Killing Me Softly: A Thriller Romance Novel [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 28

I stood utterly petrified, clasping a hand to my chest and took a few steps back slowly at the sight of Jamie grinning at me.

"H-How did you—?" I stammered.

Out of the corner of my eye, Theo turned and immediately dropped his bags.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Theo demanded.

"Why, I came to check on my old, good friend Delilah, of course. Who knows what could happen to her with a murderer in her house?" Jamie said in a derisive manner to Theo.

Theo immediately grabbed Jamie by the collar of his white dress shirt, yanking him inside and slamming him to the wall. I had moved out of the way just in time, stumbling backwards.

Jamie grunted and held up his hands. He laughed, "Whoa! Take it easy, Theo. You're assaulting an officer here."

Theo clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on Jamie. "Who sent you here, huh? Did Donnie set you up for this?"

Then, as if on cue, someone tall, dressed in all black stepped into the doorway pulling a pistol out and pointing it at Theo. It was Donnie.

"Let him go, asshole," Donnie's deep voice boomed.

Theo froze, wide-eyed, and Donnie stepped inside, then shut and locked the front door, blocking us from escaping this.

"Donnie, what the—how did you—?" Theo faltered.

"Let him go, nice and easy," Donnie said, cocking the gun, keeping it aimed straight at Theo. "Keep your hands up where I can see 'em."

Theo did as he was told and raised his hands up by his head.

Jamie then swung Theo around and put a sleeper hold around Theo's neck, forcing Theo to his knees.

Donnie pursed his lips together and grinned at the side of his evil lips.

"That'll teach him to pick on a man his own size," Donnie said and laughed.

"It'll teach him not to pick on a cop," Jamie said, squeezing Theo with all of his might.

Theo struggled to get out of it, clawing and pulling on Jamie's arms. I couldn't bear seeing Jamie hurting Theo like that.

"You're no cop. You're a prick!" I hollered, feeling all of the anger and hate I had for Jamie burst from within me.

Donnie immediately darted his eyes to me and took a couple of steps toward me. "Wow, Theo. Your new girlfriend sure has a mouth on her, doesn't she?" Donnie teased in a sinister way.

"Don't!" Theo choked out. "Stop!"

Donnie then moved the gun from Theo and pointed it at me.

"No! Don't! Leave her out of this! Please?" Theo spat and pleaded, turning nearly purple.

To have a loaded gun pointed right at your forehead will do things to you. It's either fight or freeze up. I did the latter. It was a moment I thought I would never have to face in my lifetime, having a barrel pointed right at my face. But it was happening here and now, and I had to figure something out.

"You know why I'm here, don't you, Theo?" Donnie said, keeping the gun pointed at me.

"Yes. Please..." Theo said, slapping at Jamie's arm.

"Dude, let him go. I can't talk to him while he's choking out like that," Donnie said to Jamie, rolling his eyes, treating Jamie like he was an imbecile.

Jamie rolled his eyes at Donnie and snarled. "Fine," he said, then released Theo.

Theo dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, coughing and trying to breathe when Jamie kicked him in the ribs.