GHOST OF YOU | BWS

thirty.

I gasp in horror at Reggie's words. He's going to kill Brad. He never intended on keeping his end of the bargain. Even if I had said yes to working for him, he'd have killed him. Why am I even surprised? The man's a monster and a criminal, of course he has no honour.

The moment that follows is chaos. Everything happened so fast that I'm still wondering what exactly happened. Brad is being held down by two men after he tried to attack Reggie, the glass coffee table now shattered into a million pieces. And I am a sobbing mess, begging Reggie to let Brad leave, offering everything I have to offer, which is only my life. A man is holding my arm behind my back at such an angle that I don't dare move as he will break it without a doubt. All of this is happening under Reggie's sick smile while he sits comfortably on his armchair, enjoying the show.

"Shame, I loved that table", Reggie says as he looks at the mess of broken glass in the middle of his office. "Been here since my son was born", he adds with melancholia as the men holding Brad bring him up to his feet.

Before I can even start to think about James and what his dad might be doing to him, I notice something appear in Brad's eyes. A glimmer of hope.

"I'm sorry Joy, I have to get you out of this one way or another", he says before looking at Reggie.

My eyebrows furrow as I realize what he is about to do - use James as leverage.

"Brad don't", I beg for him to stay quiet.

I already put him in this spot, I don't want someone else's life being affected by my mistakes.

Reggie looks at us, intrigued.

"How's your son?", Brad asks while I keep on begging him to stop, but he ignores me.

The tight grip the man behind me has on my arm prevents me from jumping Brad and making him shut up.

"Still trying to get him to join the family business? Word on the street's he's not very fond of daddy"

That line earns him a strong blow by one of the men who are holding him, but that doesn't seem to affect him.

"Why don't you bring him here", he continues, blood running down the corner of his lips. I'm sure he'll quickly change his mind when he sees her"

Reggie's eyes are narrowed on Brad, trying to read him. There's a moment of silence before he turns to one of the men at the door.

"Bring James here now"

My sobs double as I realize what Brad just did. He trapped James, doomed him to a life of criminal activities, violence and death to save me. I don't want to be saved if it's at that price.

"I hope for your sake you're not playing me again, Bradley", Reggie says, his voice threatening. "I'd hate for Joy to start her new job with a broken body"

I ignore Reggie's threats and look at Brad.

"H-how could you do that", I stammer, barely able to talk between two sobs. "He's innocent in all of this"

Brad doesn't answer. His pain is clear on his face but I don't care. What he did is unforgivable.

We wait in silence, my sobs getting quieter but they don't stop. I feel so many emotions right now that it feels too much for my body. It feels like I might explode at any moment. Rage, anger, betrayal, despair, disappointment, hurt, regret.

And love. Love for the man who sold my friend for my life. Because even if I hate him for it, I know why he did it. I would also have done anything to save him, so I understand. But it doesn't make the pain any less. Enough lives have been taken. It needs to end.