Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

As she points the gun an inch from my forehead, her finger
on the trigger, I stare into her eyes.
“I love you. That’s not a lie. I love you more than
anything. More than I want my next breath. I’ll give anything
for you to forgive me, and that includes my life.”
I lean forward so the gun rests between my brows. I raise
my hands and rest them on her hips.
My heart in my voice, I say, “Kill me if it will take away
your pain, love. If it will give you even a little peace, pull the
trigger and end me.”
She swallows, hard. Her hands shake. She moistens her
lips. With her free hand, she swipes angrily at her watering
eyes.
After a long, breathless moment, she exhales heavily and
lowers the gun to her side.
Groaning, I throw my arms around her waist and bury my
face into her belly. I hold her tightly until she sighs.
“Get off your knees, gangster. I can’t deal with you like
this.”
I stand. When I try to take her face in my hands, she pulls
away, shaking her head. She holds out my weapon.
“Just take this damn thing, will you?”
I shove the gun under the waistband of my jeans at the
small of my back, then reach for her again. But again she
withdraws, turning her back to me and wrapping her arms
around her body. She goes to the sink and leans against it,
looking down.
Her voice very quiet, she says, “What now?”
The relief I feel that she’s not screaming for me to leave is
so overwhelming, I almost sink to my knees again. “I put
Viktor in the car, but I have to…” I hesitate, not wanting to
traumatize her any more.
She says, “Get rid of the body. I get it. Go ahead.”
I should’ve known she’d rally, my Valkyrie queen.