Crossfire
1228 Words
Celestia
The music inside New Bay Bar felt louder than usual.
Or maybe it was just me.
Every beat echoed inside my head as I stood near the manager’s office door, staring at the faded gold plate that read MANAGER.
My hand hovered over the handle.
For three years this place had been my refuge. My hiding place. The one place where I had control over my life.
But last night had changed everything.
Sebastian Sinclair had changed everything.
I inhaled slowly and pushed the door open.
Mr. Grant looked up from his desk, adjusting his glasses when he saw me.
“Celestia? You're early. Your shift doesn’t start for another hour.”
“I know,” I said quietly.
Something in my voice must have sounded different because his expression shifted.
He leaned back in his chair.
“What’s wrong?”
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
“I’m quitting.”
The silence that followed was thick.
Mr. Grant blinked. “You’re… what?”
“I’m leaving.”
He studied my face carefully like he was searching for the punchline.
“You’ve been working here for three years.”
“I know.”
“You’re my best dancer.” I swallowed.
“I’m still leaving.”
He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.
“Did something happen last night?”
My mind flashed to Sebastian’s penthouse… his eyes… his voice.
I forced the thoughts away.
“No.”
“Then why quit suddenly?”
Because the moment Sebastian Sinclair walked into my life, I knew staying here meant danger.
Because men like him didn’t belong to normal lives.
And anyone close to them got burned.
“I just need something different,” I said finally.
Mr. Grant studied me for another long moment before nodding slowly.
“I won’t force you to stay.”
Relief loosened something in my chest.
“But if this is about money, we can renegotiate”
“It’s not about money.”
He leaned back again, clearly frustrated.
“You’ll always have a job here if you change your mind.”
“Thank you.”
I gave him a small nod before turning toward the door.
For the first time in three years…
I walked out of New Bay Bar for the last time.
The city air felt colder when I stepped outside.
I wrapped my jacket tighter around myself and started walking down the street.
The sun had already set, painting the sky dark blue. Traffic lights flickered across the wet pavement as cars rushed past.
For once, I didn’t have anywhere to go.
No shift. No stage.No music.
Just silence.
It should have felt freeing.
Instead, something felt… wrong.
I turned the corner toward the main street when suddenly
A black SUV screeched to a stop nearby.
Then another. And another. My heart dropped.
Men stepped out of the vehicles, their movements sharp and aggressive.
Not normal men.
Armed men.
Gunshots exploded into the air.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
People screamed. Cars swerved. Chaos erupted instantly.
“What the hell” I whispered, stumbling backward.
Another vehicle slammed into the street from the opposite direction.
More men jumped out.
Weapons raised. My stomach dropped.
This wasn’t random. This was a gang war.
And I was standing right in the middle of it.
One group wore dark jackets with a silver snake emblem stitched on the sleeve.
A cold voice shouted across the street.
“Where’s Sinclair?!”
My breath caught. Sinclair.
Before I could move, someone grabbed my arm roughly.
I spun around in panic.
A tall man with a scar across his cheek glared down at me.
“Well well,” he smirked. “Looks like we found something interesting.”
His jacket had the same snake emblem.
The Viper Syndicate.
“I— I think you made a mistake,” I said quickly.
“Oh, I don’t think so.”
He shoved me forward toward the center of the street.
Gunfire continued around us as the two gangs clashed violently.
Then suddenly
Everything went quiet. Because someone had arrived.
I didn’t need to look to know who it was. The air itself seemed to change.
A black car rolled slowly into the street.
The door opened.
Sebastian Sinclair stepped out.
His dark coat moved with the wind as his sharp hazel eyes scanned the scene.
Then they landed on me.
And something in his expression turned cold.
Deadly.
The man holding me laughed.
“Well well, look what we caught wandering around.”
Sebastian’s voice came out low.
“Let her go.” The scarred man grinned wider.
“Or what?”
Several guns immediately aimed at Sebastian.
But his own men raised their weapons in response.
The tension snapped like a wire ready to break.
One wrong move and the entire street would explode into gunfire again.
The scarred man pushed me slightly forward.
“Didn’t know you had a weakness, Sinclair.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened. “Release her.”
“Maybe.” The man pressed a gun against my head.
My heart stopped.
“Or maybe we make an example out of her.”
Sebastian’s eyes darkened dangerously.
Behind him, his men raised their weapons higher.
But before they could fire, Sebastian lifted his hand.
“Lower your guns.” His men froze.
“Boss” one of them protested. “Do it.”
Reluctantly, they obeyed. Every weapon pointed downward.
Shock rippled through the opposing gang.
Even the scarred man looked surprised.
“You’re serious?” he laughed.
Sebastian’s gaze never left mine.
“Let her go.”
“Or else what?”
Sebastian took a slow step forward.
“Or else this war ends tonight.” The man holding me tightened his grip.
“You’d sacrifice your whole crew for a girl?”
Sebastian didn’t answer.
He just kept walking closer.
Closer. Closer.
Then suddenly. BANG.
The gunshot cracked through the air.
For a moment I didn’t understand what had happened.
Then Sebastian staggered. A dark stain spread across his shirt.
My breath caught.
“No” He had been shot.
The street erupted again as both gangs raised their weapons.
But Sebastian ignored everything.
His eyes stayed locked on mine. And before anyone could react
He grabbed my arm and pulled me down behind a car.
Another round of gunfire exploded across the street.
His body shielded mine completely.
“Are you hurt?” he asked sharply. My voice trembled.
“You’re the one who got shot!”
“It’s nothing.” Blood soaked through his sleeve.
My chest tightened painfully.
“You told them to lower their guns…”
He met my gaze. “They would’ve killed you.”
Sirens suddenly wailed in the distance. Police.
Both gangs immediately began retreating toward their vehicles.
Within seconds the street emptied.
The chaos disappeared almost as fast as it started. Leaving only silence.
And Sebastian leaning heavily against the car beside me.
His breathing had grown slower.
Weaker. My hands trembled as I pressed them against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
“Why would you do that?” I whispered.
His hazel eyes softened slightly.
“You were in danger." “That doesn’t answer my question.”
He studied my face like he was memorizing it.
“Maybe,” he murmured quietly,
“I’m already addicted to you. My heart skipped.
- Writer
