Page 75 of Forbidden Obsession

“You’ve got some sins to make up for, Benjamin.”

Sadness crept into his eyes, and then he nodded. “I knew this day would one day come.”

“And yet, you didn’t take precautions.”

“Because when it’s time to meet the reaper, does anyone have a chance of getting away?”

“Fair point. Lift your chin.”

Sweat beaded across his forehead, and he closed his eyes and prayed profusely.

I tucked the shotgun under his chin and lodged the butt of the gun on the floor. Grabbing his hands, I place his pointing finger on the trigger and his teeth chattered as more sweat built up on his face.

“On the count of three, pull the trigger, and Benjamin, don’t hesitate. It’ll be worse if I do it.”

His body trembled harder, and more prayers rolled from his tongue. On the dresser top, I set a recording.

“One…”

“Forgive me for my sins, I vow to thee, oh Father of the most high…”

“Two…”

“Sins forgiven, wash me with your spirit, oh Lord in…”

“Three…”

He opened his eyes, sucked in his final breath, and pulled the trigger.

POW!

Benjamin’s body lunged backward from the blast; his brains splattered against the wall as he landed in the middle of the bed.

I let the recording run for another second before stopping it and sending it to Penelope.

21

Penelope

An hour later

Iheld on to a butcher knife and tucked myself farther under the covers. It had been storming for hours, and my anxiety was through the roof. Something about the night's storm seemed different—harsher, unrelenting—but I shook it off, telling myself it was only my imagination.

Another round of thunder and my heart was racing. God, why couldn’t I get over this? I was a grown woman. No one was coming after me. Why couldn’t I pull myself together?

I was frustrated enough that I hung my head and tapped the blade against my forehead.

“Come on, Penelope,” I whispered.

The ringing of my cell phone pulled me out of my panic long enough to reach for my phone and open the text from a four-digit code number.

A video began playing. A man was sitting on the edge of the bed with a shotgun underneath his throat.

My eyes widened. “What the fuck is this?” I murmured, and that’s when the muttering from his voice took my breath away.

I froze, squinted, and got closer to the video.

“Oh, my God…”

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