AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, he wouldn’t,” she whispers.
“He’s a bad person just like our father,” Asia insists, taking her little hand and squeezing gently, but she snatches her hand back.
“NO!” she shouts.
“Don’t listen to her, Ronnie. Don’t believe her. She’s only trying to make you hate me. You don’t hate me, do you, little one?” The King asks, his eyes softening just a touch. I swallow hard. Behind him, Camden cocks the trigger. There’s a brief flicker of fear in the King’s eyes before he covers it with a fake smile. The love I thought I saw is gone, replaced now with a coldness I recognise only too well.
“I don’t hate you. I love you, Daddy,” Ronnie says passionately, her little hands reaching for him. Beside me, Connie covers a sob, folding herself into Ma Silva’s hold. My stomach roils, and my heart aches, but we’re so close to getting free. I can’t let my love for Connie override my need to save them all. If she hates me for the rest of her life, so be it. At least then she’d be safe.
“Until the day you die, right, baby girl?” The King says.
“Until the day I die,” Ronnie whispers.
The King nods, turning his attention towards Ma Silva despite the fact Camden still has a gun pressed to the back of his head. “Make sure Ronnie’s taken care of.”
Ma Silva nods, narrowing her eyes. “I’ll make sure she forgets every single thing about you. That’s the only promise I can afford you now.”
“I won’t forget you, Daddy! I won’t!” Ronnie shouts, her fists balling in anger.
“It isn’t me I want you to remember, Ronnie. Look around this room,” the King says, pointing to each of us in turn. “Remember them. Imprint their faces into your memory and when the time is right, you’ll have your revenge.”
“Enough, you sick bastard!” Camden snaps. “Take the kid out of here, she doesn’t need to see this.”
I nod, handing Ronnie to Asia. Despite her anger, her fear, she seems to recognise that Asia is her flesh and blood and holds on tight. I jerk my head. Asia doesn’t need to be told twice. She runs from the room.
As soon as the door slams behind her, Camden pulls the trigger.
