The Desired Victim

Chapter 27: Sweet Snake Seduction

Time itself seemed to stand still in that moment. I couldn't focus on anything but Emory. He was glaring straight at Cassandra, fully prepared to pull the trigger of his gun. His dark hair was messy and dirty, and he had fresh bruises all over his face, as well as a gash on his forehead that was still bleeding. He still remained handsome somehow, and I couldn't keep my gaze off of him. Did he kill those men back in the hallway? By himself? I decided that I didn't even care what had happened, relief was washing over me and causing my head to swim. Seeing Emory alive was the closest thing to a miracle I could have at this point. 

After a few moments of silence, Cassandra tightened her grip in the fistful of my hair. Pain shot down my spine and I winced.

"Well, well, well," Cassandra scoffed. "If it isn't Emory. You little bastard, what the hell are you doing here?"

My eyes grew wide. Emory and the captain know each other?!

"You have three seconds, Cassandra." Emory responded gruffly. He started to step closer slowly. "Don't think that I won't kill you to take back what's mine."

Cassandra didn't move. "Oh, I know you won't kill me, niño." She taunted. "You couldn't kill me the last time I saw you."

Nicolas tried to step forward, but Cassandra held him back with her other hand. My head was starting to go numb and my nose was still bleeding.

"Fine with me," Emory said nonchalantly. He pointed the gun straight towards my head, without even looking at me. "I'll kill the slave instead. How does that sound?" 

My chest twisted, and my heart started beating uncontrollably. Would he really shoot and kill me like this? With tears forming in my eyes, I look up at his face. I notice the smallest hint of anxiety in his eyes and a bead of sweat slides down his face. He has to be bluffing. 

"Stay away from her!!" Nicolas protested. Cassandra continues to hold him back and yanks on my hair even more.

"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to convince me of letting her go," Cassandra said spitefully. "Killing her would be such a waste, Emory. This little tramp is worth millions, you know."

"I know that," Emory snapped. I could just feel the rage channeling through him. "And that's exactly why you're going to let her go before I blast her brains out and neither of us can have her. And what a waste that would be."

No one in the room said anything for a moment. Cassandra's eyes moved up and down Emory's body seductively. It was almost as if she were challenging him, waiting for him to kill me. Curiosity burned inside my chest, I wanted to know desperately the history between her and Emory. From the sounds of it, it couldn't have been anything pleasant. Emory glared straight back at her, not amused. He kept his arm with the pistol strong and steady. In the corner of my eye, I saw Scourge in the corner of the room begin to regain consciousness and slowly pick himself up off the bloody mess on the floor. My head had gone completely numb and all I could taste was blood.

Suddenly, Emory advanced extrememely close to me, and put the cold barrel of the gun to my forehead. Nicolas stumbled backward from surprise, but Cassandra remained completely still. I forced myself to swallow my cries of fear.

"Make a decision, captain." Emory growled. "Or she dies." 

I couldn't stop shaking. Death was facing me down the barrel of a gun, and I was frightened. Emory wasn't bluffing. I was a fool for thinking he was. He would do anything for his money and rewards, even murder me. Why is there still a piece of me fighting for him? Emory is evil, there is no chance of redemption for him. Why can't I get that through my senses?! I don't want to die, not like this. I've expereinced too much to die this way. I don't deserve it. Why is there still a piece of me fighting to survive?

I glance up at Emory as one of my tears fall to the ground. He looks down at me and we make eye contact. I send all of my pain and anger towards him with my eyes, because I hate him. I hate him for being the reason whether I live or die. His expression is stoney, but I see something else hidden in the strong angles of his face. His warm brown eyes pierce right through mine, and I realize what he's trying to express to me. An apology.

Cassandra's piercing laugh broke the silence. She yanks my head backwards, releasing me from her iron grip in my tangled hair, and I stumble loudly to the ground. "There's enough blood on my floor, amigo," Cassandra said simply. "I don't want my pride standing in the way of what truly matters."

That must have had a hidden meaning behind it, because Emory spat on the floor angrily and put the gun away. Nicolas silently helped me to my feet, but I didn't take my eyes off of Emory. Would he have killed me if Cassandra hadn't released me?

"Unghh . . ." We all snapped our heads towards Scourge moaning in the corner. He had managed to completely stand, but he was incredibly weak and still had bleeding gashes from the whip all over his body. 

Scourge tried to walk towards Cassandra, but he stumbled and fell.

"Scourge!" I pushed myself away from Nicolas and ran over to his side. I put a hand on his shoulder, not exactly knowing what to do when I wasn't in the best shape myself. He gently took my hand, seeming to understand.

Cassandra sighed, annoyed. "Nicolas, take the slave and the papa musculoso away from me," she said. She then proceeded to Emory, and ran her elegant hands through his hair, down his shoulders, and then down his arms in a suggestive manner. My entire face went up in flames, and all I wanted to do was scratch the woman's eyes out. "I must negociate with Emory." Emory didn't even seem to notice or seem to be interested, but envy and jealousy swept over my entire body nonetheless. I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was making herself look. 

Nicolas stiffened. He glared at Emory, nostrils flaring. 

"Nicolas," Cassandra prompted harshly. "Ahora."

"Y-yes, mi reina," Nicolas sputtered out. Not ever taking his deathly glare away from Emory, he grabbed me and Scourge's arms and dragged us outside the door, slamming the door quite angrily behind him.

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