Pretending (Westshore Series #1)

Chapter Forty-Nine: Sacrifice

TW: THEMES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT !!!!!!!!!!! PLZ DO NOT READ IF THAT WILL UPSET YOU !!!!

The first gunshot was not meant to harm us, it is, however meant to scare us.

And it works.

Warner's side mirror takes the hit and shatters loudly. I scream, my knees buckling and taking me to the ground. Warner grabs me, hooking his forearm around my waist and plasters me to him.

"No phones. Slide them over." A familiar voice rings out right as I try to reach into my pocket to dial 911. I am about to ignore the man's request until I look up and see a gun being held at my head.

I slide my phone over and Warner reluctantly slides his but keeps me close to his side as if he can protect me from four men with guns. I look up and meet Paul's eyes. I knew he would come back after last time. I scan the other three men's faces, two I don't recognize but the third I would recognize anywhere.

It's the man from the night I followed Warner to the betting site. The one who tried to touch me outside. Also, the one I beat the shit out of, with Warner going in for round two.

Satisfied to see that Warner and I are huddled close together, Paul grins at us throwing his head back and laughing manically. "Oh, this is too good." He waves the gun between us.

"I believe you two know Jared already." He smiles and waves the gun in the man from the betting site's direction, who looks like he wants revenge for what we did to him.

Warner's heart is beating so fast that I can feel it under my palm. I take one look at his face and know I can't look again without falling apart. He looks angry but he also has a look of hopelessness.

He is helpless to do anything to save us and he knows it.

These men have guns, and we have nothing.

"You really thought you could work with the cops, and we wouldn't know?" Paul starts clapping his hands together in a mocking gesture.

He is acting like this is all amusing to him. There is a twinkle in his eye that is all craze as he nears us. "When Matt told me you needed more motivation to come back to him, I was more than happy to oblige. Especially after you hit me to defend your little bitch of a girlfriend. Although I can hardly understand why you would want to fuck a bitch with the body of a 12-year-old boy." He gestures down my body with the gun. "I mean unless that's what you are into."

Warner's entire body vibrates with anger, but I clamp his hand to ease him down. We were outnumbered and had no weapons. I could deal with the name-calling. I've been doing it for years.

Warner continues to shake with a restless energy. "Don't say one more word about her, you worthless piece of shit." He spits, standing us both up so I am still pressed beside him.

He looks like he might actually try to take on four men with guns just to defend me.

"Warner. Please." I whisper in a plea to stop him.

We need to make it out of here in one piece.

"Is this whore really worth throwing away everything your father has given you? I might need to give her a test run myself to see what all the fuss is about." Jared spits back at us.

Warner rocks back on his heels for a split moment, cocking his fist and stepping forward, ready to knock him out.

"Ah. Ah. Ah." Paul waves the gun like a taunt.

"Come any closer and I will shoot her. I'm here for a reason. You were offered a position; it would be wise to take it. Say you will take the job and continue controlling the scores and you'll be left alone. You can go back to fucking your malnourished girlfriend and making money."