Oh, fuck.
He’s got a fucking gun.
He draws near as I blink at him in shock. Then, as he sticks the barrel of his gun against my forehead, the coldness of the steel startles me enough to realize just how frozen I’ve been since setting eyes on him.
Well, guess I know what my fight, flight or freeze response is.
I clench my jaw, remembering learning about that in Psych 101. I’d decided my response was to fight. Didn’t I spend all of high school being known as Pissed-off Piper? I’ve flipped offguys for blinking at me the wrong way. Hell, I even punched Kevin the bellboy’s nose and broke it.
But faced with real danger, I guess my response is to freeze.
What is even the point of taking a taekwondo class since I’ll just fucking freeze up and stare like an idiot at a guy sticking his gun in my face?
There were at least sixty seven seconds in which I could have changed that outcome. But of course, I just froze.
Fuck me.
It’s not like I could take the taekwondo class anyway, since I’m about to die.
Stop. Stop. Just stop.
My brain curses at itself for rambling on. There’s a gun against my forehead and I’m thinking of taekwondo. No wonder Quill used to say I was the most annoying person on Earth. When my mouth’s not open to let an endless flow of words spill out, my rambling thoughts are picking up the slack.
Then I startle again as the gun leaves my forehead just long enough to press itself against my mouth.
Okay, what the hell?
“Give me one good reason not to pull the trigger.”
My eyes widen at the gravelly, raspy sound of his voice. He’s clearly disguising it. But I recognize it.
A monster. The white-faced figure standing before me is a true monster.
I stay quiet, and I’m not sure if it’s because the shock has turned into something far more bitter, far more cruel. Or if it’s because I can’t think of a good reason for him to not pull the trigger.
Probably a mix of both.
“Go on,” prompts the monster.
My mouth stays resolutely shut.
He presses the barrel harder against my lips and clicks histongue in impatience.
“Open your fucking mouth. Open your fucking mouth and take it.”
I’m already sure I know who the monster is, even before he finishes his sentence.
“You worthless whore.”
I close my eyes to keep the stinging tears hidden under my eyelids. I’ve gotten good at that. Good at keeping the tears at bay so the bullies don’t see them. Crying makes them think they’ve won.
But this isn’t a bully, it’s a monster, and there’s no hiding from him. Especially as he takes a step closer, and my stomach twists at the scent of his spicy warmth. My entire body is shaking and my thighs are pressing against each other. And it’s not from fear.
It’s an uncontrollable spark that travels through my body and makes my skin hum, and makes me think of a single thing.
Him.
“Take the fucking gun in your mouth. Suck it off. Or I shoot.” Then he makes a derisive sound. “Better yet, I leave. Because you don’t even need me to threaten you, do you, whore? Bet you can’t wait to taste my gun.”
