Page 70 of Ferocious Nightmare

Shit. This couldn't be good.

They moved slowly, until he yelled at them to hurry. The only ones who didn't line up were Benny and two of his guards, who stood by him, staring menacingly at the crowd.

It took a few minutes but finally the men were lined up before him. James glanced at me, a concerned look on his face.

"Now," my father held out his hand at Benny, who placed an M9 Beretta in it. "Someone here betrayed me. We're not leaving until I find out who."

My father's whole focus was on the men; it was like he'd even forgotten I was here.

Clenching my fingers in the dirt, I used a knotted weed to help me pull myself upwards. I bit down on my tongue as pain screamed through me, my chest feeling so heavy, I could barely breathe.

"I'm going to start at the beginning," my father checked the gun for bullets, "with you." He pointed at the end of the line, to David who was standing at the edge of the line. David paled but stared into my father's eyes, meeting his gaze and not looking away.

A groan of agony erupted from me as I pushed myself onto my knees. My throat heaved, vomit threatening to spew from my mouth, and my head spinning.

I heard the click of the chamber, as Nero inserted it back into the gun. Then he calmly paced towards David.

Clamping my jaw shut, I counted my breaths in and out, trying to keep my shit together, to the same pace as my father's footsteps.

I made it to six without vomiting.

Then, squeezing my eyes shut, I used any remaining energy to drag myself upwards.

My whole body screamed in pain, my chest heaving and labored, my head throbbing.

God it hurt.

Clenching my jaw, I forced my body to obey my will, rising all the way to my feet. Dizziness overcame me, and I clenched my fingers into my thighs, and hunched over, doing whatever it took to keep myself remaining upright.

There was dust still in the air, making it almost impossible to breathe.

I thought of Aster's face leaning over me, the look of panic in her eyes.

Then the overwhelming relief, and something more...

Dare I think that this woman could love me?

I would never find out.

I cursed myself once more, willing my feet, heavy like lead, to move.

One in front of the other, I thought of her beautiful face, her fiery spirit, her bright, laughing smile.

I trusted Dante would help her escape, that he would never let my father get to her.

That trust gave me the confidence I needed to force myself onward, to move towards the row of men facing my father's wrath.

Men whom I'd grown up with, men who'd given everything to my family, all in the name of the Kings of the land.

They didn't deserve a man like my father to rule over them.

And they didn't deserve to pay for my betrayal.

I had to face the consequences of my actions, and pay for it with my life.

My father had grown cold. His deadly anger turning into a calculating icy state.

It reminded me of Bourbon before he killed someone.

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