Chapter 6 - The Promise
The sweeping beams of light cut through the dusty air like glowing, deadly swords.
Norah held her breath, pressing herself completely flat against the stack of raw drywall.
Declan leaned heavily against her side, his body radiating a terrifying, feverish heat.
He slowly uncurled his fingers, pressing his matte black handgun directly into her palm.
He whispered that the assault rifle was too loud and too difficult to aim in this tight space.
She looked at the handgun, realizing he was literally trusting her with his only remaining lifeline.
She shook her head, tears finally welling in her eyes as the sheer hopelessness of the situation crushed her.
She whispered that she was just an accountant who organized numbers, not a killer who could save a mafia king.
Declan reached up with a bloodstained hand and gently wiped a stray tear from her pale cheek.
He looked into her terrified eyes, his intense gaze anchoring her to the present moment.
He leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear as the flashlight beams drew nearer.
"You're safe with me," Declan whispered, his voice a profound, unbreakable vow in the darkness.
The words sent a strange, electric current of absolute courage directly into her veins.
She gripped the handgun tightly, her finger resting cautiously just outside the trigger guard.
A mercenary stepped around the plastic tarp just ten feet away, his flashlight illuminating Declan's bloody shoes.
The man raised his radio to call for backup, a cruel smile forming on his scarred face.
Norah did not hesitate, stepping out from behind the drywall and raising the heavy pistol with both hands.
She pulled the trigger, the recoil snapping her wrists backward as the loud crack echoed across the empty floor.
The bullet struck the mercenary squarely in the chest, dropping him instantly into a pile of loose nails.
The other flashlights immediately snapped toward their position, accompanied by the chaotic shouting of the hit squad.
Declan tried to stand up to draw their fire, but his legs finally gave out completely beneath him.
He collapsed onto the dusty concrete, leaving Norah entirely alone to face the approaching army.
A tall figure stepped out from the shadows, casually waving the other mercenaries back with a flick of his wrist.
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Norah recognized the customized silver gun in the man's hand before she recognized his handsome, familiar face.
It was Liam Gallagher, Declan's younger brother, smiling warmly as he stepped into the light.
