I Can't Own You? (BOOK 1)

79 (NEW)

My eyes don't leave the bullet hole for what had to be minutes. A perfect circle at the top of the wall. A single shot. A warning. Police cars were outside now, flashing red, blue and white over everything. "The car light just spotlighted the room." Sam explains what happened to the cops.

"Many customers reported a loud engine, did you hear the same?" A female officer, with a fade haircut, interrogates.

"Yes."

"How about a gunshot, residents are reporting a single shot."

"Yes, we did hear...the shot was close." Sam gestures to the hole in the wall.

The lady scribbles in her notepad. "Alright...how close to the window was the vehicle?"

My eyes go to the pieces of drywall sprinkled on the floor like powder. "About a few feet, enough to blind everything outside."

"And this happened at what time?"

"Around 10 pm."

"I'm sorry that you two experienced this, thank you for your time and information. This area will be blocked off investigation, as well as the room. The expenses for another room will be waved, try to have a nice night."

"Thank you." Sam follows her to the door, limping with his leg crutch.

Like a replay clip, the booming bullet sound attacks my ears. Haunting me. I had never been so close to death. It's so surreal. I have the awareness of somewhere dark and lonely. What's up with that?

It remind me of the afterlife.

Of dying...and re watching the scene.

"Hey." Sam leans before the sofa chair I'm in. "You okay?"

I shake my head. "We can't stay here." His eyes go to my hand. I follow in the direction, realizing that my hand is bone white as it holds his handgun.

"Okay, let's get a car, we'll figure out our destination on the way."

FRANK

The cops are getting on my nerves. From a McDonald's across the way, I watch yellow tape spread....the rotating of red, white, and blue. I sip on a Frappuccino, glad at the scene I just caused. Fucking homos!! The uncertainty and fear that leaked out of the hotel room as I shot was euphoric. Thrilling.

There's nothing like playing with your food before you end it.

A text vibrates my phone. I know who it is. I turn over my phone to see the screen, about to turn off the message notification until I see that James is the one who texted, not Syd.

Which is worst...the boss or his second man in charge?

Will I be reminded to obey again? To not retaliate?

I read the text:

JAMES: Keep tabs on the parent's house...nothing else.

Right now, a cop car is in the driveway of the house. It's risky, I can't go near there. If I tell him this, he'll ask why and my so called stupidity will be scolded yet again. So I just reply: ok

Maybe I'm going rogue isn't a bad idea....most of James men flipped. The word around is that the Dons poisoned him...broke his pride. He's in a glass house wounded and unable to move. What kind of threat is that? What kind of leader is that?

SAM

Enterprise Rent A Car was just a few blocks up. As Chris and I walk, I feel useless...as if I failed to protect him. As I use a crutch to support my body to move, I feel even more helpless. Useless. I could've shot...did something. My stare zips around the street, ahead and behind us. "Stay close," I tell Chris, who scopes out each car that passes.

"I think the cops scared him off."

We stop at a crossing, standing with other pedestrians while the light is red. Watch them. Be ready for anything. Anyone could be a goon. I feel the shotgun strapped across my back, under my jacket...I can't get to it in time if something happens. Chris has the handgun in his belt, that'll have to do.

Chris moves close to hold my hand. "Relax." He's calm...as if we didn't witness a drive-by. "Once we put miles behind us, we can live normal again." He drops his tone towards the end, when a woman on the side of us, moves her long midnight blue hair, swiping it over her ear.

I slyly pull back Chris's long graphic T and grip the gun wedged in his belt. Watching the woman closely, my skin responding of wind as cars race by. Headshot...if she tries anything, take the headshot. Both of our eyes survey the woman, preparing.

The light changes and the crowd around us shifts forward. The woman power walks away, blending into a group going further down. I drop my hand from Chris's belt. Then wait for the people crossing to get about five feet away before strolling to the other side of the street.

"False alarm?" Chris asks.

"Maybe." Our feet glide the last of the street fast, as the traffic light changes to green. "We can't drop our guard...not now. God, I should've just shot."

"Stop it, okay, you did the smart thing, why waste a bullet when you can't see the target?"

"What if I got lucky..."

"No more what-ifs...we're fine, aren't we?" He presses his side into mine as we stroll on. "We have a plan to stick too."

At Rent A Car, I allow Chris to choose the ride, enjoying his smugness as he views the models, sliding his fingertips over the glossy exteriors. "Pick one already." I rest my injured leg on a wall.

"Oh, hold your horses, party pooper scooper." He says in a country accent.

"A what....?"

Chris perches his lips, not answering, as he stops in front of a silver Compact, Nissan Versa four-door. "Hmmm... okay, this one."

"Don't tell me you took that long to pick a Nissan...not even a Charger." I radiate an unamused expression, similar to the emoji.

"Sports cars aren't low profile." He gives attitude before waving the car dealer over. "Plus, there's not enough room for sex." A risqué grin lines his mouth-something I needed to see after last night.

The horrible scene of Chris's stun, hopeless face stains my sight. The single bullet breaking through the drywall above his head. Crackling, dropping debris as he drops down on the floor. For a second I thought he was hit.

I could have prevented all of that. My strength failed, that can't happen again.