AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I grew cold, then stepped closer until I stopped in front of those bodies. I couldn’t look away. Three men that looked nothing like my stepbrothers, and a woman who was supposed to be me. But there were only three men—I glanced at dad—there were five of us.
“A life for a life,” London repeated as he looked at my father. “Is a fair price.”
Dad shook his head, his face turning ashen.
“You didn’t think you’d just be able to walk away, Jack. Not with everything you know.”
Dad shot me a panicked look.You need to be careful…not with everything you know.“What do you know, Dad?”
He looked sickened.
“A life for a life,” London continued. “I get Ryth and her brothers out of the city, and in return, you’ll stay with me.”
“Locked away, you mean?” dad met the bastard’s gaze.
Crack…crack…crack!Gunfire intruded again from outside.
“Time’s running out,” London said coldly. “In a minute, not even I will be able to help.”
“Do they know?” Dad’s tone was unsteady. “Do they know you plot and scheme behind their backs?”
London’s answer was a slow, chilling smile.
The blonde twin lifted his phone and answered. “Yeah?” He looked at London.
“Time is up,” London declared. “I need an answer, Jack, your life for your daughter’s.”
I shook my head as my chest tightened and my throat clenched. “No, Dad. No.”
We’d already done this before, already traded his life for mine. We couldn’t do it again. Not with this man…because I had the terrifying feeling there was no getting out of this, not this time, not with him.
But Dad met my gaze. “My little lioness.”
Movement happened so fast all around me.
Like the world, with its brutal orchestra of death and violence and loss, just…carried on.
While a black hole opened up under my feet…and swallowed me whole.
THIRTY-NINE
Ryth
Movement blurred all around me.
The bodies were piled in a corner.
Stacks of debris were set alight.
The roller door to the garage was raised, casting the bitter sting of smoke into my eyes.
My lovers moved with the rest of them, barking orders, firing shots as we moved.
In the middle, stood my father. He stared at me, his dark eyes filled with so much sadness. I swallowed, but not even my saliva would slip around the fist in the back of my throat. “Dad…” I croaked. “Please, no.”
He stepped closer. “It has to be this way, Ryth. Better for you, safer for you. They’ll never stop coming, otherwise. You understand that, right? They’ll never stop.” He looked at London, who was on his phone, barking orders and giving commands.
Nick glanced my way as he grabbed a plastic gasoline can from the floor and poured it all over the bodies in the corner.
