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“Don’t be like that, Nicole. I did what I had to to keep me and you safe.”
“I can smell the bullshit from your breath all the way over here. Don’t act like this was for anyone’s benefit but your own. It was always about you. It never mattered what happened to me. I was told over and over to let you go and cut you out of my life. Pathetic me, I naively thought that you were my family and that that meant something. But it means fuck all! I had a new family and was making another of my own before you tore me away from it!”
“We’ll always be family. We’re blood. I crossed Riot by dealing with Fallen and they knew you’d be the collateral. When they found out about my deal, Wrath threatened to kill me if I didn’t get you back to him. I swore you wouldn’t talk about Riot. Then he wanted the information you’d have. I thought better the devil you know, so I came and got you. They paid off my debt with Fallen so I could do it. We owe them, sweety.” His placating tone ground against her nerves.
“I owe them nothing! You did all this to save your own ass, not for me. I’d never be in this position if it wasn’t for you. You used your own daughter as collateral. Your a fucking pathetic excuse for a father and a human being. No more, Dad. I’m done with you. You’re on your own. When I get out of here you don’t exist to me and if I ever see you, I’ll kill you myself.” Nicole wanted to throw herself against the bars and pummel him.
“I know you don’t mean that. I’ll make this right, just…..”
They were interrupted by gunfire and yelling. Nicole’s heart raced. She knew in her heart that it was Duke, he had come to save her. She ran to the bars and tried to look toward the steel door. She could sense him already. Joy and extreme relief engulfed her until she heard the cock of a familiar gun. She slowly turned her head. She couldn’t believe she was in this position again. Her father was pointing the gun at her bump as he stood facing the door. He was sweating and shaking.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me right now!” She shouted at her Dad.
“You’re my ticket out of here, sweety. Stay calm and do as I say.” Did he actually think she’d play along this time? He was clearly delusional.
“No. Not this time.” Her patience was gone and she was done being scared.
Her Dad turned from the door to glare at her. “Don’t think I won’t shoot you to make my point, Nicole. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.”
She could see he was serious. He would shoot her again. She had to find a way out of this. She had to escape him. The fucking cell had no where to hide. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel and she wasn’t exactly a small target anymore. The door unlatched and Duke strode in looking fierce. Her love for him grew immeasurably, he looked like an avenging angel. She saw Razor and Slam behind him before they all ground to a halt, staring at her Dad holding the gun on her.
“Listen here, you back away and let me and Nicole go. I’ll shoot her if you take one step.” Her Dad’s voice shook as he spoke but there was steel underlying it. He was desperate and twitchy.
Nicole met Duke’s eyes. Time stopped as she let herself drown in their brown depths. His love for her showed but was tinged by the rage he had towards her father. He scanned her body before focusing on the bloody bandage on her arm. His lip pulled into a sneer as he drew his eyes back to her Dad.
“We’re not going anywhere, Fletcher. Give it up. There’s three of us here and more behind us. You’ll never get past. Drop the fucking gun!”
His rough voice soothed her soul. Their guns were steady and all pointed at her Dad. She willed one of them to shoot but knew they wouldn’t while his gun was pointing at her. Jingling pulled her attention back to her Dad. He dug a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked her cell door, never taking his eyes off Duke. He slid it open and reached in. She moved to dodge his hand so he let off a shot close to her feet and she stalled. Fear came back stronger than before. She was so close to Duke yet felt so far away. When he roughly gripped the elbow of her injured arm and pulled her from the cell, she yelped. She didn’t struggle, unwilling to make this situation more volatile. Being out of the cell had to be some advantage as well
The corridor was narrow so half of her body was tucked just behind him. He kept his gun pressed on her bump. Her head fell forward in despair. The direct threat to her son’s pushed her to the edge of her sanity. Something tucked into the back of her Dad’s jeans caught her eye. The flash of metal, reflecting light from the ceiling. It was a hunting knife and it looked wickedly sharp. She couldn’t twist away from her Dad fast enough and get away to give Duke a shot but she could grab the knife before he knew what was happening.
Her Dad’s hand was steadier now as his confidence in his escape plan grew but he still had a twitchy trigger finger. He was truly dangerous and they all knew he would do the unthinkable to save his own hide. He had ruined her life for the last time. She drew strength into herself and readied for what she was about to do. Her resolve kept her steady. She only hoped she could forgive herself after.
She leaned into her Dad as if she was tired, momentarily distracting him and quickly snatched the knife. It was heavier than she anticipated. This was good, it would take less effort on her part to cause him harm. Her dad had taught her to pick pockets at a young age and this was hardly a challenge for her. He was going to regret that. She kept the knife angled out of view, switching it to her good hand before making her move.
