*****

"I would do anything to save our love because our love is my life."

*****

On the other side of town, inside Matthew's house, father and son were glaring at each other in the study room. This time round Sam was the one pacing angrily to and fro while Matthew just sat down on his office chair.

"Dad it has been two days. TWO DAYS since she married that fool. And here we are, doing nothing. Absolutely nothing." Sam spat angrily, his voice booming in the small room.

"Can you lower your voice! The whole world has surely heard you by now!" Matthew said with a low voice filled with frustration.

"No dad! You don't expect me to lower my voice when our plan is going downhill." Sam spat with the same harsh voice.

"I ran a background check on the man and it turns out he is in the military." Matthew informed.

"So what? So what dad? We are interested in the money, not the man's fucking career!" Sam said angrily.

"You don't want to mess with the forces son. Those are not like these local police that you can bribe and they keep their mouths mum. We should back out of this." Matthew advised his son.

"He is just one man dad. We will do a clean job that no one will suspect anything." Sam laid out his plan.

"You are really underestimating him, son." Matthew scoffed.

"I am not underestimating anyone dad. You are the one who is trying to be a chicken. He is a human being for God's sake! He is not made of metal!" Sam shouted, still hell bent that they must go on with the mission.

"I have a reason to be a 'chicken' as you call it. If we fuck up then a whole military will be after our asses! Why don't you process that in your thick head?" Matthew said, his anger now evident too.

"So, what do you suggest we do dad?" Sam asked, his eyes challenging his father's.

"Let's let it be. Our lives are more precious than the damn money after all." Matthew voiced out his thoughts.

"No way dad. No way in hell! We can't back out now. We are too close to back out." Sam denied, shaking his head furiously.

"Is the money worth spending years in a damn prison? I don't know about you but i don't plan spending the rest of my life in a damn box." Matthew scoffed.

Sam did not at all understand why his father was backing out now. Last week he was the front liner of the mission, reminding him time and again not to fuck up, but now he was doing the direct opposite.

Sam decided he would do this with or without his had. He was not a coward and he won't start now. He was going to kill this supposed husband and take money. Being in the military does not make one invisible, he will prove that to his coward father.

"Dad, i am doing this with or without you." Sam declared after a short silence.

"Don't come running to me when an army is after you." Matthew said as a warning to his son.

"Don't also come to me when the mission is a success and i am walking on money." Sam retorted and left his father's office.

"I am coming for you Devlin. Better be prepared." He murmured to no one as he walked through the sitting room and out of the house.

***

The past two days have brought to Devlin both happiness and sadness at the same time.

Sadness because of the fearful look everyone in the house had despite him assuring them that everything will be okay. His mother, Sharleen, Nicole and Kevin's mom were walking around the room as if expecting a bomb to explode anytime, and that brought him massive sadness. They were afraid.

On the other hand, he could not help but being happy whenever he thought about himself and Sharleen. They had married legally two days ago. Not in a wedding but just a short meeting at the attorneys office and signing of a couple of papers and it was done. His mother, Nicole and Kevin's mother were the witnesses.

Devlin thought that it would be awkward between him and Sharleen after the marriage but things were comfortable, in fact too comfortable.

The quick glances they shared, the small smiles she always threw him when she spotted him looking at her and the comfortable touches they shared strengthened their relationship.

Of course Devlin was not oblivious to the raised eyebrows the two old women shared whenever him and Sharleen were joking together or looking at each other.

Nicole too seemed to suspect something but thankfully never asked anything. She just accompanied her friend whenever she was around. Devlin was really happy Sharleen had a friend like her.

As much as they were married, Devlin and Sharleen did not sleep together though. Sharleen still slept with her friend Nicole while he slept a room next to his mother.

This day, like other days at this time, Devlin was preparing himself to go and visit his best friend's grave. Usually, in the previous two days he went with Sharleen, but he was surprised to find Sharleen curled in the sofa just staring at the ceiling.

"You are not ready yet." Devlin asked in more of a statement.

"No." Sharleen answered simply, her eyes still glued to the ceiling.

"Aren't we going together today?" Devlin asked.

"No, you go. I am not feeling well today." Sharleen said, now turning to look at him. She checked him out from head to toe and her eyes returned back to his face. The action so warmed Devlin's heart that he took in a sharp breath.

"Okay. I am going then. I will back before you know it." Devlin said as he left for the door.

Devlin did not know what was eating Sharleen so he just brushed it off as her hormones, considering her pregnant state. According to how he googled, pregnant women do things only when they are in the mood.

The silent walk to the grave yard was peaceful but Devlin realised it was not as good as when he had Sharleen around. She would always make the walk more lively and less boring. Devlin would be so engrossed in her that he would realise they were walking when they stop at their destination.

When Devlin reached his usual spot, he sat down and looked at his friend's grave that was starting to grow some grass.

"I know you are probably wondering why i came here alone, huh?" Devlin started.

"Sharleen said she was not feeling well. Ladies problems i guess. You probably know that more than me." Devlin chuckled lowly, his lips forming a ghost smile.

Devlin talked and talked to his friend about anything and everything. He even informed him about the danger that was looming on the family and he promised to protect everyone.

As he was still talking, the wind suddenly changed direction. Devlin could not help it but hear boots crunching dry leaves. The steps were coming from behind him and thanks to the wind, Devlin was able to realise that it was not one but three pairs of legs.

Without turning his head, Devlin listened keenly and with experience to the three people coming. The warning bells on his mind had already gone off. With how the boots were trying to step on the leaves slowly, Devlin knew they wanted to catch him unawares.

When Devlin was sure that it was only the three of them, he stood abruptly and turned to face his attackers.

Three bulky men stood in front of him. They wore leather jackets and pants meaning they were probably from a local gang and they were paid by someone. The three had shocked expressions when he turned around but quickly masked them with serious faces.

Devlin's eyes quickly scanned their hands and waists saw that the only threat was the sharp daggers that they had.

No guns. Good.

Without waiting for them to attack, Devlin launched towards them, his eyes targeting the middle and most built one. Devlin had no weapon with him and that meant he had to use his hands and legs, not that he minded anyways.

Just as he suspected, the three built men were all muscles but no fighting experience. Their movements were too predictable and the way they swung their daggers screamed inexperience. The only danger was that they were on a mission to kill, Devlin saw it in their eyes.

Devlin threw a strong kick that landed squarely on the stomach of the middle man, making him fall back with his ass and cough out blood. Probably broken a rib.

The other two did not wait and launched at him together. Devlin easily missed the sharp daggers and punched the first man squarely on the face, successfully breaking his nose. The second one threw a kick but unluckily Devlin caught his leg and kicked him hard in his crotch making him fall back groaning.

Devlin looked at the three men lying on the ground. One was holding his bleeding face, another his crotch and the last was holding his stomach and looked like had broken a rib or two. Devlin did not want to kill them so he took the daggers from each of their hands so that they cannot do anything sneaky.

Devlin took out his phone to call the police so that these three can be taken in for investigations.

While he was busy unlocking his phone, Devlin did not sense one man that was standing some meters behind him while securing a silencer on his gun.

Devlin only became aware when he heard the all familiar sound of a gun being corked, but it was late.

Too late.

Before he could dive to the ground or turn around, he felt a bullet penetrate his flesh from the back.

Devlin counted some seconds before tremendous amount of pain shot its way all through his body.

He took the pain all in and turned to look at his coward attacker. Only a coward attacks from behind, that is what Devlin knew.

The attacker still had a gun on his hands, pointed at Devlin. The man looked like the leader of the three, since he was bigger, wore more expensive clothes than the others and he had a gun while the others had only daggers.

Devlin saw that the man was ready to shoot again and he braced himself. He had the three daggers in his right hand so he dropped two to the ground without even looking and remained with one.

As the man's finger went to the trigger, Devlin threw the dagger on his hand with all his might. A second gunshot was heard, though because of the silencer, the sound did not go far.

Devlin felt the second bullet successfully intrude his body. The pain was unimaginable that Devlin could not help it but fall to his knees. His tired eyes watched as his attacker drop the gun that was on his hands and also fall back, with a dagger on his chest, just where his heart should be.

Devlin felt himself slowly loose consciousness. He fell on his stomach  and his eyes closed despite his need to stay awake. From a distance, Devlin heard the police siren and breathed a sigh of relief as he welcomed the blackness to envelope him.

From a distance, Sam watched with his binoculars as all the action ended. With a cocky grin, Sam called his dad and with two rings, his dad received from the other end.

"You were afraid for nothing dad. Watch and learn as i play this game."

*****