It's Just Business

Chapter 52

My hands shake.

"Max, dammit. Shoot me if you have to but not her," I hear Sam call out behind me.

Max grins. "She can't shoot. Don't tell me you honestly thought she could."

I hold my gun pointed at Max who has taken his gun out too. I look down to notice the keys near my foot.

I place my left foot on top of the keys so Max can't see.

"Max please. Don't shoot."

"Why not? My whole life I've felt like the weak one, the useless one. Everyone is praising Sam. Praising how he became such a successful businessman, how he made a name for himself. No one ever dared to look at me, at my hard-work."

I inch backwards towards Sam, sliding the key along the floor gently with my foot.

Max aims the gun higher, towards my head. "Don't move back, princess."

I take a quick glimpse back at Sam. He has tears running down his face. "Shoot him, Vi."

"Max don't make me shoot you," I say, my voice quivering.

Max laughs. "You wouldn't dare."

I wipe my sweaty hands on my shirt making sure I can hold the gun steadily.

"By the way bro, I never lost my memory. I may have paid the doctor to say that. Oh and those people that attacked me and perhaps attacked you guys and then told you that fake story. I paid them. All actors," he says as he smirks. "Not just actors I shall say, murderers too."

My phone vibrates in my back pocket. I'm so tempted to pick it up and scream for help.

Max walks closer, he runs the gun down my arm. I shiver at the touch of the gun against my skin. "Tsk tsk. It's sad to see such a pretty girl die because of him." He points the gun at Sam. "Out of all the people in the world, you had to fall in love with him."

"Dammit, Vi. Shoot him! He isn't my brother. It seems like I lost my brother ages ago," Sam shouts.

Taking no time, I place my hand tight around the gun, lift it up and that's when Max figures out that I might just actually shoot him.

As our guns both face each other a bang goes off. It takes a second to figure out who has been shot.

I fall to my knee and the gun slides across the ground as it falls from my hand.

I can hear Sam shouting. "Violet, no!"

I place my hands on the cold ground as I steady myself.

I look at Max whose grin turns into disappointment. He clasps his chest as he falls to the ground, blood staining his shirt.

I take a deep breath. My shirt is stained with blood too. I turn around and notice a guy pointing the gun at me. I let my body hit the ground.

I mouth "I'm sorry," to Sam as I grasp the side of my body below my chest.

The man turns to face the gun at Sam. He's going to kill him. I drag my body against the floor as I reach for the gun. My finger tips barely touching it. I take a deep breath as I tilt my body closer to the gun. Without thinking, I clasp it in my hand and shoot.

Max pushes himself up trying to reach for his gun. I point my gun at him to shoot but all I hear is a click. There's no bullets left.

I force myself on my knee as he pushes himself into standing position. I make a run for it and slam my body against his as he grabs the gun.

Bang.

I turn to see Sam's body go forward like he's about to slam against the ground but the chains hold him up.

Blood drips from my forehead from the impact, blurring my eyes. Someone pulls me up, wrapping their arm around my hip.

Bang.

I close my eyes. Please don't let it be Sam or I.

I turn to face Sam but can barely see. I frantically wipe at my eyes to get the blood off. Someone eases me down against the floor. "I won't let anything happen to you, Violet."

The voice sounds familiar. I've heard it before.

I turn to face Sam and notice him limping towards me. He throws he's arms around me and holds me. "I'm so sorry, Vi."

I cry. "No, I'm sorry. I killed your brother."

"No," he says with a rough voice. "He was never my brother to begin with."

That's when I notice Daniel by my side inspecting my wound. "It's not bad, Violet. The bullet's just nicked you and missed."

At this moment, I laugh. It doesn't make sense but I laugh anyways. Daniel and Sam stare at each other. "I've been stabbed and shot way too many times to worry anymore."

Daniel faces Sam. "Can you walk?"

He nods.

Daniel leans down as he picks me up in his arms. "Let's take you to the car. Police are on their way."

As we walk to leave the warehouse, Daniel and Sam turn back to look at Max's dead body one last time. They've just lost a brother.