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He nods to Saint. “Make the call.”
“The call?”
My father appears worried, and Killian says with a smile.
“The woman who accompanied my father was my assistant at the time. She betrayed me by working with my father. She is currently in custody on a murder charge. His murder. However, it will never go to trial. We all know that.”
He turns to me and says with a deep sigh. “Lucas Stevenson is otherwise known as Judge Stevenson. He would be assigned her case and make sure she was set free.”
“How can you stop that from happening?” I say in a whisper, and he laughs softly, but the sound of it chills my blood.
“Sadly, she will commit suicide in her cell. Such a tragedy as she believes she chose the winning side. The person delivering her food will discover she concealed a knife that went undetected. She will slash her wrists and then plunge the knife through her neck. He will raise the alarm, but there will be no saving her. Her cries of innocence will be silenced, and her secrets taken to the grave.”
He leans back and shakes his head. “Such a shame that she told me everything I needed to know before she died.”
My hand shakes as I lower the gun and he raises his eyes. “What’s the matter, Purity. Has your thirst for revenge deserted you?”
I stare at my parents and tears fill my eyes as I whisper, “I can’t do it, Killian. I can’t be like him.”
He nods, a gentle gleam in his eyes as he stares at me and whispers, “Would you like me to do the honors?”
“No.” I shake my head miserably. “I don’t want their blood on my hands. I want to forget they ever existed, and I want to make sure they can never do this to anyone else.”
If I thought he would be disappointed by my decision, I’m surprised when his hand finds mine and he smiles with approval.
“Good choice, Bella. There are more ways to bring misery than death. Perhaps we should allow them to repent their sins for the rest of their lives and discover not everything works out in the end.” He says over his shoulder to the guards standing by the door, “Torch the fields, the barn and the machinery.”
“No!” my father makes to stand, and Saint pushes him down into his chair with an iron grip.
“No?” Killian raises his eyes.
“No?” He shakes his head.
“You speak as if you have a choice, Elijah.” He leans forward and fixes my father with a dark glare.
“Let me tell you what will happen.”
He turns to me and takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, kissing the wedding band he put there.
“Your daughter is married to me, and we are expecting our first child. I will make her happy and together we will raise our children to honor their parents and be loved. You will never see us again, or your grandchildren. Not that I expect you to be unhappy about that. Your daughter will want for nothing. She will travel the world and see what you warned her about first hand. The beauty, the pleasure and the excitement that this world offers, whereas you will be left with nothing. Your land now belongs to me, courtesy of a signature you made on the last shipment you arranged. You really should check what you’re signing, Elijah, because you signed all your properties over to Gold Hawk Enterprises.”
Realization dawns in my father’s eyes as Killian continues. “The drugs operation will be shut down forever. The trafficking operation has already been terminated. You see, I am a very powerful man, more powerful than any of the clowns you have been dealing with and if you even attempt to sell the shirt off your back, I will know about it. Remember, Miss. Sinclair. Your own passing will not be so pleasant.”
He turns to my mom, and she shrivels under his derisory gaze.
“You are just as bad as your excuse for a husband. You will live out your life knowing he failed. Thatyoufailed, but your daughter won. She will have the life you never dreamed of, and I will make her the happiest woman alive. Your own husband will make you the unhappiest because you will live out the rest of your days in poverty and be scorned by the very people you preached to when word gets out about your business. In a few weeks you will receive a visit from the sheriff who will arrest you both for your crimes and then you will be tried and found guilty before heading to prison for the rest of your miserable lives.”
He shakes his head as if concerned and says with a sigh, “Terrible things happen to those in prison. Keep looking over your shoulders. I’d hate for you to suffer a similar fate to Miss. Sinclair. In fact, you will both wish that Purity had shot you. It would have saved you a lot of pain in your future.”
He grabs my hand and pulls me up beside him and says pleasantly, “It’s been a pleasure to meet you. We must do this again sometime, then again, let’s not. Once was definitely enough.”
He turns to me and says softly, “Say goodbye to your parents, Purity. You won’t be seeing them again.”
As I stare at the people before me, I see strangers. Then again, I always have, so I nod my head with respect toward them and say in a strong, determined voice, “I’m free now and just so you know, I’m glad I ran. I’m glad I exposed you and I’m glad I no longer have to see you, but most of all I’m glad none of my children will ever know you.”
I spin on my heels and head outside, the acrid scent of burning forestation strangely satisfying.
As we step into the car, Saint follows and as we set off, I don’t look back.
