Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 9
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 9
Max remembered Pete Morano’s confession as the old man lay dying with his head in Max’s lap. For a half-second, he considered the cost of breaking his promise. Genevieve deserved to know the truth, though it would change her life forever.
But it wasn’t his truth to tell.
“Yes,” Max finally said, a part of him dying along with the last spark of hope in her eyes.
She nodded, and then turned to Jenkins still standing in the kitchen doorway.
“If I give you the deed, you’ll leave me alone?”
Max started to protest, but stopped when she shook her head.
Holding up a hand, she fixed him with a cold stare. “Stay out of this, Max. You’ve done enough.”
Jenkins shrugged. “While I’d like to just let you go, I’m afraid that’s just not possible. You both know way too much already about my business, which makes you both liabilities. However, if you hand that deed over, I can promise you won’t suffer. If not, well...”
Three long strides was all it took for Max to place himself in front of Genevieve. He could feel the heat from her body at his back as she sat on the arm of the couch. Jenkins laughed, raising the gun level with the center of Max’s chest.
“Touching, Westlake. If you want to die first, that’s fine with me. We’ll have more fun without a chaperone anyway, right Ms. Morano?”
“Wait!” Genevieve’s fingers dug into the back of Max’s shirt as she used him as leverage to stand up.
“What if I give you the deed in exchange for his life?” she said, trying to move out from behind him. Max simply stepped to the side, still blocking her path. “He’s on your side anyways. Why would you need to kill him?”
Jenkins raised his eyebrows, leaning slightly to look around Max. “He betrayed me, just as he betrayed you. Why would I want to keep him around? For that matter, why do you care if he dies? Really, you should thank me for avenging your father’s death. I can think of a few ways--”
“That’s enough.” Max mentally measured the distance between Jenkins and himself. If he could get Genevieve out of the way, he could rush Jenkins and take the gun. He’d get shot - no way to avoid this close, but if he swung out to the side...
“Go get the deed, Gen. There’s nothing we can do to stop him now.” Behind him, her fingers tightened in his shirt, her nails digging into the skin underneath.
“My name is Genevieve,” she practically growled. “And if he’s going to kill us anyway, there’s no point in making things any easier for him.”
Max barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Yes, she had every reason to be mad, and once he got her out of here, he’d leave her alone for good. But surely she was smart enough to realize he wanted her to move away from him?
He reached back and grabbed her hands, giving them a squeeze before letting them drop.
“Just do it, Gen. I don’t want you behind me when he shoots.”
Jenkins shook his head as Max finally felt Genevieve move away. He waited until he could see her from the corner of his eye, far enough to the side that a bullet meant for him couldn’t hit her.
His attention fully on Jenkins, he waited until their captor was focused on Genevieve.
Max lunged for the gun.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 9
Max remembered Pete Morano’s confession as the old man lay dying with his head in Max’s lap. For a half-second, he considered the cost of breaking his promise. Genevieve deserved to know the truth, though it would change her life forever.
But it wasn’t his truth to tell.
“Yes,” Max finally said, a part of him dying along with the last spark of hope in her eyes.
She nodded, and then turned to Jenkins still standing in the kitchen doorway.
“If I give you the deed, you’ll leave me alone?”
Max started to protest, but stopped when she shook her head.
Holding up a hand, she fixed him with a cold stare. “Stay out of this, Max. You’ve done enough.”
Jenkins shrugged. “While I’d like to just let you go, I’m afraid that’s just not possible. You both know way too much already about my business, which makes you both liabilities. However, if you hand that deed over, I can promise you won’t suffer. If not, well...”
Three long strides was all it took for Max to place himself in front of Genevieve. He could feel the heat from her body at his back as she sat on the arm of the couch. Jenkins laughed, raising the gun level with the center of Max’s chest.
“Touching, Westlake. If you want to die first, that’s fine with me. We’ll have more fun without a chaperone anyway, right Ms. Morano?”
“Wait!” Genevieve’s fingers dug into the back of Max’s shirt as she used him as leverage to stand up.
“What if I give you the deed in exchange for his life?” she said, trying to move out from behind him. Max simply stepped to the side, still blocking her path. “He’s on your side anyways. Why would you need to kill him?”
Jenkins raised his eyebrows, leaning slightly to look around Max. “He betrayed me, just as he betrayed you. Why would I want to keep him around? For that matter, why do you care if he dies? Really, you should thank me for avenging your father’s death. I can think of a few ways--”
“That’s enough.” Max mentally measured the distance between Jenkins and himself. If he could get Genevieve out of the way, he could rush Jenkins and take the gun. He’d get shot - no way to avoid this close, but if he swung out to the side...
“Go get the deed, Gen. There’s nothing we can do to stop him now.” Behind him, her fingers tightened in his shirt, her nails digging into the skin underneath.
“My name is Genevieve,” she practically growled. “And if he’s going to kill us anyway, there’s no point in making things any easier for him.”
Max barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Yes, she had every reason to be mad, and once he got her out of here, he’d leave her alone for good. But surely she was smart enough to realize he wanted her to move away from him?
He reached back and grabbed her hands, giving them a squeeze before letting them drop.
“Just do it, Gen. I don’t want you behind me when he shoots.”
Jenkins shook his head as Max finally felt Genevieve move away. He waited until he could see her from the corner of his eye, far enough to the side that a bullet meant for him couldn’t hit her.
His attention fully on Jenkins, he waited until their captor was focused on Genevieve.
Max lunged for the gun.
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