CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
A FRIEND INDEED 2
LIAM’S POV
I sank into the worn leather chair, nursing a glass of whiskey that had long since lost its chill. The amber liquid did little to dull the ache in my chest as I stared blankly into the dimly lit room. Memories of Alice crashed over me like waves-her laughter, her touch, the way she used to look at me with that hopeful, trusting gaze. Those moments seemed so distant now, overshadowed by the mess I had made of everything.
I took another gulp, the alcohol burning a path down my throat, but it did nothing to erase the regret festering inside me. The divorce was my decision, but it felt like I was the one paying for it, haunted by the weight of my own choices.
My contemplation was shattered by a loud bang from downstairs, followed immediately by the sharp report of a gunshot. My heart leapt into my throat, the whiskey suddenly feeling too heavy in my hand. I tossed the bottle aside, the glass smashing against the wall as I reached for the gun I kept hidden in the drawer beside my bed. Slipping it into the back pocket of my jeans, I stumbled to my feet and moved cautiously towards the stairs.
Each step down was heavy, the alcohol making me unsteady, but fear sharpened my senses. As I reached the bottom, I saw Elena standing in the middle of the living room, her face a storm of anger. She was gripping a gun, its barrel aimed directly at me.
“Oh, who do we have here?” I drawled, trying to mask my own anxiety with a veneer of mockery. Her eyes were blazing with fury, and her voice cut through the room like a knife.
“Come down here, you son of a bitch!” Elena’s voice was filled with venom, and I could see the rage simmering just below the surface.
I felt a surge of adrenaline mix with the alcohol as I pulled out my own gun, leveling it at her with a steady hand. “And what makes you think I’d just let you threaten me like this?”
For a moment, the room was thick with tension, both of us holding our weapons, each waiting for the other to make the first move.
“Does Alice know who you really are, Elena?” I asked suddenly, my voice dripping with disdain. “Does she know about the monster hiding under that pretty face of yours?”
Her eyes narrowed, her grip on the gun tightening. “That’s none of your business, Liam.”
“Oh, but it is,” I taunted, my voice sharp. “You’re her best friend, aren’t you? Or is that just another one of your lies?”
Elena’s expression hardened. “You don’t know anything about me or Alice.”
“And I don’t regret divorcing her, not for a second,” I spat, my voice rising with the alcohol-fueled rant. “All women are the same-lying, deceitful scumbags. Alice is no different. She framed my sister, tried to turn everyone against me. She’s just as twisted as the rest of them!”
Elena’s face twisted in fury. “Shut up, Liam,” she said, her voice low and dangerous.
I didn’t back down. “You think you can come in here, threaten me, and I’ll just roll over? Think again, sweetheart. I’m not afraid of you.”
The tension was palpable as Elena’s hand shook with rage. Without warning, she pointed the gun directly at my head, her finger hovering over the trigger. “I said, shut up!”
I couldn’t help it-I let out a burst of hysterical laughter. “Go ahead, Elena. Do it. But I promise you, I won’t go down alone.” I pulled my own gun from my pocket, aiming it at her with a grim determination. “Let’s see who’s quicker on the draw.”
The room seemed to hold its breath as we stood there, guns drawn, ready to end each other’s lives. The air was electric with the potential for violence.
Then, in a flash, Elena lunged at me. I barely had time to react as she swung her gun hand towards my head. I dodged, and we collided in a violent, chaotic struggle. The gunshot from Elena’s weapon rang out, narrowly missing me as we grappled for control.
“Is this all you’ve got?” I growled, trying to wrest the gun from her grip. Elena’s nails raked across my face, drawing blood, but she wasn’t giving up.
I managed to knock the gun from her hand, sending it skidding across the floor. Elena wasn’t finished, though. She clawed at me, her rage giving her strength.
I roared in pain as her knee connected with my gut, forcing me to double over. I grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her against the wall, our faces inches apart, both of us breathing heavily.
“You’re going to regret this,” Elena spat, her voice filled with venom.
“Not as much as you,” I snarled back, my hands gripping her arms tightly.
In a desperate move, Elena twisted out of my hold, delivering a sharp kick to my knee. I stumbled but caught myself. We circled each other, both of us battered and exhausted, our eyes locked in a deadly stare.
Elena’s gaze darted to the gun lying a few feet away. I saw the flicker of her intent and lunged for it, but she was faster. She grabbed the gun and rolled to her feet, aiming it at me once more.
“Enough, Liam,” she said, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fatigue. “This ends now.”
But I wasn’t ready to give in. I stared at her, my mind racing for a way out of this mess. “You think you can just walk away from this? We’re both trapped here, Elena.”
“Maybe,” she admitted, her finger tightening on the trigger. “But I’m not the one who’s going to die tonight.”
Time seemed to stretch as we faced off, neither willing to lower our weapons. The air was thick with tension, every breath feeling like a threat.
Suddenly, the door burst open, slamming against the wall as someone stepped into the room.
Both Elena and I turned, our guns still aimed, ready to confront this new threat. When we saw who it was, our expressions shifted from anger to shock, and then to something else entirely.
“Alice?” We uttered at the same time.