It is not often that I am rendered speechless.

I mean I remember once I was being held hostage by a group of terrorists who thought that they could use me as a bargaining chip to get a million pounds to fund their ‘free world’ organisation, and even as I was being held upside down on a meat hook with some Arabian bloke pointing a machine gun at my face I still had more than plenty to say.

But now, as I saw Jace pointing a gun at his father with that look of pure fury on his face, knowing he was attempting to save my life, I couldn’t find any words.

“I know you’re getting on a bit old man, but I’m sure even you heard me clearly.” Jace spoke again, his eyes locked on his father “Just in case you really are losing your hearing, I will repeat myself. Drop. The. Fucking. Gun.”

My eyes widened slightly as I heard his tone. He sounded vicious. He spoke to Rob Dixon like he was vermin and the hatred pouring out of his body was overwhelming. To be honest, it scared even me a little.

He looked like an agent.

Something I never wanted for myself, let alone let the man I love become one of them.

Ed would be having a field day if he was here right now.

“Jace, don’t be stupid.” Rob spoke, never letting the hold on his gun go “This has nothing to do with you. Just walk away.”

Jace shook his head “You’re pointing a gun in my girlfriend’s face; this has plenty to do with me.”

A small smile tugged at my mouth as I heard him say this. I mean I know we were technically together, but I had not heard Jace call me his girlfriend for over 3 years. It’s amazing how that little title felt so right.

The fact he still wanted to call me his girlfriend amazed me. I mean I have pushed him away so many times, and if by some miracle we make it out of here I will continue to do so because I don’t want him to have this life. I have punched him in the face, threatened to shoot him and tied him to a bed and yet he was still here for me.

Actually, that reminds me…

“How did you get out of the cuffs?” I ask Jace, remembering that last time I saw him he was tied to my bed with a scarf as a gag.

Rob’s brows furrowed as he stared at me like I was a complete freak, whereas Jace’s eyes flashed to me in annoyance as he shook his head.

“Let’s just say Josh is a lot more useful than we gave him credit for. And he is easy to threaten, so there is no risk of the guys knowing.” Jace explained, and even though we were in a very bad situation, I couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped my mouth.

Jace was lucky Connor and Chris didn’t find him, because if they did they would never in a million years let him live it down. He would be on his death bed and they would still be ripping the shit out of him about it.

“We will be having words about that later.” Jace warned me, and I had to bite back a laugh at his expression.

Rob butted in “I don’t think she will be having any words later, in case you have forgotten Jace I have a gun pointed at her face.”

Jace’s eyes were back on Rob “Which you will be lowering right about now or I will shoot you.”

Rob smirked “I am trained with a gun my boy. You pull that trigger I’ll still manage to pull mine and little miss blazing guns over here will be stone cold.”

“And so will you.” Jace replied without a hesitation, and I saw Rob freeze slightly as he realised Jace had a point. Even if Rob managed to shoot me, he would still be dead after. The thing is however I knew Jace was never capable of killing random dealers, let alone his own father.

Would he be able to kill his own father?

I found it hard to believe.

Jace was never a killer, and I never wanted him to be.

Rob however didn’t know his son quite so well, and I could see the panic in his face which he kept hidden. Not hidden enough however.

There was a silence as the two men stared at each other, each waiting for the other to back down but because they shared the same gene of stubbornness neither of them did.

Rob gave a long sigh “Look Jace…” He began, gesturing his head towards me “…This girl isn’t everything. There is a bigger world out there that goes well beyond your high school crush.”

Jace’s eyes were cold “I’m out of high school pop’s, I think I’m way past the crush stage.”

“Jace think about it, a few weeks ago you didn’t even know this world existed. All you have experienced is one side of it where you fight crime and get shit all for doing so.” Rob was explaining, and I narrowed my eyes at him as I tried to figure out what he was getting at “The agents risk their lives to fight evil like some cheap Powerpuff girls and what do they get? They get isolated from everyone they love and turned into stone.”

My jaw clenched at the words as they hit a little too close to home. I knew what he was saying was true, but knowing a scumbag like him knew it as well really did get to me.

We remained quiet as we waited for him to get to the point.

“That is one side of this world. The other is my side.” Rob concluded, and Jace gave him a look of confusion which Rob took as his cue to continue explaining “I’m a drug lord Jace. I have hundreds of people working for me and earn more money a month that most people earn in 5 years. I have clubs scattered about town, as well as a Ferrari parked in my garage at home that has a freaking telly in the headrest for no reason at all.”

“Are you just bragging now or do you actually have a point in this?” Jace snapped, rolling his eyes in annoyance at his boasting.

Rob looked at his son, and for once I saw a genuine smile on his face. He was looking at Jace with what looked like…hope?

“This can be your world too.” The words came out of Rob’s mouth with so much sincerity and hope it knocked the air out of me for a split second. Jace’s eyes almost popped out of his skull as he took in what his dad had just said. I don’t think Jace was physically able to talk from the shock right now, so Rob carried on “Everything I have can be yours. Everything you and your mother could never have could be given to you on a plate.”

Jace’s mouth was still hanging open, but after a few seconds he found his voice again “You’re telling me to come and work for you?”

Rob shook his head, the small smile still on his face “No, I’m telling you to come and work with me. I wouldn’t be your boss, we would be partners. Everything we make split straight down the middle between me and you. Imagine how much that could help Jace, I know you and your mum are still struggling and with this you could set her up for life, as well as yourself.”

Jace bore his gaze into his father, his expression not letting anything go. I could not believe what I was hearing, and strangely looking at Rob’s face I could actually see how sincere he was about letting Jace work with him. This was probably the closest I have ever seen Rob Dixon act like an actual father and seem as if working with his son has been one of his goals all along.

“Imagine the life you could have Jace, knowing your mum is taken care for as well as being the head of one of the most powerful organisations in the UK today. You would have more respect than you have ever had in your entire life, more money than you will know what to do with it and more women throwing themselves at you to the point where you will need days in bed to recover.” Rob gave his son a smirk at his own joke, before his face turned serious again “You will have a life that people can only dream of and all you have to do is let her go.”

I held my breath for a second as I realised this was make or break time.

Rob had offered Jace a deal of a life time and I knew that Jace would be stupid not to take it. He and his mum had always had problems with money, and I knew all Jace wanted was to make sure his hardworking mother could get the break she needed and be set up for the rest of her life. Jace could be living the life of a high profile A-lister and all he had to do was let his father kill me.

I looked at Jace and I could see his stone face deep in thought. However, he had that emotionless look down to a tee, and it was physically impossible to see what he was thinking. I didn’t blame him at all if he considered Rob’s offer, he would be a fool if he didn’t.

The silence around the room was deafening as we waited for Jace to speak, for him to make the decision that would change everyone’s lives and possibly end one.

His eyes met mine and yet I still could not read them. I let my lips curve into a small smile, telling him I understood if he made the decision that would end my life.

Suddenly the hard look on his face disappeared.

He lowered the gun and placed the hand at the back of his neck as he shook his head as if he was ashamed of himself. His teeth were gritted and his eyes were squeezed shut.

I felt like I had already been shot as I realised he had just made his choice.

He made the smart choice. He didn’t choose me.

I gave a small nod as I accepted it, choking back the tears that I knew wanted to come out.

I know he technically chose against me, but yet I still wasn’t angry. I knew he wanted this for him and his mum, and I couldn’t hate him for that.

Rob’s face turned into a full on grin as he realised his son had made his decision.

“I knew you’d make the right choice son.” Rob turned to face me, a small smug smirk at the corner of his mouth as he looked at me. He shrugged slightly, the amusement clear on his face “If it’s any consolation Faith, he did look like he thought about it long and hard before he chose the good life.”

I closed my eyes as the gun shot went off.

Seconds went by, and yet I never felt it. Was I dead? Was it really that easy?

My eyes drifted open slowly and I realised I was still in the same room. No one had moved from where they were standing, and I still didn’t have a bullet hole in my body. I was alive.

So if Rob didn’t shoot, that means…

I looked at Rob who was still in front of me, his eyes bulging out as his face was slowly turning a shade paler. He made a choking noise, as if all the air was knocked out of him and suddenly his gun lowered as his hand reached behind his back. When he brought his hand back up so he could look at it, it was covered in blood.

Rob collapsed to his knees in front of me, and I looked up and saw Jace with the gun still held out in his hand. His jaw was clenched and I could see how red his eyes were.

“That’s the thing dad, i never even considered it because without her there is no good life for me. The thing I was thinking long and hard about was whether I had it in me to kill you…” Jace spoke to his father, who was slowly bleeding to death “…Turns out I did.”



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A/N: you guys are so lucky, i was so tempted to end the chapter on the line 'and thats when the gun shot went off' but i thought better not as i would probably be choked in my sleep :L

Hope you liked it and thank you so much for reading!