An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 55: Royally Screwed

AHVI TAKEDA

Hailey shrieked. It was the only thing I could focus on as the bullet hit my thigh. It helped because it delayed the pain by a few seconds. But then it came rushing in and I felt my knees buckle. I dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

It was funny how quickly and ungracefully I fell. But I am sure it was the pain messing with my head. Because nothing about this situation was funny.

Pain, sharp and excruciating wound up my leg, making it hard to breathe. God, when did it get so hard to breathe?

"Vi!" I heard Hailey say but I wished she would shut up. The pain was too much to take without me having to hear her scream in my ear. Another gun shot went off in my head followed by another shriek from Hailey. It was as if the sound was now a song in my head, repeating itself over and over again.

But this time, I didn't feel the pain. Well, not more than what I already felt. I gritted my teeth against it, looking around the room, searching for Polo but instead my gaze snagged on Hailey.

She was now leaning against the coffee table, grabbing onto her hand as she whimpered. It took me a moment to realize that the gun shot didn't go off in my head, it wasn't a soundtrack that was now stuck on loop. Polo had shot Hailey. Blood seeped from between her fingers, the same color as mine that was now pooling on the floor beneath me.

"I didn't want to do this, little one." Polo spoke, his voice echoing in my head. I felt my eyelids drooping. Maybe I had lost too much blood. Maybe it was the shock I was feeling. I didn't care. "But you left me no choice." He added. "Take them to the base."

I heard footsteps again but this time they weren't quiet. They were loud and sure. They had a purpose. I winced when I felt hands on my arm. My leg screamed in pain but I couldn't get them to stop. My heart beat steadily which was unlike it. Usually, it raged and struggled in my chest but right now, it had slowed to a crawl, taking its sweet time with each beat.

I tried to close my eyes, welcome the darkness that was wrapping its arms around me but the way the men dragged me kept me wide awake. Hailey sobbed as someone pushed her forward. I wanted to reach out to her, take her hand in mine but hers was covered in blood and mine, mine was inaccessible too. Two men had grabbed my arms as they dragged me behind them.

I wondered if the Sheriff knew this would happen. I wondered if he set us up so he could get rid of us for good, two criminals who had escaped with minimal consequences although I didn't think losing one's love and childhood were minor.

But it didn't matter what I thought. This was happening. Polo had shot us. I was at the mercy of two men. And we were being dragged back to the hell we were trying to escape.

>.<

I opened my eyes but my vision was hazy. The room danced in front me, the way it had been for the past few minutes. Or maybe it had been hours already. I couldn't tell.

Sweat beaded on my brow and I felt my breaths whooshing out of me in shallow bursts. The pain had dulled or perhaps, I had grown used to it. I didn't know if I was still bleeding or Polo had his men stop the blood flow when he tied us to the walls in this room.

The gangsters had left us alone once we were secured to the wall. Hailey was slumped on the floor beside me, her head lolling against her chest. She was unconscious or maybe she didn't have it in her to look up either. My hair fell into my eyes, annoying me. I wanted to push it away but I couldn't. My hands were tied together over my head from a hook.

I was sitting on the floor, arms over my head and my legs splayed out in front of me. I heard Hailey whimper and relief flooded through my chest. She was in the same position as me but it must have been more painful for her since her arm was injured.