I wanted to tell Kane to stop, because with each verbal jab, Big Phil’s face was getting redder and redder.
“This is for Johnny.” Big Phil suddenly exclaimed then surprised me by dropping the gun to the floor. “This is for everything you have put me through.”
“You’re my last job, you son of a bitch!” Kane spat before he ran at Big Phil, and speared him to the ground.
The sickening sound of fists connecting with flesh would forever be seared into my brain. It was relentless, and I wanted it to end as quickly as it begun.
I could do nothing but watch Kane and Big Phil roll around on the floor, but I was delighted to see that Kane had the upper hand. He was landing all the hits… it almost looked like Big Phil wasn’t even trying to fight him back. I knew how much of a snake he could be though, so I used my good leg to push myself up into a standing position, and I hobbled over to where he dropped the handgun.
The pain I felt surged me on, and when I picked up the gun, I allowed my adrenaline to take over.
“Kane, move!” I ordered.
He turned his head so he could look at me, and his eyes widened almost instantly.
“Branna, no!” he shouted and hit Big Phil once more across the face so he could break free and jump to his feet.
With Kane out of the way I had a clear view of Big Phil and was shaking as I pointed the gun at him. I squinted my eyes to make sure my aim was precise.
“Branna, no!” Kane said again, but this time his voice was different, like he was pleading without having to beg.
My arms were trembling as I kept the gun aimed at Big Phil, my body was weakened and exhausted from the torture he had put me through. The gun was heavier than it looked and it caused my arms to ache from holding it up in the air for just a few short moments.
“Branna, this is not your call, okay? Look at me,” Kane said, his voice firm but soothing at the same time. I flicked my eyes to his. He slowly came to my side, and carefully lifted his hand to mine, but I quickly stepped away when his intentions became clear. He wanted the gun.
“He isn’t worth it, Bran.”
Kane was right… Big Phil wasn’t worth it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have to die.
“Look what he has done to you.” I snivelled. “To our family!”
“We’re still a family,” Kane assured me. “And he has no hold over me anymore. He has nothing. He is nothing.”
I began to lower the gun, until finally it hung in my hand by my side.
“Good girl,” Kane breathed in relief, his shoulders sagging. “It’s all going to be—”
“Kane!” I screamed when Big Phil pushed himself from the floor, and charged at Kane. Every thing felt like it happened in slow motion. Big Phil grabbed the knife he used to hurt me from the table he rushed past, and sprinted at Kane with the knife-wielding arm raised.
Kane swung around, and grabbed hold of Big Phil’s arm as he began to bring it down in his direction. They both struggled for the knife, and I saw the muscles and veins in Kane’s are bulge as he used all his might to keep Big Phil’s arm at bay. My arm was raised once more and the gun was pointed straight ahead, but I didn’t pull the trigger because I didn’t have a clear shot. I couldn’t risk hitting Kane.
I tensed when the pair of them hit the floor, for a moment there was grunts, and fumbled movements, then the next there was a sharp intake of breath, and everything went still. Kane was on top of Big Phil, but neither of them were moving.
I heard my heartbeat in my ear as I approached them.
“Kane,” I whispered.
Silence.
Oh, please, no.
“Kane,” I said a little louder.
I heard a wheeze then and rasp of, “I’m okay.”
Relief smacked into me like a tidal wave.
I watched as Kane rolled of Big Phil and groggily pushed himself to his feet. He stumbled for a second then steadied himself. He looked down at a still unmoving Big Phil then he turned and walked towards me. Before he could reach me, I dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes when I saw the scene before me.
The blade that was used to stab my thigh and shoulder… it was lodged in the centre of Big Phil’s chest.
“Oh, my God,” I breathed.
“Branna, slow your breathing—”
“Is he dead?” I cut Kane off, my chest tight with fear. “Is he fuckin’ dead?”
“Yeah,” he replied, calmly. “He took his last breath, and I saw the life leave his eyes. I saw the moment he realised I was going to be the last thing he saw before he died, so I smiled.”
Christ.
“Oh, my God,” I rasped. “He is dead. Oh, we’re goin’ to prison. We’re seriously goin’—”
“We’re aren’t going anywhere if you do exactly what I say.”
What?
“Kane?” I whispered. “I’m scared.”
He dropped to his knees next to me, and his eyes scanned over my body and grew dark when they landed on my stab wounds, spilled blood and other injuries. He carefully reached out and slipped an arm under my legs, and the other under my back.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Sorry?
“For wha—” I cut myself of with a moan of pain when he lifted me up into the air, and the movement caused my wounded limbs to burn in protest. He quickly moved me back to the sofa and gently lay me down.
“You have to call the cops,” he quickly said. “I’m going to leave down the back entrance when you do. There are no cameras in this building, but to make sure I’m not picked up on surrounding business’ cameras, I’ll use the back exit. You have to call them and say you’ve been kidnapped.”
I didn’t have time to argue with him even if I wanted to because he thrust the phone Big Phil used to call Kane into my face, so I grabbed it and dialled 999 before I lost my nerve. Almost instantly someone replied.