“Stay back and she won’t get hurt,” Marcus says as he points the gun to the side of my head.
I lock eyes with Jesse. He motions for me to stay calm as he slowly inches towards us. I shake my head as my eyes widen to the point of pain. Jesse died in my mind, and that was bad enough. I can’t let it actually happen, ever. I keep breathing, gasp after gasp.
His eyes change, and I can see his need for me to trust him. His lips start moving as he mouths something to me. I follow the smooth lines of those perfect lips as they form the words “I love you.”
Then my stomach drops, because I realize it means he’s going to try to do something really stupid. He always thinks he has to be my hero, but love goes both ways. It’s my turn to be his hero.
I can’t watch him get hurt.
Jesse inches forward again, but this time Marcus sees him.
Marcus shifts, taking the gun from my head and training it directly on Jesse’s chest. The pounding in my ears reaches explosion levels. The panic I feel makes my ears ring so loudly it drowns out almost all of my other senses. I’m enraged as I watch Jesse step further into danger for me. Doesn’t he understand that he can’t do that?
“You. I should take you out. You are a thorn in my side that just won’t go away.” Marcus’s grip tightens on the gun. Jesse takes another step towards us. “I’d hoped that little accident would take care of the problem, but you know what they say—if you want something done you have to do it yourself. That little weasel Jordan can’t do anything right.”
“Jesse,” Cason hisses.
“You want her? Well, you can’t have her. If I can’t have her, no one can,” Marcus turns the gun to me, placing the barrel against my temple once again and stopping Jesse dead in his tracks.
“No, Marcus, don’t. I’ll back off,” Jesse says with fear lacing his voice. “Don’t. Please. I’ll do what you want.”
“Look at that! Jesse Callaway, begging. The King of Cherry Creek finally falls,” Marcus sneers as he points the barrel of the gun back towards Jesse’s chest. “You really aren’t what they’ve claimed you are—invincible.”
“Stop!” I yell as loud as I can to gain everyone’s attention, “Stop, Marcus. I’ll choose you. I’ll go with you. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
“Fallon,” Jesse growls at me. “Don’t.”
“Marcus, man. Come on. This is crazy, let them go. She’s just a girl.” Jax speaks up for the first time. “She’s not worth all of this.”
“Look at you all. Working together. If you only knew the truth,” Marcus says with a laugh, all while keeping the barrel trained on Jesse.
“Marcus, stop.” James speaks up. He hadn’t said a word while a gun had been pointed at his son, but now he looks terrified. How can he not be scared of his son dying but yet is scared of the truth? Typical piece of shit father.
“Oh, that’s perfect. Daddy Callaway has a secret he doesn’t want spilled,” Marcus sing-songs. “He wouldn’t want his sons to know the truth. Sons. Plural.” He shakes his head before looking at the group in front of us with derision. “You’re all pathetic.”
I freeze. I watch Cason and Jesse as they glance first at each other, and then Jax. They’re confused as they ponder Marcus’s words. I’m not sure what Marcus is getting at, but I know I have to get him out of here.
“Jax, Jesse, Jade. Doesn’t it all sound so familiar? It’s just like James to give all his kids J names . . .”
The color drains from James’s face as Jesse and Jax lock eyes.
“That’s right Jax. You’re not even Vic’s. Didn’t you ever wonder why your own father hates you so much?” Marcus says to Jax. “Why you were never going to be Vic’s successor? It’s because you aren’t his blood. You’re the bastard son of a fucking whore.”
Marcus turns to Jesse. “And you—your own father has been lying to you your whole life. Although, that isn’t really news to you, is it?” Marcus smiles evilly at Jesse. “He even let you war with your own brother because it was easier than telling his family the truth. Typical James, letting someone else handle his problems. And his teen son, of all people.”
“All right Marcus, enough with the drama,” Vic says. The lack of urgency in his voice is disturbing to me. That man honestly doesn’t care if anyone gets hurt today. “Put the gun down, and let the girl go. I have ground to break.”
“Why would I do that? I’m not stupid—you won’t let me go after this. There’s no way you’ll let me touch the company once we leave here. I’ll have a bullet in my skull before I get to the door,” Marcus snarls at Victor. “No, we are going to get in this car and drive off and none of you will stop us. If you do, it’s bye bye Fallon.”
Jesse rushes up, reaching for me, but Marcus aims the gun at Jesse’s forehead before he can reach either of us. I scream. Marcus’s finger twitches on the trigger and my entire life is one trigger pull away from being destroyed.
“Jesse!” Cason and James both yell out at the sudden move he made. Sudden and stupid. What is he thinking?
I can’t let anyone else get hurt. I just can’t . . . and I certainly can’t let Jesse sacrifice himself to save me. If anything happened to him, I’d never be able to live with myself. So I breathe out and do the only thing I know to do.
“Stop! Stop. I will go with you—just stop. Don’t hurt anyone else. Just stop.” I grab the hand on the gun and hold
