His Broken Submissive : Mercy

72 Ghosts

The shot echoes, and the smell of gunpowder and blood hangs heavy in the air. Yet I feel nothing...

Is this dying?

Another shot rings out, closely followed by a third, then a click. Alec staggers and slowly turns around, struggling to hold his weapon.

Becca's eyes are impossibly wide as she stands with her stolen gun pointed at his chest. She pulls the trigger furiously but hollow clicks are all that respond.

"You miserable little cunt!" He spits, taking a shaky step forward. "I knew you were nothing but trouble!"

Becca smacks the gun, pushing and pulling to make it work as he struggles to lift his arm and aim at her. In a desperate last-ditch attempt, she pulls the trigger once more and a deafening crack reverberates through the air.

Alec's head snaps back and his body loses control, dropping his gun before crumpling in a heap. Becca stands stunned, staring at the gun in her hand.

Shouts ring out as heavily armed men dressed in solid black tactical gear swarm us from all directions. I throw my hands up, shaking like a leaf as two men rush past me to Max. They roll him over and cuff him, ignoring his pleas while others check Alec.

"Izabella Turner?" One of the men asks. All I can see is his eyes through the black ski mask he wears.

I nod, feeling tears streaming down my cheeks.

The man with him grabs a radio on his shoulder and peels off his mask. "We've got them, sir." He smiles and waves another man over, who cautiously approaches, holding out a blanket.

"Suspects down. One still breathing... needs a hospital." He turns and looks around one last time and nods to himself. "Site is secure. Send in the uniforms."

"Becca, sweetheart." My head whips around, hearing Viktor's voice here. He cautiously approaches her with his palms up. Like everyone else, he wears black tactical gear but no ski mask and his gun is holstered at his hip.

"V-Viktor?" She stammers. Her lip trembles and she begins to shake.

"Yes, honey, it's me. Listen to me, sweetheart. You did good, but I need you to give me the gun now, okay?" He inches closer but makes no move to take it from her. Reality hits hard, and she stares at the weapon in her hand with disgust, practically tossing it into his hands like it burned her.

Sirens fill the air, and flashing blue and red lights beat back the oppressive blackness. A blanket being wrapped over me barely registers and I stumble as the soldier helps me up.

Police file through, taking over the scene. They ask questions that I just can't seem to grasp.

"Give her some space, yeah?" Igor's coarse voice snaps me back to the here and now. He shoos the police away and moves towards me with a limp. I don't miss the long gun strapped over his shoulder.

"You're okay?" I whisper, feeling my eyes well with tears once more. I thought they killed him in the shootout at the store.

"Am now." He smiles that rare smile he'd crack when I'd sneak him cookies and my chest tightens. "Come now, we get you checked. The medics are coming."

Shaking my head, I motion to my friend. "Becca, she's hurt, I'm fine."

He gives my shoulder a light squeeze and whistles over some help. Ambulances appear along with more cars, but one voice rings clear over the sirens.

"Baby? Where is she?" Tony sounds frantic as he pushes past the crowd, searching for Becca.

"Bear," she wails. The woman who has been so strong through it all breaks down, letting out a gut wrenching sob.

He practically bowls a man over who had the misfortune of being oblivious and stands in the way. My chest hurts, watching my friends reunite.

"Oh, baby." I can hear his heartbreak, no doubt taking in her battered state. "I've got you."

As gently as possible, he scoops her up bridal style as she shatters, fisting his shirt for dear life. Watching them comfort each other brings me peace, knowing that she'll be okay but also has reality crushing down on me.

I won't have that...

It feels like an elephant sits on my chest. I've spent so long by myself, but never felt this crippling loneliness before. I struggle to pull myself together, but can't find a reason to make myself.

"Angel?"

My heart stops and my vision blurs.

It can't be...

I struggle to catch my breath, but it hitches as I turn around. The sight in front of me breaks what little was left holding me together.

"Oh, Angel, don't cry," he coos.

Sobs wrack my body and my vision fails for the flood of tears as I blindly reach out for him. I only realize Igor is next to me when I trip over a crack and he catches my elbow.

I stop short of Jonathan, afraid he's just a dream. He closes the distance and wraps an arm around me, tucking me against his chest as I break down.

"B-but, I saw you..." I can't finish my statement as he rubs soft circles on my back. "I thought I lost you."

"Never, Angel." He squeezes me tightly, and I wrap my arms around him, savouring his embrace. "I'm sorry it took so long to find you."

"But you came... how did you find us?" Part of me never wants to go, but a growing part of me feels like I'm missing something big. "And how are you here, I saw..." the image of him being shot and thrown from the van replays in my mind once more.

"Nevermind that," he murmurs.

I pull back and look up at him, instantly seeing what I was missing. He's not okay. There are cuts and bruises on the left side of his face, along his brow and beard. His once pristine white shirt has dried blood on the collar and peaking out from under his jacket.

Panic once again rears its ugly head as the pieces start to fall into place. I reach up to open his jacket, but he lays his hand over mine, stilling me.

"Izzy..."

Reluctantly, he lets my hand go. I gingerly push the outer layer away and gasp. The whole upper left of his shirt is stained in blood and there's a hole in the material. His left arm rests in a sling that was hidden by his jacket.

"Oh my god, Jonathan!" My brief break from tears is over and my vision clouds once more. "We need to get you to a hospital." Pushing lightly on his chest, I try to guide him back towards the ambulances, but he hisses and grits his teeth.

"Easy there Izzy, I'm pretty tender."

I pull back like he's burned me, feeling guilty for causing him more pain. All I want to do is get him help and the ambulances are so close.

"Boss, maybe now you'll go get checked?" Igor adds. He whistles and waves to the ambulance attendants.

"You too." Jonathan holds out his hand, which Igor eagerly accepts and shakes. "There are no words that can express my thanks for what you did today-"

He waves him off and grins. "All in a day's work, right? Come. They'll leave us behind."

Igor leads the way over to the ambulances, hobbling on his bad leg. I tuck up against Jonathan, careful to not press on his hurt side and help him over.

Jonathan shuts them down right away when they try to separate us. With some sweet talking from Viktor, they conceded and take us together.

The entire way to the hospital, Jonathan hangs on like he thinks I may disappear at any moment. With his comforting embrace, I finally relax, slipping under in no time.