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“You're back so soon. I was kind of hoping you'd send someone else to the warehouse. Confirms you haven't been as alone as you wanted everyone to believe.”
A man dressed in black stands behind my mom, holding a knife to her throat. Her cries are muted by his hand and she struggles against his hold.
“Let her go,” I shout.
“How about her life for yours? Come with me willingly and I'll let the bitch go.”
My jaw tics and I lift my gun higher. “Don't you fucking call her that.”
“Do we have a deal or not?” he asks, nicking her skin with the blade. Drops of blood land on her white shirt and my ears burn with rage.
“What do you want me to do?” I ask, trying not to come off too desperate. It's hard not to when the only person who's ever truly loved me is having her life threatened right before my eyes.
His brown eyes drift between me and her. “First, drop your gun.”
I grind my teeth and slowly set the gun on the floor before lifting my hands in the air.
“Good boy. Now kick it over this way.”
I do as he says and never take my eyes off the knife. “Release her now.”
He shakes his head, walking closer to pick up my weapon. “Not yet. Turn around and face the door with your hands pressed against it.”
I glare his way, my heart racing and the anger rising beneath my skin. “And then you'll let her go?” I ask, turning to do as he says.
“Once I have you exactly where I want you, then yes.”
My mom cries out and I hear a crash against the floor. “Eyes remain on the door.”
I shift against the door, my face burning hot. He moves behind me, patting me down and checking for any other weapons before tying my hands together. Dragging me toward the short green couch, he tosses me beside my mom and she glances my way with tears welling in her eyes. “I'm sorry,mijo. I thought the message was from Everett.”
I offer her a comforting smile, wishing I could hold her hand. “It's okay, Ma. It'll all be okay, I promise.”
Laughter spills from the man in front of us. “You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep.” He lifts a gun toward my mom, and panic rises up and chokes me.
“No, no—”
“Iggy,” my mom says, forcing a smile on her face. “Don't ever forget about our special place. I'll always be there waiting for you even if you can't see me.”
“Ma—”
“I love you,” she says, tears trailing down her cheeks, and a heavy weight rests on my chest.
“D-on't,” I say brokenly. A lump forms in my throat and I lunge at her when the man pulls the trigger. The bullet grazes my cheek, tearing at my flesh, and the room is shaking as I bury my head in her neck. My eyes burn and my heart is in tatters when I don't hear her crying anymore. She's so still beneath me, and someone pulls at my body, tugging me away. I push all my weight forward, not wanting to leave her.
“No,” I plead, too scared to look up and see my mom's eyes again, worried the light that was there earlier is now forever gone.
“Get up, asshole,” he commands.
“No,” I say too quietly.
He grabs my arms and when I'm up on my feet, my gaze lands on the bleeding hole in the center of my mom's head. Blood drips down her face and her eyes are lifeless. The anguish in my heart makes it painful to breathe, and the room grows smaller, the walls closing in on me.
Her voice enters my head.“I'll always be there even if you can't see me.”
It hurts to cry, to think, to move, but my fuming rage has me turning around anyway, and I headbutt the man in the chin.
“You fucking liar,” I scream, slamming my head into him again.
