Page 93 of If You Fight

Frowning, he shook his head. “I can’t do that, Ryder. I’m sorry. I’m going to find her and when I do, I have no choice. You know that as well as anyone else. Just accept this is how it has to go.”

Nothing Jesse said was wrong. I knew he had no choice. None of us did in Robert’s world. That didn’t change the fact that I’d sooner die than let him hurt Alita.

“I’m sorry, Jess. I can’t let you do that.”

“You don’t have a choice, man. Don’t fight this. You have the girl. Let the mother go and he’ll be happy.”

I pointed my gun at him and hated that I knew what he said wasn’t true. “No, he won’t. He’ll never be happy, and there’s nothing you and I can do to change that.”

There was nothing more to say. I never wanted to hurt Jesse or anyone else. I didn’t have a choice.

None of us did.

I squeezed the trigger and felt the shot explode out of my gun, and then a second later I heard a second shot. Had I pulled the trigger a second time? Serena let out a terrified scream behind me. I wanted to turn around to see if she was safe, but I couldn’t. All I could do was watch as Jesse collapsed onto the floor in what looked like slow motion before my legs gave out and I fell.

“Ryder! Talk to me! Please, say something!” Serena begged over and over, each time her voice sounding farther and farther away.

Until all I heard was silence.