Fighting for Flight by JB Salsbury (best books for students to read .txt) 📗

My stomach twists. “I know, baby. I’m here to take you home.” I pin Dominick with a glare. “Let her go.”

“Not a chance.” Dominick pushes the gun harder into Raven’s head, making her wince.

My finger twitches against the trigger.

“You don’t know what they did . . .W-What they were going to . . .” The sound of her soul-shaking sobs rip through the small room.

“I’m finished talking, Slade. Walk away. Now. Or she dies.”

I ignore Dominick. “Raven, everything’s going to be okay.” The look of terror in her eyes has me inching closer to comfort her.

The movement sends Dominick’s gun in my direction. Good.

Vince closes in. Blake follows suit. Tension boils in the air like acid. It’s a four-way standoff. Whoever shoots first, wins.

Blood drains from my shoulder in a steady drip. My vision blurs at the edges. I need to end this before I pass out. “Raven, baby.” I stagger a step. Shit.

“He tried to rape me.” Her words are spit at Vince.

Dominick drops his head with a muttered curse.

My eyes are drawn to her shorts, opened and unzipped. Oh, fuck no. Fire flares in my gut. My vision returns with crystal accuracy, but all I can see is blood. I should have ended him that night in the parking lot. He may think he knows what pain is, but I’m about to give him a lesson in agony.

I swing my aim to Vince, step close, point blank range.

“I’m going to fuck you up, you no-good piece of shit.” My words shake with the force of my anger.

“You better start apologizing, asswipe. My friend here’s about to put a bullet in your brain.” The rage in Blake’s voice tells me he’s walking a thin line of control.

Vince and I face off. My gun to his face, his to my chest. I’m vaguely aware of the other people in the room, but right now I’ve got sniper vision and Vince is in my crosshairs. Kill first, explain later.

“Just fucking end this, Dominick.” Vince’s gun shakes in his hand. I notice he’s not using his other arm to brace the weight of his weapon, but instead has it cradled to his body. “Give me the go ahead to take this guy out. It’s the least I could do after what that whore did to my arm—”

I lower my gun to his groin.

Pop.

“Aargh!” His scream of agony has him dropping to the floor along with his gun. He curls into the fetal position whimpering.

I kick his weapon away. “I warned you.”

Blake scoops it up and aims it at the miserable mound of flesh on the floor. “Won’t be using that tool ever again, eh Vinnie?”

Vince writhes once and then goes still. Probably passed out.

“Big mistake, Slade.” Dominick shouts and the sound of Raven’s cries fill the room.

I swing my gun toward him. His arm visibly flexes around her waist, making her gasp for air. I take aim, but feel my confidence draining along with the blood that flows down my arm.

“You don’t get it. She’s mine. You want to shoot me? Go ahead. But if I die, I take her with me.” He moves toward the door, dragging Raven with him.

I move to block him. It’s a risk, but after everything, I don’t believe he would kill her now. He thrusts the gun hard, forcing her neck to an awkward angle. Fuck.

Losing her once was a pain worse than death. I will not lose her again. I take another step.

“He’s gonna kill her, man.” Blake’s words speak to the raging beast in my head.

My shirt and jeans are soaked in my blood. I fight for consciousness. Blinking hard, I force myself to think clearly. Plans, ideas tumble in my head, heavy as it lists on my shoulders. I’m running out of time. There’s only one option left.

“Fine.” I lower my gun to the ground, then stand, palms forward in surrender. “You win.”

“You too.” Dominick motions to Blake to drop his weapons.

“Jonah?” Blake’s eyes dart from my shoulder to my face, asking the question, Have you lost your mind?

I nod for him to drop his weapons. He shakes his head.

“Do it. He’ll kill her.” I hope my voice sounds desperate.

Blake drops his weapons and gives me a I-hope-you-know-what-you’re-doing look. Me too.

Dominick tries to move past me. I stagger into his path, blocking his way.

“Wait. I just need to say one thing before you go.” My words are a string of slurs.

I shut down my rational thinking. Or what’s left of it. I’m firing on pure instinct. Using the one thing that has yet to fail me. I’m going to fight.

My head drops forward. Weakened from loss of blood, I gather my remaining strength. I’m not looking to beat him, only to buy enough time for Blake to get Raven out of here.

Dominick moves his gun-holding hand around her waist, and digs in his pocket for something. Car keys maybe.

Raven’s sobs tighten my chest, making it hard to swallow.

Hang in there, baby. I have a plan.

“No time for parting words, I’m afraid. If you boys will get the fuck out of my way, my daughter and I—”

“She’s my daughter!”

~*~

Raven

My mom is here. She said I’m her daughter. The ferocity of her words shakes the deepest corner of my soul.

“Milena.” Dominick’s voice sounds bored, but his muscles tense at my back. “What the fuck are you doing here?” He looks between her and Jonah. “You brought them here?” He aims the gun at her. “You stupid, bitch!”

She doesn’t flinch.

“I won’t let you take her.” She steps closer, her back straight, conviction burning in her eyes. “Let her go.”

“And if I don’t? What are you going to do about it?” He shakes with laughter. “Look at you. You’re pathetic and weak.”

“Not anymore.” Her voice is firm, not the slightest tremble. “I’m not that naïve girl anymore.” She pins Dominick with a glare. “Do you remember that night? Twenty-one years ago to this day. Just a few yards from where we’re standing.”

I