the ambulance before the drivers forbid me to. I might not be family related but this woman means the world to me, I'm not letting her out of my sight today.

One day, she'll let me out our relationship ... until then ... I'll respect her wish ...

-----

That's it, story complete but reviews always welcomed :)