Dedicated to RainbowCaylen for being a great supporter! Love you!

Chapter 31.

I had even chosen my wedding dress and names for our babies.

~~

"Kill Anastasia."

"No, grab her."

"Just shoot her in the head."

"Are you crazy? We need her alive."

Alan and Ian fought as they gripped a furious Anastasia's arms tightly while Connor, Logan and Max were busy fighting the bodyguards. Dylan was throwing punches at Riyaz and Blacky was hitting Scar-face. Wait! What? Blacky is on our side? Woah.

My eyes finally settled on Bryan who was regarding me with cautious eyes. I allowed my eyes to roam all over him. Those messed up hair, honey brown eyes, kissable lips, thin layer of beard over his jaw, the way his red tee clung to his sweaty chest and his faded black jeans. He was a tremendous sight and all mine. Just as I was about to run to him and kiss him senselessly something hit my back from behind.

I turned and saw Mr. Unfamiliar back to me as he got beaten by Ian. I pushed his back and he fell on Ian. Ian immediately hit on his head with his palm and Mr. Unfamiliar fell on the ground, unconscious. I hi-fived Ian.

"Thanks, go see your lover boy. We'll keep this under control." Ian winked at me and I gave him a grateful smile. I turned to see Bryan who was helping Dylan with Riyaz.

"Hey Dylan!" I called out, "Can you manage that asshole, I need to talk to my boyfriend."

Dylan didn't even spare me a glance. "Don't underestimate the power of me." He continued punching Riyaz who was trying his best to protect himself as well as hit Dylan and failing in both. Wow, Dylan sure knew how to hit.

Ian was with Logan now, the three bodyguards still fighting like pros but their guns were on the floor away from their reach. Scar-face and Blacky were in a very intense fight as they threw perfect punches that were sure to leave bruises. Somehow it seemed personal instead of kill-and-run-away. Some history between the two?

Alan and Anastasia were nowhere to be seen. Just five minutes of privacy and Bryan and me will participate too, I promised myself.

"Hey." Bryan whispered, staring at me as he stepped closer to me.

I blinked and in the next second I was wrapped in Bryan's safe embrace. I took a deep breath, taking in his familiar scent. Oh this is heaven!

"I was so scared." Bryan whispered, his arms tightening around me in fear that I'd disappear again. I felt his previous fright resurface and hugged him more tightly.

"I was scared too." I admitted. "For a few dreadful minutes I thought I would never see you again."

"No! Joanna, no!" He kissed my forehead sweetly. "That would never happen. I promise."

"I know." I whispered, I blinked and gathered you all my courage, urging the words to come out. "Bryan I... I lo-"

"Guys help needed here. Enough with the making out." A strangled shout came and we turned to see Connor held in a head lock by one of the bodyguards. I sighed, wondering if this was karma.

"Go!" I told Bryan. "Help my dumb brother. I'll search for Anastasia."

"No, you stay here." He tapped his foot on the place he was standing for effect. "Don't move."

I rolled my eyes. "Go fast." I insisted when another shriek came from Connor. God knows what he's doing here. He is supposed to be in college with his girlfriend. I glanced at Dylan who suddenly seemed to be losing as Riyaz kept hitting him on stomach. Oh no, you don't!

I grabbed a nearby chair and slowly crept towards them. I sneaked behind Riyaz's behind and lifted the chair high before slamming it down his back. Riyaz let out a cry of pain and turned to face me. Dylan immediately punched on his shoulder and the back of his neck. Riyaz screamed something like 'you bastards' before finally falling on the floor.

I blinked at him when he didn't move at all. "Is he dead?" I asked, bending over his immobilized body.

Dylan snorted. "No, he'll be awake by the time police come."

"They are coming?" I smiled happily.

"Yeah after everyone is unconscious so they have lesser work to do. They are known for coming at the end."

"True that." I agreed, kicking Riyaz's ribs just to make sure. We looked around and found one guard down and Connor nodding gratefully at Bryan. Well looks like he no longer hates him then.

A familiar feminine scream echoed and I stared at Dylan incredulously.

I closed and opened my mouth repeatedly for a good ten seconds. "Is that Janice?" I inquired incredulously and desperately hoping it was wasn't.

I slapped Dylan on the shoulder when he nodded. "Are you mad!? Why would you bring her here?"

He winced. "She insisted to come and you know when Janice wants something she gets it."

I sighed before shaking my head in defeat and ran out. "Janice?" I shouted, my eyes darting all over the place. How could they even bring the girls here?

"Over here." Came a muffled reply. I glanced to the right and ran to the door, opening it. I froze.

Janice, Brittany and Alicia all three with big bamboo sticks hitting the guys like it was their everyday job. Brittany was literally playing dandiya (Indian event) with some guy who seemed to be enjoying himself too as he grinned at her. Janice was on top of a guys back while she hit another guy with the stick and Alicia was running behind two guys waving her hands around.

What the hell is Alicia Chandler doing here? And why the hell do they look like they are enjoying this?

"What the he'll is happening here?" I shouted in complete disbelief.

Everyone stopped and turned to me and then Alicia grinned, throwing a stick at me. "Hit Joe." She ordered.

I just grabbed the stick as it narrowly missed hitting my face. "Who's Joe?"

"That's me! Please don't hit me. Those things hurt. Please?" A guy with red hair pleaded.

"Don't listen to him Joanna, they kidnapped you." Janice said, scowling at Joe.

I sighed in frustration. "They didn't kidnap me. They are just - I don't know what."

"We are just guards, meant to guard this place. Really. We don't even know her or why she is here." The guy with blonde hair, who was beneath Janice explained. "I swear, we are innocent."

Janice frowned. "Why didn't you say so before?" She sighed as she got up.

"We didn't get a chance to. You three came in with these huge sticks shouting 'Revenge, Revenge is wanted' and started beating us into a pulp. My backside is red now." Joe said rubbing his backside.

Janice, Brittany and Alicia sighed and threw the sticks on the ground.

"Well it was fun while it lasted." Alicia muttered, settling on the chair in the corner.

"Fun for you, not us." The one getting beaten by Janice said, rubbing his thighs.

The one playing with Brittany turned to face her with a cheeky smile. "You are cute, care for a coffee date?"

Brittany stared at him and then slapped him right on the cheek. "You are lucky I threw that stick."

The guy rubbed his cheek in embarrassed making us laugh even more. "Now that was fun." Joe snickered, pointing at the red cheek.

"Fuck off." The guy said, flipping him the finger.

Brittany went and sat beside Alicia with a slight smile. I looked at Alicia still surprised by her presence. Right now I was starting to doubt my own sanity.

"My uncle owns this." She said, noticing my curious stare.

My eyes widened in realization. Her mother was an Indian so this must be her rich uncle's.

"But we were at the cottage." I reminded them.

"We met her at the party. You know Alicia would never miss any large party." Brittany chuckled.

Alicia smiled slightly and shrugged. "I was just beside them when they got the call. They seemed so stressed out and all, I just thought I could be of some help. So I joined them. When your call was traced to this area, I figured it could be this house since it's been empty for ages now. Turns out I was right."

I gave her a small appreciative smile. "Thanks."

She shrugged acting impassive but the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes was a dead giveaway. "Kian would be proud." She muttered lowly.

I nodded, swallowing hard. "He would be."

Sometimes villains just need a chance to prove themselves as heroes.

Everyone can change when given a chance.

"So let's -" Alicia's sentence was cut short when a gun shot rang throughout the house. Everyone jumped and froze for a good fifteen seconds before I shouted.

"Fuck Alan and Anastasia!" I ran out blindly trying to find the source of the sound.

"Where's Alan?" A sweaty and limping Logan asking as he tried to run towards us followed by equally tired Connor, Bryan and Dylan.

I shrugged and pointed to his leg. "What happened?"

"That asshole guard thought it would nice to twist my ankle." Logan snarled. "But then I twisted in arm and gave him my karate chop, he's unconscious now." He stated proudly.

I clapped his back. "That's my boy. Now let's find Alan."

We ran towards the source of sound, coming to a halt in front of a wooden closed door. Ian and Max soon joined us both breathing heavily.

We strained to hear the voices coming from inside.

"Don't do this Alan, you'll regret it." Anastasia's threatening yet a little scared voice came.

"I have always wanted to do this Anastasia and now I am not going to miss the chance." Alan said and the click of a gun came.

Before anyone could move Logan had opened the door, makes us all fall inside.

Anastasia stood in a corner, her gun lay a few feet away from her and Alan was in front of her, his gun pointing straight at her.

"What are you all doing here?" Alan scowled at us.

Logan slapped his back. "Playing Halloween trick or treat."

Alan's scowl deepened. "Go, you don't want to see me shoot someone."

"Of course I do." Janice said excitedly. "It's in my non-existent bucket list. Go on shoot, shoot, shoot." She chanted enthusiastically.

Alan sighed in clear frustration. "This is no game of Call of Duty. Go."

I huffed a breath of air. "No."

"Joanna."

"Alan."

"Go before -" Alan's sentence stopped midway when we heard a cackling laughter.
Anastasia should with victory and mirth in her eyes and her gun pointed straight at me.

"Once I kill this bitch, I can die peacefully."

It was like Déjà vu except this time I could scream and everyone I loved them and they could hear.

"Anastasia, don't." Bryan spoke for the first time, taking a step closer to me.

Her face wavered as she glanced at Bryan then back at me and at him. From the corner of my eye I saw Alan, Logan and Connor come closer to me, trying to protect me.

"I thought we'd be happy, Bryan." She started, pressing her lips together and shaking her head in disappointment. "But your choices have clearly degraded. You were happy here." She waved her free hand around. "With me, with the gang, with drugs. No dad to shout or no need to go through your mother's torture. Even Sean wouldn't have been a problem. But you wanted to step into reality and the reality is that I cannot let you love someone else. You are mine and if I can't have you, no one can."

And in that moment I reached a conclusion that she was a crazy overly obsessed ex-girlfriend. If it was up to her she would sew her name on all his clothes so he wouldn't forget he's hers and everyone who saw him would know it too.

I shivered in fright and tension. Why did he ever have to date her? I thought for the millionth time that day.

Janice came besides, gripping my hand tightly. "Is it surprising that I no longer want to my bucket list to be completed?"

I let out low nervous chuckle. "No but I think it's going to get completed anyways."

Anastasia stared one more time at Bryan wistfully. "I had even chosen my wedding dress and names for our babies."

I twisted my lips in disgust. Pathetic!

Bryan gave her a small smile, a smiled that chilled me to the bones. "We can do that even now. Let Joanna go and we'll go far from her, together."

I heard gasps around me and not surprisingly one was mine too. "What are you doing?" I hissed.

He ignored me, stepping closer to Anastasia. "We can do that even now Ana." She looked at him with so much hope in her eyes that it almost broke my heart but I was way too angry to care.

What was Bryan doing? Going back to his crazy ex?

If he's doing this to protect me then he is the one who needs protection now. Because I was a dragon and I was definitely breathing fire!

"Dude are you okay?" Dylan whispered, patting Bryan's shoulder.

He looked at him and nodded. "Just get Joanna back to safety."

I scowled at him. "If this is your way to save me it sucks. I am not going anywhere and nor are you. If you take one more step towards that retard I'll bitch slap you." I warned in a low menacing tone.

He looked at me sideways. "I care for you enough to sacrifice my happiness for yours."

Any other situation and I would have swooned but this wasn't the right time. "Don't you dare Bryan Cooper, I'll never forgive you."

"She's right and nor would I." Anastasia snarled. "You lover her and even though you'll be with me but your heart will always be with hers. Better option is to kill her." Her gun pointed at me again and this time her finger right on the trigger.

"Anastasia don't." Bryan started but his words were lost in the gunshot.

Everything moved in slow motion as I saw the bullet come towards and then screams filled the air. I felt someone push me aside and saw Dylan and Max move to Anastasia and grab her from killing herself. She was shouting manically, "No! No! This can't happen, this is not supposed to happen."

I stood still trying feel some pain but I felt none, the only pain being the slight one in my arm on being pushed hard. A body fell in front of me writhing in pain and I blinked, my eyes widened as I realized what had happened.

"You took the fucking bullet for me you dipshit!"

~~~

Who do you think took the bullet?

I really want to know what you all think!

Xoxoxoxo...