Stripper {BoyxBoy}

15

When I regain consciousness, I'm alone.  The tears are coming steadily now as I lie there unable to move.

I should never have come back here, I should've stayed with Ash.

I cry and cry until I'm empty. It's then that I realize I can move my toes. It only takes a few more minutes until I've got most of the feeling back in my body and I limp towards the door.

I barely make it outside, and I'm getting strange looks. I only have a vague idea of where I'm going. Luckily, despite having been to Ash's apartment only once before, I somehow manage to find it.

I buzz the intercom to let me in, jamming my finger on it until I finally get a response.

"Who is it?" He sounds half awake.

"Ky," I reply.

"Ky?" He asks, "Why are you here?"

"Please let me in," I say, my voice breaking.

There's a pause, "Fine."

Soon, he opens the door, stifling a yawn. One side of his blond hair is sticking up.

"Do you know what time it is?" He says, but his eyes widen when he takes in my appearance.

"Can I come in?" I ask.

"What the hell happened?" He asks, and he steps aside so I can pass.

I sit down on his sofa, staring despondently at the floor. I feel numb, as if what just happened wasn't real, although the pain I'm experiencing tells me otherwise.

"Ky, what happened?" He asks, rubbing my back gently.

"I went to see Ethan," I say quietly.

I suddenly find I have more tears to cry and my body shakes with sobs. Ash hugs me, gently pulling me into his chest.

"That bastard," He says, "He'll get what he deserves."

He goes to stand up but I grab his sleeve, forcing him to stay.

"Please...don't go." I say hoarsely.

He looks at me silently for a moment, obviously conflicted, before a sigh leaves his lips.

"Fine, I won't go anywhere. Let's get you to bed."

He helps me stand and leads me over to a small side door leading off from the living room. He guides me to his double bed and I collapse on it.

He climbs on to the bed next to me and pulls me into his chest. I curl into him like a scared child, grabbing his shirt as I sob.

Finally, I manage to cry myself into some kind of stupor. As tiredness weighs down on me, I close my eyes. I'm safe now.

...

Bang.

I open my eyes, instantly alert. Immediately, I reach over, grabbing for Ash but all I get is blankets.

I kick the blankets off me and stand up, tiptoeing to the door. I peek through the gap, and my heart almost stops.

Ethan is there, a gun in his hand. Ash is tied to a chair with rope, and a large red stain is spreading across his t-shirt from his shoulder.

"Ky, I know you're there," Ethan yells, staring straight at me, "Come out now, or I'll kill your boyfriend."

I slowly open the door, coming out with my hands raised. Ash silently shakes his head at me, and I notice how pale and clammy his face is. I wince as I see how much blood he's lost, it's dripping down his arm, staining the carpet, as well as soaking his shirt.

"There you are," Ethan says nastily, "Come over here."

I take slow hesitant steps towards him. He grabs me, winding his arm around my waist and I feel the metal barrel of the gun pushed into my back. A feeling of pure terror runs through me, turning my blood cold.

"How did you find me?" I say.

"I had someone follow you when you left my apartment. Did you really think you could get away that easily?" He says, jabbing the gun further into my spine.

"Please, let Ash go. He's got nothing to do with this," I say.

"He's got everything to do with this," Ethan says, "He stole you away from me, and now he's gong to pay "

Ethan shoves me against the wall and my already bruised body slams against it. Fear grips me. Once again, I'm helpless, my life in the hands of that psychopath.

"I'm going to kill you and make him watch," He hisses.

"No-" I plead but he's not listening.

I have to think. I need to find a way out of this otherwise I'm going to die, and Ash is probably soon to follow.

"Are you ready?" He says, and raises the gun to my temple.

I'm shaking, terrified as my life flashes before my eyes. Ethan laughs psychotically, and I screw my eyes shut and make a quick prayer to whatever might be waiting for me as his finger tightens around the trigger. It's over-

That's when there's a loud thud and Ethan staggers backwards, dropping the gun. Ash is there, brandishing the chair he's still tied to.

I immediately dive for the gun and manage to wrap my hands around it. I point it at Ethan, my hands shaking.

"You won't shoot me," Ethan says, putting his hands in the air in mock surrender.

He's right, my finger feels frozen to the trigger. I can't pull it. I can hear Ash shout something, but the only thing I can hear is blood rushing in my ears.

Ethan takes a tentative step towards me and then another. He looks at me, anger in his eyes. It's the same expression he had when he was beating me up in his apartment. But this time I'm not helpless.

So I screw my eyes shut and blindly fire. Ethan roars in pain and when I open my eyes he's lying on the ground, clutching his leg.

"You little shit!" He yells at me.

"Help me tie him up," Ash says, and glancing over at him I see that he's gotten free.

We grab the ropes and Ethan ties his arms behind his back while I bind his ankles together. Ethan tugs on his bonds, and I feel sick as I look at the dark stain spreading from where I shot him.

"Cops-" I say.

"I've already called them," Ash says, "It's over."

I glance over at him and he's leaning against the kitchen counter, swaying slightly and clutching at his shoulder.

That's when his legs give out and he tumbles to the floor. I rush over to him, pressing my hands over his to add extra pressure to the wound. He's losing consciousness rapidly, and I keep shaking him to keep him alert.

I can already hear sirens outside, drawing closer and closer and then there's a banging on the door.

"Police, open up!"

I manage to make my way to the door and open it and instantly officers charge in, holding their guns and taking note of the scene in front of them.

A medic rushes over to Ash and another one to Ethan.

A police office guides me over to the sofa and sits down next to me. She's asking me questions but I'm not listening, focused more on Ash who's being carried out on a stretcher.

"Is he going to make it?" I ask.

The two medics exchange glances but they don't answer my question and I watch in pained silence as he's carried off.

I try to follow, but the police officer forces me to sit down, still asking questions which I'm ignoring.

The only person I can think about is Ash...he can't leave me.

He can't die.

A/N: sorry for the late update I mayb forgot this book existed 😅