The Wedding Party

Part 30: A Bang

Angela's heart raced as she navigated the dense woods, clutching the bag of cash tightly. The damp earth beneath her feet muffled her footsteps, but every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves made her jump, her grip on the gun inside the bag never wavering.

"Who's there?" she hissed when an unexpected sound reached her ears. Without waiting for an answer, she pulled the gun from the bag, her hands trembling.

"Angela, wait!" Kyan emerged from the shadows, his face pale and anxious. Relief washed over Angela, and she lowered the gun, her finger still on the trigger.

The gunshot echoed through the trees like a thunderclap. Kyan let out a terrified scream, momentarily convinced he had been hit. He patted himself down frantically before realizing he was unharmed. His eyes widened as he saw the blood oozing from Angela's leg.

"Angela!" He rushed to her side as she collapsed, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "I need to get help."

"No," she choked out, gripping his arm with surprising strength. "Stay with me."

Kyan hesitated, torn between wanting to honor Angela's wishes and knowing she needed more help than he could provide. But as her grip weakened and her life slipped away through her femoral artery, the choice was taken from him.

-----

Back at the bar, raucous laughter filled the air as Sugar Pop, the stripper, twirled around the pole. Her eyes locked onto Preston, and a wicked grin spread across her face.

"Hey, you're Ash's little bro, aren't you?" she shouted over the music, clearly enjoying the shocked expressions on the groomsmen's faces.

"Uh, yeah, that's me," Preston replied, feeling his cheeks flush.

"Small world," she said with a wink before continuing her sultry performance.

"Can you believe this?" Killian whispered to Alanna, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Watch it, Bruce," she warned. "Don't forget whose wedding you are at."

"Hey, I didn't hire her!" he protested, but the amused glint in his eyes betrayed him.

-----

As Rapheal pulled Helena aside, his face drawn and serious, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had been growing ever since he'd run out of the room earlier.

"Helena, you need to leave," he said urgently. "Someone wants you dead."

Her heart seized, but she managed to choke out, "What are you talking about?"

"Please, just trust me, I saw it in the cards." he insisted, his eyes pleading. "You don't have much time."

Just then, Kyan burst into the bar, his face ashen and his eyes haunted. When questioned about Angela's whereabouts, he shook his head, denying any knowledge.

"Sorry, guys, I haven't seen her," he muttered, avoiding eye contact. Inside, a storm of guilt and fear raged, threatening to consume him. But for now, he held his secret close, a dark weight pressing down on his chest.