Wait. What. Nick is helping him. Vomit burns the back of my throat.

“Nick,” I cry. “Nick, no.”

He doesn’t turn around. He won’t look at me. He won’t save me.

“You’re right, nephew. You pack up the money and the boat. Let’s get out of here. I fuckin hate Eureka.” Will walks to the counter and picks up his juice. He drains the entire glass.

This is really happening. Nick moves to the table with a duffle bag and starts to shove things inside. I feel my legs go weak. I stop resisting Paulo. I close my eyes and think of my parents. I think about the day Matt walked me home. He said fate could go either way. Good or bad. My fate was to die at the hands of Will Walker, one way or another.

I let go. I let go of any hope I will survive. I let go of the idea that Nick Marino will save me. He isn’t my champion, he’s my executioner. I feel Paulo’s grip tighten as I start to fall unconscious. Then there is a knock on the door. Not really a knock. It’s pounding, banging. Yelling.

“Where is she!” It’s Matt. No, not Matt.

Paulo motions for Nick to toss him the gun on the table. All the blood has drained from Nick’s face as he hands over the gun. He can betray me, he can let Will do awful things to me, but he can’t hurt Matt.

“No.” Nick stops Paulo. “I’ll get rid of him.”

Will pulls me from Paulo’s arms and wraps his left arm around my neck, clamping his hand over my mouth. Paulo stands behind the door with the gun in his hand.

Nick opens the door. “Get the fuck out of here!” He may not love me, but I know he loves Matt.

“I saw you on West Harris near the café,” Matt yells into the door. “I know she’s here.”

I scream into Will’s hand when Paulo opens the door and pulls Matt inside.

Nick is pleading with Will as Paulo holds a gun to Matt’s head. “Will come on, he’s with us.”

“I’m not with you,” Matt yells again.

“It doesn’t look like it, nephew.” Will picks up the duffel bag. “Looks like we’re cleaning house today.”

Nick runs both his hands through his hair. For the first time today, he looks defeated.

Will tosses the bag to Nick and opens the door. “Come on, kiddies. We’re going for a ride.”

We walk around the back of the property, down the path, past the gnome, to the black SUV. Nick leads the way. Paulo and Matt are next, then Will and me. I can’t let them hurt Matt. He’s an innocent bystander.

“Nick, why are you doing this? I know you love me. I still love you.” I choke on the words. I don’t know if I’m actually lying. Nick keeps walking. “I love you.” I say again, and I see him pause.

“Shut up!” Will yanks my arm and I scream in pain. “Keep walking, Nick. You don’t need this bitch. You’re going to be rolling in pussy once we get set up.”

His comment makes me sick. I wish I could puke all over him right now. We reach the back gate and Will yells for Nick to get the lock.

“You don’t deserve her,” Matt hisses as we watch Nick kneel down to unlock the gate. “You never did.”

“And you do?” Nick spits back.

“Yeah, I do. She deserves better than some wannabe drug dealer like you!”

Nick stands up and looks at Matt with pure hate in his eyes.

“Nick, get the lock!” Will screams.

It’s too late. Nick is already rushing Matt. The force of the punch knocks Matt out of Paulo’s arms. His gun skits across the dirt.

Will yells at them as they wrestle on the ground. Paulo pulls Matt off of Nick and holds him back.

Nick springs to his feet and wipes his mouth. It looks like Matt must have got a punch in. Nick’s lip is bleeding. Nick picks up the gun and puts it in the waist of his pants.

“Nick, let’s get out of here. You’ll get your revenge on this little cock-blocker soon enough.” Will looks around to make sure nobody heard the scuffle. There’s nobody here, they’re all at Arnie’s funeral.

Once the gate is open, there is no stopping him. Nobody can save us. We can’t leave the property. Will won’t shoot us here. He can’t. He needs Nick, he needs his money. Nick is still working the lock. I don’t remember it taking this long when we pulled in. He’s frazzled, so I try to make it even worse. “Nick, you’re just going to let Will shoot me, shoot Matt?”

Will gives me a hard shake and I wince as the gun in his hand digs into my side. “Nick will do whatever I say. If I tell him to shoot you, then you’re dead.” Will presses his mouth to the side of my face. “But I wouldn’t do that to my nephew. Shit like that haunts you. I’ll take you out myself. Maybe have a little fun with you first.”

“Will!” Paulo screeches.

My eyes dart to Nick, he’s holding a gun, Paulo’s gun. It’s pointed at me. At Will.

“What the fuck, kid?”

“Let her go.” Tears roll down Nick’s cheek. I don’t know if he’s crying because of me or the fact that he is holding a gun to Will, the man he’s looked up to for most of his life.

Will grips me tighter and raises the gun from my waist to my head. “Nicky, come on, you’re emotional.”

“Shut up!” Nick looks at me, then to Matt. “I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you,” I cry. I don’t what him to change his mind. I don’t want Will to change his mind.

“Let them go and I’ll leave with you.” Nick is trying to negotiate with Will. “We can leave with the money I got for my birthday. We can set up someplace new.”

“You know I can’t do that.” Will steps towards Nick. “Let’s talk about this in the car. We can work it out on the way to the beach.”

Nick shakes his head. “No, there’s nothing to work out. This isn’t happening. I’ll give you the money. All of it. Then you leave.”

“Nicky, no. We’re family.” Will sounds hurt.

“Family?” Nick scoffs. “This has nothing to do with family. It was always about the money. You used my father, and now you’re using me.”

Will pulls me to the side, holding the gun firmly to my right temple. “That’s not true. You’re my blood.” He points at Nick with the gun then puts it back to my head. “I was setting you up to be the next Tony Montana, just like we talked about. Just like you wanted!”

Nick shakes his head. He runs his hand through his hair and smiles. At me. “I love you, Dani.”

I almost tell him I love him back. The words catch in my throat.

“You fucking pussy. I knew you didn’t have it in you,” Will sneers.

“Let her go, and I’ll leave with you,” Nick says again.

“Fuck you. Drop the piece and maybe I’ll let you live.” Will grabs me by the throat.

I grab at his hands and he squeezes tighter. There’s a ringing in my ears. It hurts.

Nick drops the gun and kicks it towards Paulo. Will throws me onto the ground. I taste dirt as I gasp for air. Nick is suddenly at my side.

“Are you ok?” He pulls me to him. “I’m sorry, Dani. I never meant for…”

Matt pushes Nick away from me. “You don’t get to say sorry.” He helps me stand. Nick looks devastated.

“Let’s go,” Will yells. We look up and see him standing next to the open gate with Paulo, their guns pointed at us.

Matt grips my hand and moves forward, but Nick holds us back. “Wait.”

Matt pushes his hand away and pulls me closer. A helicopter flies over the house. A dozen men appear out of nowhere and rush towards Will and Paulo.

“What the fuck!” Will screams as he is surrounded.

Swirling lights come out of the tree line across the road and park in front of the gate. Cops come running up the path that leads to Nick’s cottage. They’ve been here all along.

Nick walks up to Will, who is now in handcuffs. “I don’t think I want to be the next Scarface.” He smirks. “I was thinking more along the lines of Donnie Brasco.” Nick lifts his shirt and exposes a wire taped to his chest.

Matt and I don’t move, we don’t speak. We’re in shock. Just like Will.