The Story of Blood and Roses

Chapter 2 Preface: Don't Tempt Me

"I don't think you are seeing the situation clearly, Mia. They are trying to kill us," he said flatly.

I groaned as I gave in to his words. Fine, I would have to deal with him after I came out of this confrontation alive. I looked him in the eye and reverted back to the familiar communication between us. Neither of us spoke, but we nodded in understanding.

We turned at the same time, our backs pressed up against the other's as we covered each other. I quickly spanned my gun over the men facing me to gauge is the range was right.

"Seven against two?" the man who seemed to be the leader of the party spoke.

"Seems hardly fair for you," the cockiness was back in Anthony's voice, and I couldn't help, but smile.

They all scowled at us, prepared to shoot.

"Now!" I heard him say and I aimed for their head.

I pulled the trigger three times, one after the other. I saw the men fall heavily to the ground and color the white ground in a bright crimson. I heard four shots from behind me, and I knew that it was over. The blood slowly spread across the surface, tainting the pristine snow. The dirt that the footsteps had left behind slowly submerged under a fresh coat of flakes.

We turned around at the same time, curiosity piqued to see if the other was breathless or hurt. We smiled when we noticed that it was not the case. I saw the glee in his eyes that I was feeling. It was the happiness of a job well done, of surviving another day.

"Good shot," he said impressed.

"I have only ever missed one." The crooked grin spread over his face.

"You didn't fire that time." He leaned down, brushing his lips across my neck, "We're still good together, my kitten." My lips tugged down into a grimace as his words pierced me like a thousand knives, and I hissed under my breath. I was not going to take any of that crap from him. He was either trying to enrage me or to delude me into believing that he didn't want to use me for his benefit.

"We were never together in the first place, Anthony." My voice seemed dead even to me.

He faked a flinch, and I rolled my eyes. His acting meant nothing to me, but deep down I wanted him to suffer and hoped that he would somehow become capable to feel.

Pain.

Hate.

Love.

Passion?

Anything.

I would take anything he would offer.

I had loved him once, and even if I denied the fact that I wasn't that girl anymore, I couldn't escape reality. I was the same girl who couldn't shoot him when her father was going to die. I was still that girl who would dive in front of him to take the bullet in his stead. I was still the girl who had given up her chance of living by continuing to trust the vile man.

Yes, I was pathetic.

"Maybe I have changed!" His eyes shined with humor as he uttered the words. I let out a guffaw, which in turn made him burst into a fit of laughter.

"Even if you try …" I began. Despite knowing that I didn't have to reply to his ridiculous words, I did. "A snake remains a snake even if it wears a bow on its head."

"Really?" He grinned mischievously.

I pointed the gun right at his head, making his eyes sparkle with amusement.

"Are you going to shoot me, baby?"

I was seething by the time he finished the sentence. I pressed the gun harder to his forehead and tightened my hold on the trigger.

"Maybe I will," I gritted through my teeth. A devious smile replaced the amusement and before he could retaliate, the threat rushed out of my lips. "Don't tempt me."

His eyes locked with mine for a long second and then he placed his hand right over mine and pulled it where he could clearly see it. He pressed his lips lightly on my wrist. But then his eyebrows knit together in concentration. He recovered quickly and didn't even let me prepare for what came next. His hold on my wrist tightened and a dull ache spread across my arm.

"What the fuck is this?" His voice was deafening in the silence that surrounded us. I didn't blink, but I was surprised. Was he acting possessive?

Never.

He was a cold-hearted bastard.

"This is called a ring." My voice shook a bit. I rolled my eyes, trying to control my scattered thoughts.

"Why?" His voice strained to keep from shouting again. At that moment, I wanted nothing but to hug him and keep him all to myself. I wanted to tell him that it was all a lie. Then suddenly Jacob's face flashed in my mind and my last memories of Michael Gray came rushing in.

His provoking speeches and unreliable promises came to my mind first. Followed by the moment when he told me that he wanted me to be safe even if it cost him his life, and then after that, him leaving me injured and telling me that I was of no use to him any longer.

My blood started to boil when I realized that his current drama was all based on what he needed. Again, I was going to be a pawn in his plans and fight for him.

This time, no such thing would happen.

He silently waited for my answer, his eyes never leaving my face.

"Because he is a good man. He loves me." I smiled a bit remembering Jacob's bad jokes and proposal. He did love me very much.

"But you don't love him. You should be with the one you love!" His implication didn't go unnoticed by me. I clenched my fist in preparation to punch his pretty face hard enough to mutilate it.

"No. You should stay with the one who loves you because they keep you happy and protected. And not use you," I spat out. His jaws clenched. He tilted his face to look at me for one last time. He pulled out his phone and typed in the number.

"Clean up this mess," he ordered the person on the other side of the phone. I took that as the cue to leave.

"See you soon," he called from behind me, and I shook my head in frustration.

"I hope I never meet you again, Anthony." I turned around once again and walked till I was sure I was out of his view. I turned and saw him standing among three other men who nodded silently to what he was saying.

Relief washed over me soon after, telling me that I had successfully dodged a great danger. It told me that my concentration should be focused on Armando Francis, an illegal ammunition dealer who was in town. I had to kill him … tonight.

There was going to be no posing. No disguise. Just a bullet between his eyes.

As for Michael Gray or should I say, Anthony… He was going to die as soon as Jacob finds him. He never misses a shot, just like me.

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