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“Wh-what are you going to do?” His sniveling voice grates in my ears.
People are quick to act but when it comes time to bear the consequences of our actions, the weak are too eager to run away.
“I’m going to beat you to death, or until you beg him to put a bullet in your head and finish it. Whichever comes first.” My answer is cold, detached, and he raises his hands in supplication as he stands.
“I don’t want to fight you.” His gaze jumps between us, and Alex stands in front of the door blocking his only exit with his arms crossed.
“Well then, it’s going to be a fast exit for you.” I raise my fists, urging him to do the same and his eyes jump to Alex. “Don’t worry. He’s not going to shoot you. Not until you ask him to.”
The remaining color drains from his face.
“People will know I’m missing. Someone will say something.”
I pause for a moment and he seems to think he has one up on me as he grins.
“Do you mean Candi?” His smile falls at my question and I chuckle. I know he burned that bridge too early. “Candi will say what we tell her to say once she knows you won’t be coming back to hurt her. No, Dale, one way or another, you’re going to die today, and you won’t be missed. Everyone will think you skipped town like the piece of shit you are. Candi will file a restraining order against you for battery and rape, and Willow will raise her daughter in peace never knowing what we did to keep her safe from you.”
“I’ll go. I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again.” Dale pleads, searching our faces for mercy.
We have none left to give.
Dale is lying and we all know it.
Sure, he’ll leave for a short amount of time.
He’ll lick his wounds, recover and get a second wind. Then he’ll reconsider how he’s been wronged in his eyes. He’ll find another way back and maybe next time, he’ll bring more friends. I won’t take any chances when it comes to Willow or Annie.
“Here’s the thing.” Alex joins the conversation from over my shoulder. “We may have entertained that option before we found out you put your hands on Willow and tried to kill her. Then you show up with a gun and threaten her, knowing she was with us and under our protection. You did know she was ours. You sent Candi to set her up with the poker game.”
The reminder of all of the things Dale has done to hurt Willow sends fire through my veins and my first shot is a cheap one when I round on him and punch him in the nose.
Dale’s head snaps back and he hits the ground with a thud as he yells something inaudible through his bloody hands.
“GET THE FUCK UP!” I hover over him, yelling.
The rage I feel as the images of him hurting Willow come to me one after another to mix with the anger that I let her go in the first place, and my next punch lands harder than the first.
Dale raises his hands to block my blow but it doesn’t help. My fist tears through his weak defense and he goes down again.
Blow after blow connects and the crunch of his jaw shattering fills my head, drowning out his cries and pathetic pleas for clemency.
My compassion extends to a select few, the same few who Dale chose to threaten.
I punch, and kick, and break until Dale no longer stands back up.
He’s too weak to cry or lift his hands to cover his beaten face, and he lies in a pool of his own blood when I finally take a moment to look at the pathetic human he is.
I take a step toward him to finish it when Alex steps to my side, stopping me.
“This ends for you now. You are dead to this city and everyone in it. We will have eyes on you at all times. If you so much as start traveling in this direction, you’ll be executed.” His voice is calm. As though he’s simply telling us the time of day, and he lifts his gun, points it near Dale’s head and pulls the trigger.
Pigeons flutter around the rafters, startled by the blast and the shock sends a second surge of adrenaline through my body.
Dale pisses himself.
Dale will never be the father Annie needs. He would have used her for his own profit and thrown her away. Alex and I will gladly take on the role if Willow and Annie will allow it but neither of us would have been deserving if we’d killed him today.
Retribution has been paid but I feel as though it isn’t enough.
