Nothing Left to Lose (Guarded Hearts 1)

“Come on out, Anna,” the guy sang, his tone amused. “You don’t want him to get hurt now, do you?”

I didn’t know what to do. I was always told to stay behind the agent, keep quiet, don’t answer, stay small and alert and do as I was told. But that was Peter standing there. He was a friend of mine, and they had a gun to his head…

I whimpered, knowing that I couldn’t do as I was always told. I shifted and Dean clamped his hand around my wrist, holding me behind him tightly. “Please don’t hurt them, please!” I begged.

“Shh!” Dean ordered again.

The guy laughed quietly, sending a shiver down my spine as I recognised the laugh too, I definitely knew this guy. “I’m going to give you to the count of three to step away, Anna, or this one dies,” he instructed. I groaned, not knowing what to do. Dean’s grip tightened on my arm; it looked like he was trying to find a shot that wouldn’t hit Peter.

“One,” the guy called.

I shook my head. “Please don’t,” I begged. My heart was hammering in my chest.

“Two.”

I couldn’t let him hurt Peter, not because of me. Another person didn’t deserve to get hurt or killed because of me, I’d already gotten Jack killed, I couldn’t take another innocent life. I shoved off Dean’s hold and jumped out from behind him, holding my hands high. “Don’t hurt him, I’m here!” I cried desperately.

“No, Annabelle!” Dean shouted as he lunged for me again.

I saw the guy behind Peter smile as two others stepped through the doorway. I watched, seemingly in slow motion, as one raised a gun, pointing it in the direction of Dean. I realised too late what I’d done. I’d taken away his only leverage; with me out in the open, there was no reason for them to be lenient on him. The sound of the first gunshot echoed in my ears, it seemed to reverberate around the room, making my ears ring. I didn’t want to turn and look, but I couldn’t stop myself. I turned just in time to see Dean’s body slam back against the wall; the shot had hit him right in the face, leaving almost nothing recognisable behind. His blood stained the wall in an arc-shaped streak as his body slumped to the floor.

I heard screaming, and some part of my mind vaguely registered that it was me doing it, but I couldn’t stop. I fell to my knees and gripped my hands in my hair as I sobbed. Something moved near me, a kind of scuffle, I glanced up just in time for the second gunshot to go off. I whimpered and flinched as my heart broke. Peter’s eyes met mine for a second before he crumpled to the floor, clutching at his stomach as he groaned.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my body hitching with sobs. He made a strangled gurgling sound in response. His pain-filled, frightened eyes locked on mine. Before I could reach out and help him, a shadow fell over us both and another gunshot rang out, followed by another and another. Each time a bullet hit him, Peter’s body jerked slightly; by the time the fourth shot came, he didn’t even flinch.

“Well hello, Anna. Long time no see.”

I registered the voice, but I couldn’t respond. I was so scared that I couldn’t move. My muscles seemed to be made of rock. I couldn’t take my eyes off Peter’s body. He was dead because of me, and so was Dean. This was entirely my fault. Maybe if I hadn’t stepped away then they would still be alive. I thanked God silently that Ashton wasn’t here; I couldn’t see him get hurt. I knew I had made the right choice sending him away.

A hand closed over my elbow, hauling me to my feet. I swayed, my legs almost not supporting my weight. The only thing that kept me upright was the vice-like grip on my arm. I looked up from Peter’s dead lifeless body, to see Jimmy, one of Carter’s men. I remembered him from Miami. Jimmy didn’t like the way that Carter treated me and would always try to help me when he could, which wasn’t very often.

“Hi, Anna,” he said quietly, looking at me almost apologetically.

“Hi, Jimmy,” I choked out. Internally, I desperately fought for control of my emotions. If I had to do this on my own then I needed to snap out of this. I’d grieve later, but right now I needed to focus on trying to get out of here. I took a few deep, calming breaths.

Jimmy smiled sadly and dragged me out into the lounge. I swiped at my face quickly, wiping away the tears, trying to stay strong. “Watch her while I get her some clothes,” Jimmy instructed as he left me in the lounge. I looked around desperately, expecting to see Carter, but he wasn’t there. Instead, there were eight of his men. I knew all of their faces but only a couple of names. These guys weren’t like Jimmy, they were mean and heartless.

“Well, well, well, haven’t you grown up nice,” one of them purred. His eyes raked over me slowly, and my skin crawled. I wrapped my arms around myself, wishing I’d put on more than boy shorts and a tank top to sleep in last night.

One of the other guys quickly stepped forwards and punched him in the jaw. “Don’t look at her like that! If Carter saw that, you’d be dead,” he growled angrily.

I swallowed the bile that started to rise in my throat at the mention of Carter. “Are you going to kill me?” I asked, almost pleading for it.

The same guy that had thrown the punch smiled and shook his head. “No. Carter sent us to collect his wife,” he answered, smirking at me nastily.

“Is he here?” I asked, wringing my shaking hands.

The guy shook his head. “No, he wanted to be, but they’re keeping pretty close tabs on him. He sent us here instead. He’ll be along later, don’t worry.”