“Easy, Hunter. Don’t go running that mouth or I’ll make this slow and painful on you and your little family here.” He paused and then shook his head in sarcastic embarrassment. “What am I thinking? I forgot we had one more member of this lovely crew to bring out.”
He waved one of the men off me and motioned to the trunk of his car.
Who could he be talking about? No. Please, God, no.
Sure enough, as I felt a sick scream start in my stomach and pour out of my mouth, they pulled Grace out of the trunk.
I dropped as she was hauled out in front of Hunter like some sort of animal. He fought and he struggled and he screamed, but he couldn’t break free. Grace was bleeding and bruised. They had roughed her up. I was screaming, but I couldn’t hear a sound. I just watched while Grace wept as she was paraded out in front of us. I had never cried harder in my life. The sweetest and most innocent woman in my life had been beaten and degraded and it was all because of me.
“Kelly. Kelly, I’m so sorry dear. I didn’t know. I didn’t know.”
Grace was shaking as she was led toward me.
“Grace. Grace. Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” I turned to Hunter’s father and screamed at him. “How could you do this? What’s wrong with you? You’re a monster.”
I could see rage boiling in his eyes as he lifted the blade from Lucas’s neck and pointed it at me.
“Now, see here, cunt,” he seethed. “You little ladies can make apologies to each other and hate me all you want, but there’s one person, and one person only, to blame for this little predicament we all find ourselves in.”
He brought the blade down and aimed it at Hunter.
“If this ungrateful piece of garbage hadn’t turned his back on the only family his worthless ass ever knew, none of us would be here.” He turned his head and looked at Hunter. “So, Hunter boy. The man of the hour. How do you want this to go down? You’re going to die, that was decided the moment you took off in a car full of my money, but maybe, just maybe, I’ll show some mercy to the broads and this little punk if you beg me for your life. And, by mercy, I mean I’ll put bullets in their heads instead of letting the boys have their fun with them as you watch.”
Hunter stared back at him with all the anger inside him. I could see his chest heaving and all the muscles in his body tensing with every breath.
“I’m going to cut your fucking balls off, old man.”
As I stood there looking out on all the men and weapons scattered across the driveway, I felt like I was about to faint. This wasn’t real life. This sort of thing didn’t really happen to people.
“Hunter,” the old man laughed, “I’ve got to say, kid, the odds aren’t exactly stacked in your favor. One last chance, son, or I start by slitting this little fucker’s throat. Then I move on to the women.”
“Do what you’ve got to do, old man,” Hunter said flatly, condemning my brother to death. I couldn’t believe my ears.
“No. Please. Let him go. Hunter, what’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with all of you?” I was kicking and screaming and everything else seemed still.
“Will you control that bitch, please?” the old man shouted.
I looked over to where Hunter knelt with a blade in his shoulder and saw him staring at Lucas. They both had a calm about them and everything seemed to go quiet at once. I could see that Hunter’s breathing had slowed and Lucas had no tears streaming down his cheeks anymore.
I had no idea what was about to happen, but it was going to be a bloodbath. I just prayed we were the ones left standing after the dust settled.
Chapter 50
Hunter
“SO,” WHO’S IT GOING TO be, Hunter? We going to waste you all at the same time, or do you want me to start one by one with these fucking civilians? Make a choice, lad. It will be your last.”
My vision was red. I didn’t know how I could get to him, but I knew I had to. He was five feet away, but it might as well have been five hundred. If I could just get to the blade on my ankle.
“I can start with the kid here if you want?” the old man continued.
That’s it, you sorry old prick. Keep rattling on. You’re all fucking talk and always have been. Never lifted a finger to do any dirty work in your whole miserable life. That’s why you brought this crew of punks with you. That, and you knew I’d cut you from your balls to your chin if you came alone. Keep talking, coward. Give me some time to fucking think.
“Or maybe I’ll start with the old girl here? She is the one that got us here, after all.”
He motioned his head toward Grace.