Behind Closed Hearts

Chapter 40

James breathed roughly, looking at the gun that was pointed steadily towards him. Looking into Nathen's eyes, he knew there would be no hesitation to shoot him. He could really die today.

"She's alive," James forced his self to say, his voice shaking only slightly. "Please," he begged desperately. "We need to get her out of here. Please."

"Shut up!" Nathen roared, shaking the gun at him.

James couldn't help the sob that escaped him. The tears flooded his eyes and flowed heavily down his cheeks, dripping all over Lily. She was alive but just barely. If Nathen didn't do something soon, she would die. "We need to take her to the hospital," he sobbed.

"SHUT UP!"

Nathen began descending the stairs, clicking off his safety as he stepped further down and closer to James.

James was hysterical now and he raised both hands to his face while he cried, unconsciously pressing the small blade of his knife into his cheek. The blade flashed in the dim light of the foyer and slowly, blood bubbled up from the tiny cut. Nathen halted at the sight of the blade.

"Drop your knife, James!" Nathen ordered, gesturing at him with the gun.

James' eyes widened and he wrenched the knife away from his face, suddenly realizing that he had the thing so close to his eye. He gasped. The blade was colored with the dark crimson of his own blood. How had he not noticed that he was cutting himself?

Disgusted, James threw the knife from himself and it bounced across the ground with a loud clank. Then he pressed his hand to his cheek.

It was wet, warm and sticky. Choking back another sob, he removed his hand and stared. His hand was shaking, smeared with the blood from his cut.

"You were going to kill her, weren't you?" Nathen shouted.

Suddenly he was stomping his way angrily right for James. Leaping to his feet, he backed up quickly. His heart was thundering in his chest, making him breathless. "Please, we need to take her to the hospital."

Nathen didn't listen. He aimed a kick and jammed his boot right into James' gut. He fell gasping to the floor and his body hit heavily against the tile.

James cried, curling himself into a ball. His hands wrapped around his head instinctively and he laid there as Nathen geared up for another shot. James squeezed his eyes shut.

Nathen swung his foot into James so hard this time that he slid across the floor, smashing against the wall. James cried out in pain. His closed eyes clouded with pure red pain that exploded into the back of his eyelids.

"S-STOP!" James screamed out in pain as he clutched at his ribs.

Another shot slammed into his belly and James turned on his side instantly, coughing thickly and choking on something in the back of his throat. He retched and his spit out blood, splattering the tile.

Nathen reached forward and grabbed him by his hair to turn his head painfully towards Nathen's scowling face. Blood dripped down James' lips. "Were you going to kill her?"

James was angry that Nathen even had to ask, but nonetheless, he rasped out, "Never."

Nathen shoved his head forward, letting James fall into his own puddle of blood. Catching his self, James' fingers smeared through the blood and suddenly, he felt lightheaded, looking at his hands.

"Who was that boy in that photo?" Nathen said quietly, standing in the middle between Lily and James.

Tilting his head, he looked up at Nathen. He shouldn't tell the bastard. James should just tell him to fuck off.

But then... Nathen grew impatient and pointed the gun once again at James. "He's your son," he said lowly.

Nathen's expression did not change at his words. He continued glaring at James until finally, his frown ran a little deeper. "Where?"

But he was interrupted when the doorbell sounded loudly overhead, sounding like a blaring train horn in the silence of the house.

The two froze.

James stared at the door. Who the hell was here? Why? Then it dawned on him. The person ringing the doorbell... it had to be Aleks.

"Don't you dare move," Nathen growled quietly.

James stayed still, watching the door. He could see the outline of someone moving through the small window.

Suddenly James' phone started ringing and terror shot through him in an instant. Nathen was glaring at him now.

Slowly, he removed his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. Aleks was calling him. Looking up at Nathen again, he caught the cold look Nathen was giving him. He shook his head, immediately forbidding James from answering.

"James?" Aleks called through the door.

James shook at his voice. Safety was just beyond that door and it was killing him. James glanced surreptitiously at Nathen. The man still had his gun facing James but he was facing the front door, frowning menacingly.

"James!" Aleks called again just as James' ring tone halted. "I can hear your phone! Are you okay?!"

Nathen glanced at him before pacing quietly towards the door. Aleks pounded on the door, shaking it slightly, and James' phone started up again.

"Damn it," James murmured, looking as Nathen arrived at the door, standing still as Aleks knocked loudly.

"Are you in there, James?!"

James' nerves buzzed horrendously at that moment. He glanced at the still unmoving Lily and felt his emotions crash down on him.

This was it. James couldn't do this alone anymore.

He couldn't.

Aleks pounded against the door, louder. "I can hear your phone!" He shouted.

Then James stood abruptly and yelled, "ALEKS!"

Without warning, the door slammed open, whacking Nathen in the forehead. The open doorway revealed Aleks on his crutches with anger written all over his face. "James!"

"Don't come in here!" James shouted with wide, terrified eyes. Nathen was creeping out of the shadows of the door with his gun at the ready.

Aleks hobbled forward...

Nathen grinned and moved his gun to the ready. His eyes were settled on Aleks as he moved obliviously forward on his crutches.

James ran forward. "WATCH OUT!" He screamed.

Nathen raised his gun.

James ran as fast as he could, attempted to throw himself in front of his brother, and jammed his eyes shut. He was so afraid, so, so afraid.

The sound rang loudly for only a split second and-

Blood sprayed against the wall.