The Badass Protector

COLT

THE TENSION on my shoulders worsened the knots.

“There she is,” Otis sang proudly and mockingly.

“If you lay a hand on him, you have to kill us all. And if you’re intelligent enough like you said you were, you wouldn’t dare hurt him because you know I am not alone. You may survive, but some of your men will die with me!” Iris yelled from the inside.

“Then just come out so I can pull the needle stuck in your boyfriend’s neck. We need to leave now, Blue,” Otis said calmly.

“Iris, don’t go with him!” I yelled.

Otis gripped my hair and pushed the gun into my head. “I said shut up or-”

“Or what? You’ll blow my brain? Go ahead, and they will kill her inside that cabin, trust me.” I smirked, though I was beyond terrified that Iris would turn herself in and do as she planned.

I knew she would do anything to save us, and whatever it took her to come out, I was sure Gael and everyone were trying everything to convince her not to work on her stupid idea. Again. Besides, I knew they would still kill me once Otis got what he wanted.

“Let me tell you a story, dear, Blue Iris-”

“Don’t listen to him. He’s trying to manipulate you.”

“Just fucking shut up!”

“Just go and save everyone, Iris. I’ll be fine here. I promise I can take care of myself!” I rushed my words out and felt like my hair was about to rip off my scalp.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I know you care about them, and saving them is your best idea, right, Blue? Now, let me tell you about Colt.” He cleared his throat mockingly.

“I swear-” And all I wanted was to rip his tongue out of his fucking mouth, but I was about to implode.

“About his twin brother, Colton Rebel. Do you know how he died? This man you try to save is a worthless piece of shit who couldn’t even protect his own brother. So, one of my men was happy to end Colton’s miserable life. It’s better than a slow death, right?”

My damn hands shook. In a split second, rage boiled in my blood. Before I could blink, I pivoted and launched into him. A gun pointed at my head made me halt, but I was vibrating with anger that I wanted to end his life to give justice to my brother.

My breathing was hard, heavy, and painful that, at this moment, I couldn’t do anything.

I was a work of failure.

“I will fucking kill you!” I said through gritted teeth, but this motherfucker just laughed at my weakest point.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Iris revealed herself.

I froze at the sight of her. I took a moment to look at her. Maybe this was the last time I would ever see Iris.

Then I realized Gael was holding her hostage. He even had a gun pointed at her. Was this a part of the plan? Or Gael was doing it to save my ass. Either way, I felt weak and useless in this situation.

“Fuck you. And I will fucking kill you if I get a chance. That’s a promise, asshole.” The urge to kill Otis made me dizzy, but Iris was already out. Otis had men with him, and the worse was I didn’t have any idea how many. I thought this was the right time to take lives into my own hands. They initiated it, and I would be glad to give them that.

“You had your chance, Snow. You just missed it.”

I cursed every word I knew in my entire life, but the pain, the anger, and the fear of getting my group hurt, especially Iris, terrified me, and it worsened that I couldn’t even think straight about what I should do next.

This fucking asshole had a grasp of my weakness, and it was a fucking nightmare that I couldn’t kill him without killing my friends in the end.

“There you go. Just a little motivation would do the trick. I know you very well, my little sister.”

“Little sister?” I found myself whispering in shock.

My throat closed up. That was the revelation I wasn’t expecting. And here I thought her brother was dead.

What the fuck?

There was a frightening silence, as if everyone and everything was processing what he had just shared.

I felt disappointed and betrayed, and how could she forget not to mention this? Or did she intentionally hide it from us?

They fucking killed my brother, and I couldn’t take my revenge, and the woman I cared about had kept this secret from us. Now, it was clear why they wanted her alive because blood was thicker than the water.

The pain was everywhere-in my chest as I lifted my gaze and met hers. She nodded slightly at me, and I didn’t know what role she was playing right now.

I couldn’t care any less. I didn’t know if I had to trust her anymore, and I lost my concentration for a few moments until she seemed to give me a signal.

Then a single gunshot was fired.

My eyes widened in shock. My breathing held, and even my heart stopped beating in momentum. A pain in my neck burned.

“Iris!” I couldn’t even recognize my scream, but I was sure it came from me as my throat hurt as fuck.

Gael shot Iris from her back, and I just stared at them in disbelief until I watched her fall to the ground.

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Then a loud explosion blew, echoing throughout the entire place. The fire burst in a millisecond, and the impact of the blast had us flying and threw us a few feet away. I watched the burning Jeep fly up together with Otis’ men as another explosion blasted, making the fire in full blaze.

I squinted and shielded my eyes from the thick and fiery flame that rolled up in the air. The smell of burning flesh and metal was taunting and gagging.

That was Frost’s amazing handiwork.

I couldn’t say I was happy that they got what they deserved right now and had gone way too fucking far. If they didn’t listen to Otis, they could probably be alive until now, but they chose to be controlled by that asshole.

It took a moment to let reality hit me hard. I pulled the knife from my boot and quickly cut the zip tie on my wrists while Otis was still staring at his burned men. I pulled the needle off of my neck. Fuck! It hurts.

I didn’t waste any time while Otis was still shocked.

I swallowed as fear gripped my chest. He injected me.

Gunfire erupted all around me, spraying the cars and the cabin to and fro, and glass windows shattered to the ground.

I launched into him and aimed the knife into his chest, but Otis was fast-he rolled over and was able to block me with his arm. I winced in pain as he kicked me on my chest, sending me and had me falling on my ass to the ground.

I got to stand and settle my stance. Otis ran and aimed at his gun. I managed to kick it before he had a chance to grab his weapon.

“Fuck you! You killed my men!” He launched a square punch to my face.

“You should have thought twice before coming over here, asshole.” I blocked it with my arm and ducked to punch him in his abdomen. I gave him two blows. Before I could beat him again, Otis dodged me forward, causing us to land on the ground.

The air was knocked out of my lungs. Otis got his chance to punch me in my face harder enough that I thought the blow hit right into my brain. Before I could blink, two punches on my mouth and my eye blurred my vision, and I could now taste my own blood.

With all my strength, I balled my fist and aimed right into his throat. I heard a crack. His head snapped back with its strong blow, giving me a chance to free myself. He struggled with everything he had. I grabbed his arm, lifted my legs, and swung them around his neck.

“I-I d-did not. W-we d-did not.” At that moment, I didn’t care whatever he said-all I wanted was to end him for putting our lives in hell. In one quick move, I cranked his arm and snapped it. His neck broke with an audible click.

He lay unconscious, but that was not enough for me. I searched for my knife, grabbed it, and quickly crouched back into him. I hissed as I shoved the knife right into his jugular. Blood spurted against the sharp blade.

That’s for my brother.

Iris. She was shot. Frightened, bile rose in my stomach.

I turned to face her. My body shivered as I watched her blood-soaked shirt. Panic rippled through me.

She’s not dead, is she?

Jesus Christ!

“No, no, no! Iris!” I screamed as I rolled her over and wiped the dust off her face. “Iris?”

She didn’t respond. Her face was pale.

Shadows towered around us. Lifting my chin with teary eyes, I looked at them; Gael, Darick, Lois, and Frost stared down at me and seemed relaxed after what had just happened.

“Why the fuck did you shoot her?” I yelled at Gael.

“Twig. Twig, please? Look at me.” A chill ran through me when she was still unconscious. I couldn’t lose her, not when we won against Otis. “Don’t die! Don’t fucking die! Please?”

I pulled her into my arms tightly and rocked her.

My tears fell.

My chin quivered.

I realized I didn’t only care for Iris but also loved her. I loved her so much that the pain I felt was excruciating and unbearable. I could still remember the pain of losing my brother, the same pain I feel right now.

I kissed her. “I didn’t even get a chance to tell you how I feel. Goddamn it! Wake up, please? Don’t fucking die!”

“Colt, we have to go before the other men arrive. Come on, man,” Frost cooed.

“We have to take her to the hospital now!” My voice echoed in the entire forest, but no one moved a muscle.

Are they losing their minds?

I swallowed hard as the darkness and pain of realization hit me. I was injected-I was infected. Maybe it was the best and the worst part because Iris would not die alone. I would be with her as I promised to keep her safe for as long as I breathed. But I still failed her. Miserably.

“She’s not dead, Colt. Did Otis knock your head so hard? Check her pulse.” Shocked, I lifted my gaze at Gael, and his words cut sharper than anything I’d ever endured.

I pressed my fingers against her jugular, and she had a pulse.

Iris is not dead, but I’m infected.

Fuck.