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“I never intended anyone to get hurt, that wasn’t my plan.”
“What exactly was your plan?” Jagger asks, he’s getting angry now. Nothing Clive is saying makes sense, he isn’t being truthful, or if he is, he isn’t letting us know the full story. It’s frustrating as much as it is annoying. This would be over a hell of a lot sooner if he would just say whatever it is he’s done or has planned, instead of making everyone even more angry and pushing Hudson to his limit.
“I planned on pushing you to do something illegal, that I’d catch you in the act as you did it.”
“So what changed? You haven’t caught me as of yet so what was it that changed?” Hudson grounds out, his gun still aimed at Clive.
“Martin.” He breathes. “He kidnapped two women, he hit one of them on the head and she crumpled to the floor, I thought she was dead.” He shakes his head. “Things had changed, I couldn’t do it anymore.”
A gunshot sounds, followed by a thump.
Hudson shoots and I cover my mouth so the scream that’s lodged in my throat doesn’t escape. He shot Josie, I can’t help but stare at her lifeless body, she’s slumped on the ground with a bullet between her eyes. Tears sting but I don’t let them fall. Why did he kill her?
“Josie!” Clive wails, “You’re a coward.” He yells at Hudson, “You can go to hell, I’m not telling you anything else.”
Hudson stalks toward him. “You were there.” His voice deadly, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “You were with him when he took the two girls?”
I remember his words, he knew I was hit over the head. He was there? Oh my God, he’s meant to protect people, he’s meant to be the one that people trust when they’re in danger. Instead he was a participant in mine and Lacey’s kidnapping. This world is so messed up, he’s meant to keep me safe and the man that is viewed as a monster, the one I’m meant to keep away from at all costs is the one that has proven that he’ll protect me. Is it any wonder why I’m so at ease with the Boss?
“I asked you a fucking question. Now answer it!” Hudson yells, digging the gun into Clive’s chest, causing him to hiss as the heat from the gun burns his flesh. The smell is putrid but I breathe through it.
“Yes, I was there.” He spits out.
“You’re the reason that they were hurt, that she was raped and the other died.” Hudson tells him in a quiet voice. My skin breaks out in goosebumps and I bite back a whimper. That voice is the scariest thing I’ve ever heard. It’s something I never want to hear again.
“No.”
“Yes. You should have stopped him,” Hudson yells taking a step back. “What did this get you huh? Working for my enemy? Did it make you feel good? Hm? Or did you get paid handsomely for it?”
“Neither,” he responds instantly, his voice shaking.
“Then why?” Hudson’s out for answers and he’s not letting him go without them.
What happened to me affected him more than it did me. Yes, I wake with nightmares, I’m scared that Martin’s going to get me again, I can’t sleep without the bathroom light on. But I know that once Martin is out of my life that I’ll be okay, I’ll know that he won’t be able to hurt me again. Whereas Hudson, he blames himself. He heard what happened to me and it’s chipped away a piece of him. He thinks he’s failed me, he fails to realize that he saved me, that because of him I was able to survive what that animal did to me. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to get that piece back.
“What did you get out of this?” Again his anger is receding, it’s weird to watch how close to the edge he comes but he’s able to pull himself back.
“He was blackmailing me.”
I roll my eyes, isn’t that always the motive? God, have some damn backbone. I wonder if it was worth it? Was all of this worth whatever the hell he wanted to keep a secret.
“About what?” Jagger questions.
I glance around the room, each of the men are standing in the light. I’m the only one hidden in the shadows. All of them have their hands on their guns, ready for whatever is coming next, they all have the same look of disgust on their faces.
Clive looks at Josie’s body on the floor beside him, “he was blackmailing me about the child I have. The one that was the result of the affair I had. I didn’t want Josie to know.”
“You have a child?” Hudson laughs, “Imagine what they’re going t
o think about their father?”
Clive struggles against his restraints. “I pray you never have children, to inflict the evil that you are on them.”
“My children will know what I am, I’ll never pretend to be anything else. Unlike you, a man that acts as though he’s one of the good guys when in fact you’re no better than I am. Now, what is Martin’s endgame?”
A smirk forms on Clive’s lips, “To end everyone you care about. He’s going to kill everyone you love and then he’s going to kill you.” He’s revelling in dishing out that information.
“That’s never going to happen.” Hudson tells him and once again lifts the gun. When he pulls the trigger this time, I don’t even flinch.
