Winning His War

14

Jem's POV

My hands were bound behind my back while my wrists were tied to the chair I was being forced to sit on.

My head was pounding and my eyes fought to stay closed but I forced the open anyway, needing to see what mess I had gotten myself into.

The sight was enough to knock the air out of my chest.

Devon and Barrett sat in front of me, tied the same way I was but in much worse shape.

Devon had a gash on his forehead that leaked with blood, slowly trailing down his face; narrowly missing his eye. His shirt was discarded, leaving me to stare at deep cuts all over his chest, each on bleeding worse than the last.

Barrett wasn't any better. His nose was bruised and broken. Other bruises covered his body but my main focus was on his shoulder. His left was dislocated and had a bullet hole in the center of it. The wound gushed. His whole arm was covered in blood as a small puddle appeared.

"Barrett," I said, my voice coming out weaker than I had hoped. "Barrett wake up. Barrett wake your fucking ass up." My leg kicked out to nudge his foot but he barely moved, his body already stiff as a board.

"Fuck," I cursed to myself as I forced the tears out of my eyes before shifting back to Devon. "Devon, I need your help, wake up." His body moved when I nudged him but he didn't make a sound, probably still knocked out from the gash on his head but I'm pretty sure he was still alive.

My arms pulled at the ropes weakly but they didn't budge.

"There's no point plotting an escape," a deep voice said from behind me. "You're friends and dead and you'll join them soon enough."

I watched as Dev's chest rose ever so slightly. The man behind me must have just assumed.

A shot rang out.

I wait for the pain but it doesn't come until I see blood pouring out from Devon's forehead where the new wound was.

My chest became unbearably tight as my jaw clenched.

"I'm going to kill you for that," I seethed out but he only laughed in response.

"You'll never have the chance to." He said, a smile clear on his face as he pulled the hammer back, readying the next bullet in the chamber for its release.

"I'm going to remind you of that in about five seconds."

The rope on my arms dug into my skin as I forced them away from the chair until they snapped and pooled at my feet.

I don't waste a second before grabbing the chair and throwing it at the man.

He dropped to the ground, holding his head with one hand while the other searched for the gun he dropped.

I didn't have to force a smile on my face when the gun found it's way into my hand. The man stared up at me helplessly as I pointed the gun down to him. Fear welled up in his eyes and I loved seeing it there.

"Where to shoot," I teased as I bent down, placing the gun on his forehead where he shot Devon. "The head? No, that's to fast. The shoulder maybe?" I dragged the barrel do his neck until it dug in his shoulder, mirroring Barrett's wound. "Certain would take you longer to bleed out here but not painful enough."

I could hear his heart beating out of his chest as he began his begging but I tune it out.

"You could have killed anyone else and I promise I would have made it fast but you had to go to the only people I tolerate? I can't let that slide."