Shoot or lose

3

July 1st - 1995
New Jersey

Angel

My heart is jumping on my chest like crazy. I can feel it beating a mile per hour. Just the sound of his voice causes me this kind of stress.

"Will you turn around for me, please" I feel scared tears already forming in my eyes, slowly, I turn to him. "We have some stuff to talk about" I gasp quietly. His lip is busted and his eye is swollen like he was just in a fight.

"You can't be here" I blur out in a shaky voice. "I have a restraining order against you"

He doesn't care.

"I'm aware. It still hurts by the way" He jokes and I gulp.

"I don't plan to stay for a long time, I just wanna know why you blocked me" I step back blinking away my tears. "I'm not stupid, Angela sweetheart."

"You were bothering me"

"Was I? I think I was just trying to have a conversation with my girlfr-"

"Don't, Stephan" I stop him, raising my hand in the air. "We are over, please accept that and move on"

His eyes suddenly darken and he walks dangerously close to me. "What did you just say to me?"

"Hey, mate" I hear Harry somewhere close but I can't take my eyes away from him. It feels like he might kill me if I do. "Why don't you step away from the counter? You are way to close to her"

"Leave us alone. You don't want any trouble"

"Enfoiré stupide. Ne la touche pas, putain" He mutters something in french. "I'm the owner, I control who I gets permission to enter in my house and I don't think you were in the list" He politely trys to kick him out.

"I'm just talking to my girlfriend here, man. Can't I do that?" Harry's eyes widen and his jaw clenches hard.

Fuck. No. Now he knows its him.

"No you can't. She's not your girlfriend so you can either leave by choice or I'll have my guards accompany you out"

Stephan smirks while cracking his knuckles. He connects their chest's in a powerful hit, "What the f-"

This is what I've been trying to avoid.

"I don't need anyone to protect me from Stephan. This is my business, you can leave" I tell Harry not being able to look him in the eye. "We were simply talking"

"But-"

"Go back to your poker, boss" I whisper.

Harry looks particularly hurt that I dismissed his help. He has to understand that Stephan is not just a dog that barks. He also bites, and bites hard. Harry is not exactly my favorite person right now, but I still don't want him to die obviously. He saved my life that day. Now is my turn.

"That little boss of yours is messing with the wrong people, Angela. He wants to step in and act all prince charming, like he can easily take some pretty bullets to the head for his princess?" And just like I expected, he threatens my boss.