Prologue

Prologue

One shot… One shot…That’s all it takes Mia… One shot and this is all over…

28 year old Mia Ivy Arellano pressed her manicured fingertip against the trigger of her shiny handgun. I can’t believe I am here now… I can’t believe this is how it all ends…

“Pleaseeeee Mia. Pleaseeeeee don’t do this!” A deep masculine tone taunted her eardrums. “Mia please put the gun down! I’m begging you!” His voice cracked. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he kneeled before her. The man was scared shitless. Mia’s vision dropped down to the person cowardly cowering in front of her. Her right arm was extended. She held the 9mm in front of him, slowing inching towards her target as she walked at a slow pace. One shot… One shot…. Mia continued to chant inside her head while inching closer towards him.  Mentally, she had checked out. Her guilty conscience had left. No more contemplating. No asking questions. No more turning back…..One shot….

“Mia, please…” the man continued to beg. He kneeled before her on the cold, hard marble floor positioned on both knees. His hands were clapped in front of him as he pleaded for sympathy.

“I’m sorry… I’m so, so, sorry, Mia. I never meant to hurt you… I really do lov-----“

 “SHUT THE FUCK UP!” She hurried to silence him before he could tell more lies.  Immediately the man obeyed, pressing his lips firmly together as she stood towering over him. The room was now silent. She glared down at him, his remorse angering her more and more by the second. What was done had already been done. There was no undoing the past no matter how badly she wished she could. Mia leaned down to where he kneeled and pointed the gun even closer to his face.  “You’re supposed to be the man!” she spoke in a dark tone while pressing the steel to his temple. He flinched in fear as she placed the loaded gun to his head.  “Why are you whining like a little bitch??!! I don’t want to hear it mother fucker!" she shouted insults at him belittling him. The man looked up at her in disbelief with his jaw hanging open. He had never seen her this way. Mia glared back. Her bones trembled in anger underneath the Beaded mesh mermaid gown she was wearing. Tonight, she had worn an elegant, custom designed dress that she had specifically altered to fit her hour glass figure. Now, she felt like a damn fool.

"Mia...." the man bravely called out to her once again..."Mia... please let me explain... I know I made a mistake, but I am only here to help you... I swear..." he made deep eye contact with her attempting to convince her to put the gun down. Mia did not flinch. She was not sold. She stood firmly continuing to point the gun directly in his face. Her entire body had gone numb. She couldn’t feel anything anymore. No more heartache. No pain… Her mind wandered as she began to think about everything. How did I end up here? At the Sheraton Columbus Hotel? Ready to kill the man I once loved? Why am I doing this??? Is this really the only way out??? She looked down at him who was still staring deeply into her eyes as if he were attempting to figure out what she were thinking. I swore I would never fall in love again… I made that decision for a damn good reason! Immediately, Mia became angry all over again seeing his face.

“Look at me!” she threw her hands up in the air pointing towards her outfit, demanding the man shift his attention to examine how stupid she looked in her expensive gown. Mia had dressed in her best and now she felt like an idiot. Tonight was supposed to be special. Her long natural brown hair spilled in elegant waves flowing over her shoulders. The red Herve Leger dress she was wearing clung to her volunctious curves, showing off her long slender legs and hour glass figure. Her makeup had been perfectly blended. Her eyelids were decorated in a glittery gold eyeshadow with red lipstick coated over her full luscious melanin toned lips. Mia dressed exquisitely in hopes of tonight being one of the best nights of her life. But she was wrong. Very wrong...

“I have looked at you, Mia…” he spoke barely above a whisper. Cautiously, the man looked past the gun pointed at him and directly at her. “You are beautiful. You will always be beautiful… That will never change no matter how much you hate me… I still love you despite how hard I have tried to fight it…”

The room went silent. Almost immediately, Mia’s heart broke in to pieces. Her defense weakened. You are beautiful… she repeated him inside her head. I still love you despite how hard I have tried to fight it… His words hit her deep. He stared at her, sensing he had hit a soft spot. Mia shook her head in frustration as she fought the desire to fold. No matter how hard she tried to bury her feelings, she couldn’t erase the memories she had built with this man. The times they had spent together… Quickly, she shook her head regaining her focus as if she had been pulled into a trap.

"You liar!" she shouted at him. “You betrayed me!  You lied to me!!!!” she yelled, her blood pressure rising with each second. Her hands were shaking again. She could feel her vision become blurry as her knees grew weak. Mia blinked continuously, attempting to blink away the tears that were beginning to surface. Her heart was breaking but she could not allow that weakness to show. She could not let her guard down again. Against her better judgement, she had been too trusting. Because of her stupidity, she had been betrayed. Fooled and bamboozled by someone she thought she knew. She glanced down and took one final look into the man’s eyes.

“It’s over…” she spoke firmly, letting him know once and for all she was through. This is all my fault… I never should have gone back on my word… I never should have let you in my life…. You have killed me on the inside… And now I want nothing more than to return the heinous favor… She gripped the gun tightly, staring at him in regret. If only she could undo her past... If only…

Pow! Pow! Pow!

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted. POW! POW! POW! The sudden sound of piercing, loud, crackling gunshots suddenly rippled through the air. 

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Mia screamed to the top of her lungs.

POW! POW! POW!

Quickly, her body dropped to the floor. The shots continued to ring. The sound was deafening.  Bullets and clouds of smoke whizzed past her hair sending her entire body into a state of shock. “What the fuckkkkk?” she cussed.  It all happened so suddenly. One minute she was standing on her two feet, now she was huddled on the floor crawling away from the shots. “Ahhhh!” she screamed out again, taking for cover. She hadn’t seen anyone enter the room nor did she know where the shooting was coming from. Whoever the hell was shooting at her was shooting to kill and she'd be damned if she went out without shooting back. Quickly, she shut her eyes tight as her entire life flashed before her eyes. How did you end up here, Mia? What the hell were you thinking? Now, you’re about to die on the hotel floor! You can’t die, Mia! You can’t let them take you out! This is not the end!

Quickly, she refocused her vision. There was no time to think. No time to wait… This was life or death.  Quickly, Mia cocked her handgun back and prepared to go to war with her life for what would be the last time...

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Publication Date: 12-11-2017

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