Invincible(34)

I made it to the steps and then saw something glow.

The tip of a cigarette.

The f*cking guy was out here smoking.

How stupid could he be?

I watched the glow of the cigarette and worked my way toward it. I should have put a damn shirt on because the low hanging branches grabbed at my skin, slicing at me. It was like nature was warning me to get the f*ck out of there. To maybe just leave Rose in the closet and go find another way.

But I couldn’t do that to her. It made no goddamn sense. Her family was the reason I lost Shane. Yet she was the innocent one in it all. If she was telling the truth.

When I got close enough I could see the guy standing there. A rifle in his hand. He must have been watching us in the bedroom. Maybe even listening to us. Arguing, stepping closer to one another, lining up his kill shot… but luckily missing me and Rose.

I paused and thought about what to do. I wasn’t sure if this guy was alone or what the hell was going on. Or who he was. Or who he was with. One thing was for sure - he tried to kill Rose. That wasn’t going to stand with me.

I lunged forward and put my shoulder into the middle of his back. My arms wrapped around his body and I had him. As we went down to the ground, the gun went off but fell out of his hands. I grabbed the weapon and tossed it away, just to make sure he couldn’t get it.

The guy yelled and tried to thrash. I was bigger, stronger, and he had no idea what to do. I brought a fist down to the back of his head. Then another, and another. That’s when he started to calm down. I moved from him and dragged him out of the trees to the moonlight.

“Do you have any other guns on you?” I asked.

“Fuck you,” he spat.

I sat him against a tree and punched him in the mouth. He fell to the side, holding his mouth, groaning. His hands shot out and he tried to get away. What the hell did he think? That he was going to just crawl away?

I found the gun and lifted it. I pointed it at the guy and whistled. When he looked at me and saw the gun, his eyes went wide and he froze for good.

“Hands up and stand the f*ck up,” I said.

“Okay, okay, man. Don’t shoot.”

The guy climbed to his feet. I definitely didn’t know who he was. I thought about getting Rose, but she didn’t need to see what I planned on doing with this *.

He put his hands up. “Look. I’m listening.”

“Who are you?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Do you have any other weapons?”

“No.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t care,” he said.

“Strip then.”

“Fuck yourself.”

I raised the rifle and pulled the trigger. Its shot thundered all around. I pointed the gun at the guy. “Next one goes through your skull.”

“Okay, f*ck,” the guy said. “Fuck.”

He stripped down to a white pair of boxers. The front was stained with what I assumed to be piss. He probably pissed himself when I tackled.

“Look, I was hired,” he said. “I don’t know who you are…”

“Yes you do. Who f*cking hired you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not, man.”

“Was it Luke?”

“I don’t know who Luke is,” he said. “He was a thick guy. Tan skin. Clean cut. He looked stressed and tired. Said you were a bad guy and needed to go. I didn’t know you were with someone in the room. Thought I could get a quick shot.”

“You suck at this,” I said and smiled. “Now you’re in your panties.”

“Fuck off.”

I tossed the rifle aside, knowing how risky it was. I stepped forward and threw a punch. I hit him in the mouth, once, twice, and then once in the gut. He bent over, crying. Literally crying his eyes out. I grabbed him by the throat and then walked him back to the edge of the lake. One perfect uppercut sent him off his feet and into the water. He hit the water, thrashed his arms, and then fought to get back out. He scrambled after his clothes and I grabbed the rifle again.

“Who the f*ck said you could leave here alive?” I asked.

The guy slowly stood, holding his clothes. “What do you want from me?”

“How much did he pay you?”

“A thousand. For you.”

“Nothing to do with the woman?”

“Nothing, I swear.”

“You going to see him again?”

“I don’t know, am I?”

I thought about it. “Go to your f*cking guy. Tell him exactly what happened here. Someone comes here again…” I pointed the rifle at his legs and I pulled the trigger.

The guy toppled to the ground, screaming.

I stepped toward him and pointed the rifle again. “Next one is in your skull. Get the f*ck out of here.”

The guy gritted his teeth as he cried.

I pointed the rifle into the air and shot again.

“Go!” I screamed.

The guy kicked to his feet and dragged his shot leg into the trees as he made his great escape.

I hoped he got attacked by an animal.

“Shit,” I whispered.

Maybe I should have killed him. But who the f*ck was I? I wasn’t a killer. I was a fighter. I fought until the fight was over and that was it.