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Marco walked ahead of us to the door, and she teased him as she handed him her key.
“You don’t have to be so dramatic, Marco. It’s my house. It’s not like we don’t have an alarm system you guys installed.”
He ignored her teasing and walked through the door with Lindy following behind and me bringing up the rear. By the time I pulled the door shut behind me, Marco was dead on the floor, and a man I’d never seen before was standing over him with a gun hanging down at his side.
There was no sound.
I remember being so confused in that moment.
Not understanding there was a silencer on the gun.
Not having a clue what was going on until bright-red blood poured out of a hole in the center of Marco’s head.
Lindy turned away, and a high-pitched scream I’ll never forget ripped from her throat.
Holy fuck. He shot him.
“You two.” He jerked the gun toward us, and I moved Lindy behind me. “Over there. Now. And don’t try anything. I don’t want you—either of you. I want your mom, little girl.”
Lindy sobbed hysterically as my fight-or-flight instinct kicked in, and I had to push it down.
Holy shit. What was I supposed to do?
I sat us both down slowly on the couch.
Who the fuck was this guy? What did he want?
“Henry,” she cried. “Why are you doing this?”
Henry pointed the gun at her. “Because Ashlyn was supposed to be mine, not his. I need to make her see that. That’s where you come in. We’re supposed to be a family. Not him.”
He had to be talking about Brandon Dixon—Ashlyn’s new man.
What the hell was I supposed to do with all this?
Henry walked around to the back of the couch laughing at something. Who knows what. He pressed the gun to the back of my head, and I’ll never forget thinking I was gonna die.
“You’re pretty useless in this whole scenario. Maybe I should get rid of you now.”
“No,” Lindy sobbed. Her crying escalated, and Henry hit her in the back of the head with the gun.
“Calm her down and you can live.”
I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips to her ear. “Shh. You gotta calm down,” I begged her loud enough so he could hear me. Then I whispered quietly, “I’m gonna get us out of this, princess. You gotta trust me.”
Henry cocked the gun. “No whispering.”
I held Lindy tight, trying to figure out what the hell to do as he pressed the gun to her head again. We sat there, waiting. Silent tears racked her shaking body.
I’m not sure how much time passed before Ashlyn walked in, followed by Brandon. She screamed as she stumbled over Marco.
“Not a sound, Ashlyn,” Henry warned her.
“Henry, what are you doing?” Ashlyn took a step forward, but Brandon pulled her back against him, and I watched Brandon’s eyes. He was a big guy back then. Still is, but then, he was the center for the Philly Kings football team, and I remember thinking if we were gonna get out of this, he and I had to work together.
“Mom,” Lindy cried out. I lock my arm around her, keeping her in place.
We were not fucking dying that day. I remember thinking that like a mantra over and over. Trying to convince myself.
