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Anguish stung Beck’s eyes and squeezed his heart. He would carry the guilt of Dean’s and Adam’s deaths to his grave.
Buddy sidled up with a clap on the shoulder. “I’ll go tell the girls the fight is over.”
“Don’t let them out here,” he croaked. “They don’t need to see—”
“I won’t,” Buddy assured. “Liam has already said he’ll give Ngaire the news. I’m sure the other ladies will want to keep her inside to console her.”
When Buddy turned away, Zacharias stepped off the porch, his eyes locked on Esther. Beck wasn’t sure what his brother was thinking, but it didn’t matter. Their mother was on borrowed time.
“Beck!” Heavenly cried, racing toward him, hair flying, arms open.
Though the tears streaming down her face were a punch to the gut, his heart expanded. She was love. The sunshine, happiness, and the hope of a million brilliant tomorrows—all the things he’d believed for over three decades he didn’t deserve. But here she was, crashing into him and clutching him, holding him tight.
Beck dropped his gun and gripped her against him, biting back sobs as he breathed her in. She was his air, his sustenance, his tomorrows…his whole fucking life.
“When I heard all that gunfire, I was terrified. We all were.” Her trembling voice flowed over him like sweet honey.
“Shh. I’m fine.” Beck cupped her face before he dipped his chin to capture her mouth. Greedily, he drank in her light and her love, let her chase away the dark shadows of death swirling around him, all the while reassuring Heavenly he was safe, alive, and hers.
“I lay mine eyes on Satan’s whore,” Esther choked out raggedly.
Heavenly jerked back and zipped her stare to the dying woman on the ground. “Is that…”
“My mother,” he bit out.
“She’s hurt. She’s bleeding.”
“Actually, she’s dying. And she needs to burn in hell with my father and Jed.” Beck pinned Esther with an ugly smile. “Take a long, hard look at her, Mother. This is an angel. I doubt you’ve ever seen one before. I know you won’t see any where you’re going. This is what love, kindness, and glory look like. But you wouldn’t recognize them since you’ve spent your life so greedy for power that you placed it above honesty, righteousness, and the love of your own fucking children.”
“I held our flock together. I made it strong. But I was cursed with you. You murdered the two Messiahs we all worshipped.”
“Then I’ve lived up to my name, haven’t I?” He smirked.
“What do you mean?” Heavenly looked puzzled.
“Gideon was a great warrior who, despite being outnumbered like we were today, defeated an army.” Beck narrowed his stare at his mother. “Tell her how Gideon accomplished that.”
“Go to hell,” Esther spewed, despite choking on her own blood.
A caustic chuckle rolled from his throat. “He won the war by killing two of his enemy’s kings. History repeated itself, Mother. Father and Jed are both dead by my hand. Ironic, don’t you think?”
“I should have drowned you when you were born.”
“I’m sure you wish that now. But once you pass to your fiery eternity, I’ll still be standing, living a full and happy life with this amazing woman who will be my wife.” Beck placed his hand over Heavenly’s stomach. “One day she’ll grow ripe with my children.”
Seth approached, flanking Heavenly and adding his palm over her middle. “Our wife. Our children.”
“Absolutely.” Beck nodded, then sent his mother a mocking stare.
Esther gasped. “This harlot lies with you both? Sacrilege!”
“Shut your fucking mouth. She has a heart big enough for us both—something you couldn’t possibly understand.”
His mother sneered. “Sinners—all of you! The fruit this Jezebel bears will be abominations!”
“They’ll be children raised with unconditional love. We’ll never fail to show them how special they are. They’ll never question our love for them. And they’ll never know the kind of torture and abuse you poisoned my childhood with.”
Zacharias stepped toward Esther. “You deserve hell, Mother. I’m going to follow in my brother’s example and leave Messiah City with Faith and Joanna to live a happy life.”
