They both missed.
But the shock of it all made Barbara wobble and fall to her hands and knees.
Ambrose snarled at them.
Thug #1 smirked. “And that was just a cheap warnin’ shot, vamp.”
“Two cheap warnin’ shots.” Thug #2 grinned. “But mine was the cheapest. I came close to hitting her. Did you see, bro, how close I came?”
“Yeah. Real close.”
“You two chum-heads keep her out of this. She has nothing to do with this.”
“That ain’t true. She’s got plenty of doin’.” Thug #1 pressed his pistol’s open mouth against her neck.
She gasped.
“She’s my winnin’ ace.”
Thug #2 grinned even harder. “And your losin’ hand. Ain’t that right, bro?”
“So right.”
Barbara looked up at Ambrose – a wordless plea.
“So. You gonna come with us or do I pull the trigger?”
I can’t go back.
I can’t go back.
I can’t.
I can’t.
I only escaped last time because someone was stupid enough to leave the door open.
I won’t be so lucky this time. I know it.
I know it.
But…
Barbara.
I can’t let them kill her.
They will kill her.
I know it.
But…
To throw away my freedom.
To surrender.
To willingly return to that Hell.
I can’t do it!
I can’t!
I can’t!
But…
To lose her like that.
To know she died because of me and my innate selfishness.
To know always that I chose myself over her.
To always know that her death was my fault.
Ambrose looked down at her. “Barbara.”
No matter what I choose I will be broken.
Myself.
Barbara.
Myself.
Barbara.
Myself.
“So? You made up your mind?”
I could let her go.
I could find someone else who completes me the way she does. Someone else  who’ll make me laugh and sing. Someone else who’ll make me want to be more than a monster.
I am not a monster.
“Yes. I’ve made up my mind.” He raised his head and glared at Thug #2. “Take these cuffs off of me.”
“Ehh, bro?”
“I’m thinkin’ that—”
“It doesn’t matter what you think. Release me.” The pain grew deep inside of him. “I want to say good-bye to her properly.”
ambroseandelsie 
Bravo!
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Thank you so much!
I was contemplating this part today when I was at work. When I realized that he would actually consider letting them shoot her rather than have them take him back to Mark Caten’s amusement park, I was shocked. And I couldn’t wait to write it. 😀
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That’s awesome!
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Thank you! 😀
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The indecision Ambrose feels is compelling. We know he has a selfish streak and his struggle highlights how far his feelings for Barbara have come. It’s quite convincing and hard to know what he will choose.
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Thank you!
I really enjoy giving my characters, especially Ambrose, these character revealing moments to see which way they will go. Sometimes the choices they make catch me off guard and I’m like “Whoa! That is not what I had planned!”
If he had chosen himself over Barbara, I don’t know how he would have ever gotten over the guilt. It would have put him in a very bad mental place. It’s possible he would have surrendered himself after all just to punish himself.
If he had let the two goons kill Barbara, it would have completely changed how the rest of the story has turned out. Without Barbara around, two of my future characters would have been no shows. And without those two characters, four future characters would have no reason to exist. And my planned ending for the whole story would be in big trouble. 😆
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😀
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