A single bullet // M.C ✔️

43

It was as if someone had hit the mute button on the world as sound instantly left my ears, a ringing present and that was it. Michael's mouth was moving as he gripped my shoulders tightly, rocking me slightly, but no words were reaching my ears. My eyes hadn't really left the dead body next to me as Michael tried desperately to grab my attention from it, to shelter me from what I had done.

I had killed someone.

It was clear he was shocked at what I had done (I even shocked myself), and the fact there was a new body beside him completely slipped my mind.

"My god," my own voice wasn't even heard by me as I felt my lips move and form the syllables and letters, but nothing reached me. Michael's fingers gripped my shoulders tighter, snapping me more into reality and making me look over at him. "Holy shit," still nothing as he looked over at me, panic clear on his features, "I'm fine."

Within an instant, he pulled me into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me and pulling us down to the ground. Everything came back as gunshots filled the air around us, making a scream leave my lips, and Michael's hand slap over my mouth. I placed my hand over his, keeping it there as I knew more screams would leave my throat if he moved. I was back. My eyes flickered from side to side as I saw bullets soaring through the air, hitting the wall next to us and the door to the club.

I hadn't even noticed Michael had moved us to the small alleyway right next to the door, hidden from the shooters. No wonder I had to stay quiet.

"Call them off," he hissed quietly, looking at the extra person. Finally, I focused on them, spotting black long hair and a pair of sunglasses.

"Ashton?" I recognised him anywhere, and it was clearly Ashton, just in a suit and sunglasses, hiding his eyes.

"Shut up, Nicky," he hissed back, looking at Michael, "I can't. Blood for blood, mate."

"You won't let her get killed, Ash, as much as you hate her..."

"Looks like you hate her just as much," he gestured to the fact I was still pulled tightly to his chest, arms securely around my figure. "And really, Mike, that dress?" He scoffed, crossing his arms before going silent as a bullet landed against the corner of the building.

"It was the only dress in my apartment, asshole. You can't let her die." It felt like forever as we stood huddled behind the wall, Ashton just staring me down, lost in his mind, and Michael keeping me quiet. Tears had now formed in my eyes as I came to the realisation Ashton was going to just push me out into the firing line; this was it.

I was due to die.

"Fine. I'll call them off." A sigh of relief left my lips before I gasped in shock as Ashton went to step out.

"No, don't." I whispered. "They'll shoot you." They hadn't been told to cease fire yet; they will shoot whoever comes into view. "Ashton, please." I didn't really know the guy, and he was definitely the one I was most distant from out of the four men, but he was Michael's friend, a leader, and since I liked the other three (Michael's slowly inching into that list more), Ashton was also considered in it.

"They won't," his voice harsh and cut through the air as he rounded the corner, all bullets halting. Wait...

"Michael... why does he need to call them off?" I slowly looked up at the blonde, seeing him avoid my eyesight. "What has he done?"

"This, my dear, is Heartthrob, and it's our joint gang. Ashton's the leader."

Silence was back as I sat in front of Ashton, and Michael was perched next to me. I had never seen Ashton so stern, so... in charge. It was odd to see, his hands linked firmly together on his desk, and an office definitely not matching the vibe of the nightclub. It was unreal.

"I thought I was meeting Aaron, not you." Michael spoke firmly, oozing power from him, making Ashton smile.

"You were... until I was told it was you coming. Been a while, mate."

"Well, that's what happens when you fuck off on us, mate," Michael scoffed, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Who knew that the way to get you back was to do a meeting with the best man? Aaron's not even in the building, is he?"

"He's busy." Was all that was said about that situation. "I also knew you wouldn't come if you knew it was me. Although I was expecting one of the guys, not... her." He snarled as he spoke harshly towards me, making me flinch slightly at the tone. It was something I've never heard before (not even from Michael).

"Watch it." Michael's tone was just as harsh as he turned his soft stare into a glare. "They were busy-,"

"You've gone soft, mate. I think it's to do with her. Months ago, screw us being busy, you would have dragged our asses to the meeting, but now they are allowed to dick about." It was as if I was a fly on the wall and had vanished into thin air as the two males didn't pay me any sense of mine. "And to think, she killed James. That isn't good, Michael, and you know it."

"He was threatening-,"

"Oh, please, he wouldn't have put a hand on that." I swallowed harshly at his words, out of everything he could have said, he said 'that' "not when she looks like that."

"That's enough, Ashton." A loud bang filled the room as Michael slammed his hand down on the desk. "I'll come back when it's Aaron, not you, asshole."

"Make sure you bring one of the boys and not her. She doesn't deserve to know this shit, Michael. Not after-,"

"Don't!" Michael's voice boomed as he forcefully pushed his body up. "Do not talk about that." His hand shot out and grabbed my arm with a tight grip, completely different from how he held me earlier, to bring me back down to earth. Oh no, this was the harsh Michael, and Ashton knew exactly how to bring him out.

"I thought you had lost your touch, Michael. Being all soft because of a girl again."

"Fuck off, Ashton."

"You're in my house, Michael. How about you and that skank leave!"

Bang!

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