Page 67 of Playing With Forever

Saul shook me and yelled again. “Last chance.”

“I…don’t…” I wheezed but got no further.

Saul made contact again, and a stab of agony punched through me, but weirdly it didn’t hurt as badly as the first.

“What the fuck!” Three furious words thundered through the building.

Evan.

Thank God.

“Drop your knife and step away from Miss Lark.”

Miss Lark?

I blinked and squinted, trying to focus on Evan, but my head was fuzzy and getting fuzzier by the moment.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the dumbfuck Sanders,” Saul retorted. “How ya been, pig?”

If my stomach didn’t feel like I’d just had my gallbladder removed without anesthesia or pain meds, I would’ve had a lot to say about this asshole calling Evan a pig.

“Put down your knife. And step the fuck away from Miss Lark,” Evan demanded in a deadly tone.

Saul didn’t let me go he swung my body around like a ragdoll, and in my pain-filled state, I was helpless to stop him. My vision was dotted with bright flashes, and each breath was more painful than the last.

Not even Saul’s body behind mine, or the press of metal against my throat, had my arms cooperating.

“Dad, let Josie go. I’ll find the bag. Promise.” I knew that was Tyler, but he sounded far away.

“You don’t want this to happen in front of your son.”

“Who, the idiot kid who lost twenty grand of product? He needs to toughen the fuck up. Leave, and when I find my product, I’ll Miss Lark right here for you to find.”

I tried to mouth ‘I love you’ to Evan, but I don’t know if my lips moved. I squinted harder, trying to focus. I knew Evan was in front of me, but he was nothing more than a blurry blob.

“Last warning, Saul.”

“Dad, please.”

“You’re not going to fuck shoot me. Think of all the paperwork.”

Suddenly, my head was too heavy to hold up, and I felt my knees buckle, then more pain.

So much pain.

“Look away, Ty!”

The words echoed from the darkness.

The fall into oblivion was pain-free.

Relief.

Now I could go home.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Lindy Saunders