My breath caught in my throat, my eyes squeezed shut in fear of the impending danger. Was I dead? Had I been shot? With trembling anticipation, I slowly opened my eyes. Andrew's face drained of color, beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Riley erupted into laughter, his voice filled with malice. "You see, this is just a warning. Don't make me put a bullet through her head!"
Andrew raised his hands in surrender, his eyes locking with mine, brimming with concern. "Don't hurt her. Take it out on me," he pleaded.
"You should have thought of that earlier. Don't test my patience," Riley retorted.
The men rose from their agony, gathering themselves. One of them grabbed a wooden bat, swinging it menacingly through the air. The others armed themselves with wrenches, preparing for an attack.
