Page 145 of Detained

Frankie edges behind me and covers my hands over the hilt and twists it. The guttural sounds of my father’s cries fill the room.

“Anyone who hurts my family dies, George. Don’t worry, I’ll do the one thing you failed to do as a father. I will protect your daughter with my life.”

Dad trembles as Frankie shoves the knife in deeper.

I look at my father, the tears streaming down his face, and bile rises up my throat. How has it come to this?

He went against us. He took away my future. That is what I’m grieving. Not him.

“Please, Frankie. We can fix this,” he begs.

“You’re pleading with the wrong person here, Commissioner. It’s your daughter that holds your life in her hands, not me.”

“You’re pathetic, Dad. You really think you can beg for your life now? You’re not only a useless father, you’re also a useless husband. Mom is better off without you.”

“I-I love your mother. It was all for her, Zara,” he sobs. His words provide a stark reminder of why we’re doing this.

I tug the knife out of his stomach and press it under his jaw, above Frankie’s grasp.

“You think I don’t know you haven’t paid a single one of her medical bills? That you’ve been off fucking some whore while you sit back and watch my mom die? You two might have thought you would have it all, I’ll make sure you both burn,” I whisper against his cheek. My hand holding the blade starts to tremble.

The weight of what I’m about to do is taking over.

He’s my dad.

“He’s lying.” He glares at me as his hands cling to his stomach, trying to stem the flow of blood spilling onto the floor. “You know what he’s like. You’ve seen he’s a monster. He’s brainwashed you, Zara. It’s all a lie. I was protecting you this whole time.”

“Your call, baby,” Frankie says next to me.

My eyes narrow in disgust as I take my father.

Letting out a shaky breath, I lower the knife and step back. Tipping my head to the ground, I can’t look at him. Tears sting my eyes. With everything that’s happened. I’m a mess.

“End this, Frankie. I can’t listen to it anymore,” I say quietly.

Without a word, Frankie reaches out and strokes my cheek, tracing along my skin. “Go back down with the guys. I’ll meet you there.”

It isn’t a question, it’s an order.

I nod, taking one last look at my piece-of-shit dad. We are better off without him. So is Mom.

“You did this to yourself. I hope you fucking rot.” I keep my head held high as I reach the elevator. Once safely inside, I slump back against the wall and cover my face in my hands.

61

FRANKIE

I wait for the elevator doors to close, then throw him onto the floor, pressing my boot onto his neck.

“It didn’t have to be this way, George.” I shake my head.

It really didn’t.

“Romano will kill you, Frankie. It’s only a matter of time,” he gurgles through his swelling lips.

“Wrong. See, I’m about to offer you a lifeline, Commissioner.”

I release my foot. He scrambles to sit up, clutching at his stomach.

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