Taking a Chance

Chapter 31

Gabrielle stood still with her eyes tightly closed waiting for the intense pain to come, but it never did. She popped them open and looked at herself. She wasn't bleeding thank god so he didn't shoot her, but then what did Merle shoot? Her eyes quickly caught his and she saw the surprise in them.

"I...I dd..didn't mean to do that," he stuttered.

Gabrielle looked around the room to see where the shot went. "Oh no," she sighed. "You shot his sixty inch TV that he saved for, Merle. He may even love that more than me," she said trying to regain control of the situation. She was hoping the humor would help.

"Fuck, I could have pawned that too," he muttered. "I still need money...what the hell is your name again?" Merle was having trouble concentrating. This wasn't going the way he wanted it to.

"Gabby, my name is Gabby. You want money Merle, let's go to the ATM and I'll pull it out for you. Then you can let me go, okay?" If giving him money would make him happy, then she would give him what she could. He was out of control, unreasonable and had a loaded gun, all that amounted to an extremely deadly combination. He was no longer simply Daryl's creepy brother, he was a very dangerous man.

Merle thought about that for a second. Should he take her to an ATM? What about the money in the house? "Don't Daryl have money here?"

"No. We put everything in the bank. I know he didn't used to, but we do that now. I have the only cash you have there. Let's go the ATM and I'll get you the money. Then you can leave me alone and we'll be square, okay?" Gabrielle wanted him to think that she was okay with this, and then maybe she'd make it out of this alive.

"Don't Daryl keep his money here? He never trusted a bank. I know he has money hidden, he just ain't telling you," Merle told her. No way Daryl put his money in a bank. Banks were for pussies. "Upstairs to the bedroom, I gotta look for it."

Merle followed Gabrielle up the stairs, even in his state of mind he was drooling at her shapely butt that was right in front of him. He could not resist grabbing her ass when they made it to the top. Gabrielle jumped away from him pushing his hand away. "Stop that! I'm your brother's wife and that was rude! Don't you dare touch me again or you won't get any money out of me! Understand?" she said getting in his face.

"C'mon, a little grab ass don't hurt no one,' he smirked.

"It does me! And you know Daryl would be furious if I told him. Do not touch me Merle!" Now Gabrielle dreaded going into the bedroom with him. She didn't think he'd assault her, but now she wasn't as sure.

Merle pushed her into the bedroom, so hard that she stumbled before she could catch herself from falling. Fear was starting to consume her and she did her best not to let it. If she panicked, she wouldn't stand any chance of getting out of this alive. She was praying that Daryl would come home early and save her. She had no idea what to expect from his crazy brother and the possibilities scared her to death.

Finding the money he needed became Merle's only goal. He didn't trust Gabrielle not to try to leave or knock him out, so he needed a way to control her. "You got a scarf or something?"

Gabrielle had no idea what he was going to do with a scarf, but she pulled one out of the drawer. Merle grabbed it from her and tied her hands in front of her. Then he had her kneel in the corner so he could keep an eye on her while he searched the room.

The heart in her chest was beating so fast it felt like it was about to explode. She couldn't believe that this was really happening. Here she was on her knees with her hands tied up while this lunatic robbed them. Merle was robbing his own family...the only family he had left. Gabby would give him anything he wanted, just to get rid of him.