The Choice (15 page)

Lowering my head,
I watch as he pushes the door open wide and turns to the right, gesturing to the green Mustang parked on the side of the building. Less than ten feet from the passenger door, I hear a loud screech and look up to see headlights barreling into the parking lot before coming to a stop behind the Mustang.

Rob
barely has a chance to look up before Chase’s fist crashes into his face.

***

As soon as I see Sophie’s expression when I approach the booth, I know something’s wrong. Not only do I know that she’d die before cheating on Chase, the look of terror in her eyes isn’t nearly as concealed to me as it is to everyone else. I glance over at Heather and can tell she’s surprised that Sophie is with another man, but I don’t know if she’s caught on to everything else having just met her.

As she moves to grab her purse and Rob stops her, I want nothing more than to knock the shit out of him. The only thing stopping me is not knowing what he’s threatened to do to her. Instead, I discreetly slide my hand into my bag, grabbing what I need as I send a text to Drake when he looks away to watch her enter the bathroom. I’d texted him when we arrived to let him know where we’d be, so I hope the text I’m about to send is enough to get him here in time.

Windmill ~Ana~

The sadness in Sophie’s eyes as she emerges from the bathroom lasts only seconds. Meeting my gaze, she mouths something I’m not able to make out in time before Rob turns to face her. Saying goodbye as quickly as she can, I grip her harder when she tells me she loves me, slipping my hand into her purse and willing her to feel the weight shift as I move things around. I don’t know what’s happening right now, but I’ll die before I let this prick leave with my best friend.

Watching her move toward the front door, I feel my phone vibrate in my purse, but I don’t spare it a glance.

“If I’m not back in five minutes, call the police,” I tell Heather and make my way to the front door.

As I push the door open, I see Chase’s headlights speeding into the parking lot. As Chase jumps out of the driver’s side, I watch him as he rushes over to wher
e Sophie is standing with Rob near his car. As his head raises, Chase hits him, forcing him into the side of the building.

“Are you okay?” Drake calls across the lot to me and I nod quickly. “Go inside,” he orders. When I hesitate, trying to find Sophie, his eyes meet mine. “Now!”

Seeing that she’s out of the way and finally safe, I do as he says and walk into the entrance. I’m just about to signal to Heather that I’ve made it back inside when I hear Sophie speak the words that make my blood run cold.

“He has a knife!”

***

“They’re playing like shit tonight,” Chase says at the television as he takes a long pull from his beer and leans back against the couch.

“Yeah,” I agree with a laugh. “I think the only saving grace of this game is going to be the beer.”

Reaching for my phone as I hear a notification sound, I instantly sober when I see the text.

             
                                                       
Windmill ~Ana~

In the months she and I have been together,
Analise has never used her safe word. Not until tonight.

“What time y’all heading back tomorrow?” Chase asks me and I’m on my feet.

“Analise just texted me,” I tell him and throw his keys at him as he stands. “Something’s wrong, we need to go to Logan’s.”

Without another word, we’re running to the truck and out of the driveway in seconds. For once, I’m grateful for my cousin’s shitty driving. Although traffic is worse than normal tonight, we make
the fifteen minute drive to Logan’s in less than ten.

“What did she say?” Chase urges me along the way.

“Nothing, I just know something’s wrong.”

“How do you know?”

“She told me.”

“Well, what the fuck did she say, Drake? Is Sophie okay?”

“She didn’t say anything! I don’t know! Just hurry up!”

“Are y
ou fucking serious right now?” he shouts across the cab. “What the fuck, Drake? How do you know they’re in trouble if she didn’t fucking say anything? That doesn’t make any sense!”

“
She sent me her fucking safe word, Chase!” That shut him up, only for a second though.

“Has she ever used it before?”

“No.”

“Fuck.”

Pushing his foot down on the gas pedal more firmly, we’re nearing ninety miles per hour as he turns into the parking lot of Logan’s. Seeing Sophie with a tall, blonde haired guy immediately throws up warning signs.

“I’ll fucking kill him!”
I hear Chase growl from the driver’s side and we come to a screeching halt behind the green Mustang they’re standing beside. Before the truck has stopped, both of our doors are flying open and before I can get mine shut, Chase is already on him.

Sophie backs away from the blonde a couple feet as Chase continues to beat him to a pulp. Pulling her further away from them, I search the parking lot frantically for
Analise.

“Where is she, Sophie! Where’s
Analise!” I say, pulling her attention to me.

“She’s okay,” Sophie manages through her sobs. “She and Heather are inside.”

Looking over at the same time as she answers, I see Analise near the front entrance. After making sure she’s alright, I send her back inside.

“He has a knife!” Sophie calls out and I pull her further away from them.

“Get out of the way, Sophie,” I warn her.

The grunts coming from the blonde on the ground in front of us are drowned out by Chase’s incessant cursing.

“You motherfucker!” Chase spits out as his fist crashes against the guys face again, this time throwing him back against the pavement. “Did he touch you, Sophie?”

Her cries only amplify his anger and I pull her to my chest to console her as Chase’s foot lands against
his stomach and he lies there motionless, but still breathing.

“Are you okay?” I say quietly
and she weakly nods her head.

“We have to stop him, Drake
,” she manages as she pulls away from my hold. “Chase,” she calls out. “Stop! You’re gonna kill him!”

“Good! He fucking deserves it!”

“I’m not letting you go to prison,” she tells him as she grabs his arm. “That’s enough, Baby.”

***

Once Sophie’s hand touches my arm, I still my movements instantly. Looking down to see her emerald globes staring back at me, I want to cry. Just thinking about what this
guy was going to do to her makes my blood boil again. I want him dead.

Focusing on her instead, I pull her face into my hands.

“Baby, are you okay?” Her eyes fill with tears, but she weakly nods her reply. “Did he…?” I can’t even say it. My stomach churns at the possibility that someone could have hurt her like that and I can feel the tears threatening to fall from my eyes.

“No,” she says softly, her voice cracking.

“Thank God,” I gasp as I pull her into my arms tightly. I can feel her body shaking with sobs and it causes my heart to shatter more. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she whispers. “Thanks for coming to look for me.”

“You keep forgetting, Baby,” I whisper as I kiss her hair. “I’ll always come looking for you.”

Sobs rack through her with more force this time and my grip tightens on her. We stand in the parking lot like that for a moment until her cries subside. I think she’s about to calm down, but the next thing I know, I hear her scream.

“No!” she shouts and in the next moment, she’s pushing me away from her with a force I didn’t know she possessed.

The combination of h
er cries and the approaching sirens must have been too loud for me to hear him get up.

It all happened so fast,
I barely registered the blasts. I only saw gleam of the blade just before it landed where I’d been standing only a second before Sophie shoved me away from her.

The same place she’s standing now with blood running down her chest
and smoke coming from the gun she’s holding out in front of her.

***

“Okay
, Baby, you need to try to aim for that spot right there,” Jack says as he gestures toward the target in front of me.

“Okay,” I say
nervously. Raising the 9mm in front of me, I hold it as steadily as I can, smiling inwardly as he rests his hands on my hips. “I’m scared.”

“What are y
ou scared of, Baby?” he chuckles behind me.

“What if the bullet ricochets and I accidentally pop a cap in someone’s ass?”

Laughing louder behind me, he places his lips on my neck and squeezes my sides affectionately.

“God, I love you so fucking much,
Soph!” he growls against the back of my neck. “I promise that won’t happen, Baby. You’re over thinking this. Just focus, take a deep breath and pull the trigger.”

“Okay,” I say softly, still nervous. Still not able to move
after a moment, I let out another breath. “Help me.”

“Take your finger off the trigger
, put the safety on and close your eyes,” he tells me softly. Doing as he says, he runs his hands up my sides soothingly again. “I was watching the news yesterday and a couple was in their park taking a walk. A man walked out from behind a tree, took everything they had of value and then stabbed them both. He just left them for dead right there in the park, Sophie. If either of them had been carrying a gun, they may have been able to defend themselves.”

“That’s horrible!” I gasp
, my voice shaking.

“I know, that’s why I always carry a gun, Baby. Nobody’s ever going to hurt yo
u if I can help it,” he whispers, kissing me on the back of the neck again. “Now, imagine that happened and I was with you.” My breathing hitches and he squeezes my sides again. “Now open your eyes, remove the safety and shoot, Baby.”

Wit
h no hesitation, my eyes snap open and I empty the clip into the target in front of me.

“Good job, Baby!” he says
with pride. “That was hot as shit!”

Turning to take in my fa
vorite lopsided smile, I press my lips to his in desperation. As I pull away from him, I meet his blue green eyes and my breathing falters.

“Don’t
you ever make me think about something like that happening to you again, Jack Walker!” I say with a wavering voice as his smile softens. Before he could apologize, I yank his lips back down to mine.

People always say that disasters strike fast, but I don’t believe that. I never have. Maybe when you watch it, but when you’re in it, it’s in slow motion. At least that’s how it’s always been for me.

When I open my eyes and see Rob watching Chase and I, his swollen face contorts in anger before his arm comes up, the blade flashing before my eyes as the street light shines on it briefly. Chase’s arms are wrapped tightly around me, protecting me, cherishing me, loving me unconditionally like he always does. He’s such a good man. I’m so lucky to even know him, but to be the one he wants forever?
Mind blowing
.

Losing me will devastate him, I know this, but I’ll die a thousand deaths tonight alone before I let this bastard lay one finger on the man I love.

“No!” I yell and with everything I have inside me, I push Chase away from me as hard as I can.

Pul
ling the gun from my purse, I release the safety, prepare to fire and do exactly as I was taught. In less than a second, I focus on the target, release a deep breath and pull the trigger as I feel the blade of his knife make contact with my skin. He doesn’t go down on the first shot, but as I empty the clip into his chest, Rob becomes a heap in front of me.

I can feel the blood trickling down the front of my chest. I don’t think he stabbed me, but I’m losing blood fast
from the deep gash he sliced into my skin. Kicking the knife away from his lifeless body, I lower the gun and turn to face Chase.

“You okay, Baby?” I ask him, not recognizing my own
weak voice.

The color has drained from his face, his gorgeous mouth is hanging open in shock and tears are filling the aqua pools that knock me out each and every day, but he’s okay.

“Sophie?” he whispers, his voice cracking as he makes his way over to me. The blood is pooling into my shoe and I can feel my legs about to give out. I’m dizzy, about to pass out in fact. The sirens close in on us as he holds my face in his hands. He takes in the blood running down the front of my dress and chokes back a sob. “Damn it, Baby,” he manages through his tears. “Why? Why would you do that?”

Giving him a weak smile, I pull him as close to me as I can and kiss him softly, feeling the darkne
ss coming for me. “I can’t live without you, Lovebug,” I whisper, my eyes growing heavy as his strong arms surround me. Images of Chase flash in front of me, the night we met, his smile, the night he told me he loved me, the feel of him moving inside me, his eyes. Oh my God, his eyes. I can’t help the small smile that crosses over my face. “God, I love you, Baby.”

I feel
him lowering us the ground, cradling me into his arms.

“Sophie,
please don’t leave me,” he sobs over me, pushing the hair from my face. “Don’t fall asleep, Baby. Keep your eyes on mine.”

I hear voices behind us, Ana is screaming my name and t
he police are moving in. I barely register any of that though. I roll my head to the side and press my lips to his arm one last time. Chase is hovering over me, telling me he loves me, begging me to stay.

As the darkness closes in around me, I stare into those aqua pools that always cause a flurry in my chest and I sigh.

“I love you,” I whisper as I smile weakly at him and let my eyes drift shut.

“No Sophie! Oh my God, Baby
! You have to open your eyes!” he shouts in panic, sobbing through the tunnel of my mind. “Sophie! Open your eyes! I love you! Please stay, Sophie! Stay with me, Baby!”

He’s safe.

I regret nothing.