Chapter 25

<Gavin Forrester>

It’s been 3 days away from New York and all I’ve thought about is Victoria and the look on her face when she was telling me to move on. It was like she knew she’d already lost me. She seemed to be looking right through me, like she was seeing me but there was no recognition in her features. I guess I only have myself to blame for that. I had every intention of telling her and begging for her forgiveness but I figured she’d probably never find out and then I could just pretend it never happened. I should’ve been smarter and just told her the minute I knew I loved her. I didn’t want to hurt her and I didn’t want to lose her but now I’ve managed to do both of those things. I wish I could’ve just gotten the courage to tell her before she got in too deep.

 I look around the abandoned warehouse where I’ve been hiding out since Victoria walked out of my apartment. It’s where I store all my supplies for my assignments. There are guns, a few extra sets of clothes and some bags of well-preserved food. There’s also a beat up mattress with a blanket in case my mission had not been completed on time and I needed a place to crash far away from Talon until I could complete it. I sit up from the uncomfortable mattress and rub my eyes before remembering that tonight is Victoria’s rehearsal dinner. She probably won’t want me there but I fear what will happen if I’m not. I unlock my phone and call Blaze. He picks up on the 3rd ring.

 “Forrester, where the hell have you been?” Blaze’s tired, hung-over voice comes through the phone.

 “Not important right now…I need you to do something for me.” I say quickly as I stand up and go searching through the warehouse for the suit I’m pretty sure I left here.

 “Anything,” He mutters and then yawns loudly.

 “Victoria’s rehearsal dinner is tonight and my boss plans to murder her before she can sign her pre-nuptials. I need you and Slick to be in suits and at my apartment within an hour and a half. I’ll meet you there.” I continue to search through the warehouse until a garment bag catches my eye.

 I open it and find my suit. A smile spreads across my face as I take it out.

 “So, we’re going to protect Victoria?” He asks in a slightly excited tone.

 “Be at my apartment in an hour and a half with Slick.” I mutter and hang up.

 I get into my suit and pack up the rest of the things I brought with me. I make sure all of my weapons are locked up and hidden properly. Then I turn out the lights and lock the door properly before heading out to my Ferrari.

~~~~~ 

I pull into my parking spot and grab my bag from the backseat. I go into the elevator and when I arrive on the 3rd floor, I see Blaze and Slick in suits, standing against the wall by my apartment. I pull out my keys and walk down the hallway towards them.

 “Gavin, what exactly are we doing here?” Slick asks, which tells me that Blaze didn’t elaborate much.

I unlock my door and shove them both inside. I slam the door behind them and lock it.

 “If we don’t go to her rehearsal dinner, then my boss is going to put a bullet through her head and I just can’t have that. I love Victoria and I have to protect her, got it?” I ask in an exasperated tone.

 “We understand,” The both say simultaneously.

 “Good,” I mutter and go into my room to find the gun Talon gave me to kill her with.

 I search everywhere and find it in my sock drawer buried beneath all of the socks I never wear. I slip it into the interior pocket of my suit jacket and then check to make sure I have everything. I have my keys, my phone, the gun and the letter I wrote for Victoria because I’m pretty sure we’ll never see each other again after tonight. I step out of my bedroom and nod towards Slick and Blaze. They stand up and we walk out of my apartment. I lock the door and then we head quickly towards the elevators.

 Once we’re back in the garage, we all walk towards my car. Blaze takes shotgun, Slick sits in the back and I, obviously, take the driver’s seat. I search through my messages to the one where Talon sent me the address of the hotel where the dinner will be held. I plug the address into my GPS and begin driving when the automated voice starts giving directions.

~~~~~

We arrive at the hotel within half an hour. I hand my keys to the valet and accept the pick-up ticket they shove in my face. I walk through the gold bordered double doors into a lobby that’s filled with people. Slick and Blaze walk on either side of me as we search for where the dinner is being held. After a few minutes of searching I decide to ask the receptionist.

 “Hello, I’m looking for the Jacobson Rehearsal dinner.” I say with my most charming smile.

 “It’s in the Nightingale Ballroom on level 3.” The woman mutters without looking up from her computer.

 “Thank you,” I smile again and then walk off towards the elevator.

 When the doors open, I tell the attendant to take me to level 3. He presses the button and then the doors close. The ride is silent, the air slowly filling up with tension and nerves. The doors reopen and I step out of the elevator onto the red velvet carpet that is custom to this hotel. The walls are an almost gold color and decorated with various works of art. I walk down the hall, my friends following close behind, towards a set of open double doors with a sign saying ‘Rehearsal Dinner of Victoria Grayson and Carter Jacobson’.

 “You’re in love with an engaged woman?” Blaze asks with a chuckle.

 “Don’t question my life choices…I do that enough to myself already.” I roll my eyes and walk into a brightly lit space.

 There are at least 200 people walking around the large area. The women are all dressed in long evening gowns while the men are all wearing a variation of the same suit. The space has been decorated with tulips, a flower I remember Victoria saying she was allergic to. Half of the room is filled with circular tables with white table clothes and a centerpiece of flowers and candles. The other half of the room is empty except for a snack table and a bar. This is where most of the people are walking around and socializing. Jazz music plays in the background and the whole event seems a little fake to me.

 “Split up, we have to find Victoria.” I whisper to Blaze and Slick who nod furiously before walking off in opposite directions.

 I walk over to the bar and order a Kentucky Straight. As soon as I have a drink in my hand I begin making my way around the hordes of people who are here to see Victoria and Carter rehearse the wedding of the century. I greet a few people and introduce myself as Hunter, a friend of Victoria’s. I keep walking around until I’m sure I haven’t seen Victoria. I even tried looking for Carter but he’s nowhere to be found either.

What if they’ve already murdered her and I’m too late?

 I shake the thought from my head and continue looking. I check around the hordes of people a few more times, I check all the people who’ve already taken their seats, I check the hallway and anywhere else I think Victoria could’ve run off to. Then my phone buzzes in my pocket with an incoming text.

It’s from Talon…

 I open up the message and read it with a grimace.

 Looking for someone? You might try room 3B…

 I feel the rage course through my veins as I run down the hallway towards the room. I fire a text to Blaze and tell him to come to room 3B if he hears shots fired. I press my ear to the door and try to hear if there’s anyone on the other side.

 “He’s not going to come save you now…” I hear Carter sneer.

 Then there’s a muffled scream.

 How has nobody realized that the girl who’s wedding they’re here for, is gone from her own rehearsal dinner?

 “You’re going to die the way you should’ve died that night in the alley…” I hear a female voice say.

Her mother is in there telling her she needs to die..and I thought my parents were messed up…I have to go in there.

 Then I hear another muffled scream. I pull the gun out of my pocket and make sure I have bullets just in case. I glare at the door with tight lips and an absolutely furious expression.

 “Victoria, he doesn’t love you, he doesn’t care anymore…I’m sorry if you thought you’d survive this night but Gavin is long gone and he isn’t coming back, especially not for you.” I hear Carter’s voice through the door, it’s malicious and heartless, just like usual.

 I can’t let this go on any longer.

 I pull my ear away from the door and try to turn the knob but it won’t budge.

 Of course they’d lock it.

 I roll my shoulders and stare at the wooden door of room 3B. It’s taunting me as if it knows I’ll never get inside to save Victoria. I gather up all my strength and ram my shoulder hard into the door. Much to my surprise and to that of the people on the other side, the door breaks off its hinges and falls to the ground. I hold my gun out in front of me as I walk towards the queen sized bed where Victoria is tied up. Carter, her mother and Talon are congregated around her. Their eyes widen and their jaws drop when the see me walk into the room. It’s Talon who regains his composure first.

 “We would’ve opened the door for you.” He chuckles but stops when I point my gun directly at him.

 “That would imply that I’m going to comply with your wishes, which is the last thing I plan on doing.” I mutter angrily and walk closer to Victoria.

 Her mouth is taped shut with duct tape and she’s tied up with rough rope. Her cheeks are stained with tears and more begin to fall when she sees me. Her brown eyes seem to tell me that she knew I’d come back. I rip the duct tape off her mouth, causing her to wince a little.

 “I will not let you win, Talon.” I hold my gun up, pointing it directly at him. “I don’t care what you want me to do, ‘cause I’m not going to do it. I was never going to go through with it, from the moment you gave me the assignment. I was just buying myself more time and I’ve had enough because I’m always going to have to buy myself more time until I confront my problem which is what I’m doing right now. I love Victoria and I have since the first night I met her. I will never put a bullet through her, I’d never even think of hurting her but you, Talon, oh I’d kill you and never look back.” I lock a bullet into place and with hands that aren’t shaking, point the gun at Talon’s heart.

 “Wait,” I turn in surprise when Victoria pipes into the conversation. “I want to know why my biological father wants me dead.” Tears fall down her face as she stares at Talon with a hatred one usually reserves for Satan.

 “You broke up my marriage, you reminded me every day that I wasn’t even good enough to care for my own family, your head is worth millions of dollars and you know too much about my business. You basically set yourself up, Victoria.” Talon scoffs.

 “Never blame this on her…This is all you, Talon and your tunnel vision. You don’t see anyone’s side of the story but your own. You let your anger overtake you which led to abuse and forced your wife away from you. All of these problems are because of you.” I say slowly and take in a deep breath as I hold onto the gun tighter.

 “Well then, why does my own mother want me dead?” Victoria mutters and stares at the ceiling.

 “I want the money so I can start over with the man I truly love.” She states simply as she walks over and kisses Talon.

 I could throw up right now but that’d be a waste of time and effort…

 “What pills has he been shoving down your throat?” I ask with fake politeness.

 “Excuse me?” Mrs. Grayson’s eyes widen with horror.

 “It must be something extremely psychedelic if it can cause you to think he’s the man who truly loves you.” I narrow my eyes as she thinks over what I just said.

 “I do love him…” She says in a strong, confident voice.

 “Damn it, the hallucinations are worse than I thought.” I chuckle but my mouth remains angry as I do so.

 “I do love him!” She shouts and pulls out a knife, running towards me.

 She plunges it into my shoulder and leaves it there. I hear Victoria scream and then start sobbing again. My eyes remain on Mrs.Grayson but they show no emotion.

 “Gavin, I’m so sorry…You should just kill me, then you’ll live and can be done with these people forever.” She says through sobs.

 “I’m never going to kill you, Victoria…that would never solve my problems because I love you and I need you here with me.” I continue to stare straight at Mrs. Grayson and then I pull the knife out of my shoulder.

 It hurts but not as much as she is about to.

 “Hands up, and stand against the wall, facing me…” I grip the gun tighter but neither of them move.

 “We don’t have to do what you say,” Talon sneers in the fashion of a toddler ignoring its parents.

 “Don’t test the guy with a gun.” I mutter, my finger hovering over the trigger.

 They both back up against the wall.

 “Don’t kill them, Gavin, you know it won’t solve anything.” Carter is standing right next to me and he places an arm on my shoulder.

 “You have 5 seconds to get out of here before I shoot you too.” I say holding up 5 fingers, slowly counting down.

 He rushes out before I have a chance to make it to 3.

 “They’re my parents…” I hear Victoria shout as she continues to cry.

 “I’m sorry, but I have to do this.” I turn away from her and aim my gun at Talon.

 “You don’t have to.” Talon snarls but I can see the fear in his eyes.

 He’s knows I’m capable of killing him…For once I hold all the power and he can’t do anything about it.

 Next thing he’s knows, there’s a bullet flying straight towards his leg.

 “You missed, how did you miss? He was right in front of you.” Victoria asks incredulously.

 I look over at Talon and then shoot his other leg. He collapses and pulls up his pant legs, looking at the bloody mess his legs have become.

 “He doesn’t just want to kill me. He wants to make me suffer.” Talon mutters and tries to use his socks to mop up the blood.

 “Stop it, this is the man I love; why do you want to hurt him so badly?” Mrs. Grayson shouts and stands in front of Talon.

 “I advise you to move before you become collateral damage.” I glare at her and grit my teeth.

 “Don’t you take one more shot!” She expels air angrily through her nose and stands firmly in front of Talon.

 “You want your own daughter dead. You’re a despicable human being and I’m giving you a chance to live when I really shouldn’t but if you don’t move then I’ll have no choice but to kill you too.” I say, my voice not wavering a bit.

 “I’m not moving.” She crosses her arms and snarls.

 I turn to Victoria, giving her an apologetic look.

 “That’s not my mother…I don’t know who that is.” Victoria mutters and turns to face the wall.

 “I’m sorry it has to go like this.” I mumble and turn back to face Mrs. Grayson.

 “You’ll go to jail for a very long time, Gavin.” Mrs. Grayson smirks in an evil manner.

 “I don’t care, as long as you and Talon can’t hurt Victoria anymore.” I lock another bullet into place and stare her straight in the eye.

 “My husband is the police chief of the NYPD…He’ll have you in handcuffs so fast you won’t be able…” She never finishes her sentence because I shoot her in the stomach and she collapses.

 I hear Victoria sob silently in the corner of the room. Blaze and Slick come bursting into the room and let out a surprised noise when they see Talon and Mrs. Grayson on the floor. I walk over to Victoria and untie her. She wraps her arms around my neck and holds me close. I wrap mine around her waist in response.

"I knew you’d never do it…” She whispers in my ear and then places her lips on my cheek.

 “I would never dream of taking your life away.” I run my fingers through her hair as she continues to hold onto me.

 “I hate to interrupt this beautiful reunion but we may have company.” Blaze shouts.

“Take her back to her house and I’m going to run and dispose of the gun. Make sure no one sees you.” I say as I let go of Victoria.

 “I want to stay with you, Gavin. I don’t want to lose you again.” Victoria mutters in a broken voice.

 “I promise I’ll come back for you, princess…I will not leave you behind, ever again.” I kiss her forehead and then nod towards Blaze and Slick.

 “Until we see you again, Forrester.” Blaze salutes me and picks up Victoria before running out of the room.

 I look at Mrs. Grayson and see that her eyes have already drooped closed. Talon is glaring at me with as much venom as a rattlesnake.

 “You’ll pay for this, Gavin.” He grimaces.

 “No, you’ll be the only one paying for this.” I mutter and shoot him in the far side of his stomach so, there’s some chance that he’ll live.

 I don’t need to be on trial for the murder of 2 people…

 I slip the gun into my pocket and run out the broken down door of room 3B.