Page 129 of Kept in the Dark

July 13, 2011

12:20 pm

“I’ve worked too hard to keep my secret, to get everything I wanted, just to let you ruin it by kidnapping some kid,” Lauren said.

He turned to face her, dropping the knife to his side. She didn’t move her gun away from him.

“Don’t do this to me, Angel! This is my revenge,” Ryan yelled.

Lauren waved her gun around the room, causing Hailey and Trinity to flinch. “This was not part of the plan.”

How long had this been going on?

Hailey had to give Lauren credit, though. She never suspected a thing. No one did. And that terrified her. This woman so easily pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes.

Ryan’s face reddened and he was visibly shaking, realizing her betrayal. “How can you do this to me? We were supposed to destroy David together!”

Lauren wasn’t fazed by Ryan's outburst. Instead, she smiled. “You were a means to an end, Angel. Don’t you see, you’re supposed to take the fall for this.” She tilted her head. “Well, you were until Hannah started poking around.”

Ryan threw his arms in the air and began pacing aggressively. “No, no, no. I love you, Lauren, and you love me. We planned to run away, to be together forever.”

Lauren laughed. “You can’t be serious? You actually believed that?”

He hung his head, and his shoulders slumped, as if he were a little boy who had just been told his dog died. “Angel-”

“Stop calling me that!” Lauren shrieked as she tightened the grip on the gun.

Hailey flinched and Trinity whimpered. Tension filled the room.

Ryan yelled back at Lauren, “You’re ruining everything, Angel! I loved you so much I agreed to let you marry that prick so we could end him.”

He paused, slowly walked up to her, his nose inches from her. He sneered, “I had to watch the woman I love marry the man I hate. I had to spend my days living in the shadows while he paraded you around like he owned you. I had to sleep in my bed alone every night knowing you shared a bed with my father. I did that all for you. For us.”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “You are so dramatic. And stupid. The day we ran into each other was planned. I wasn’t in love with you, I was in love with your father. I wanted him and I knew I could use you to get what I wanted.” An evil grin tugged at her lips. “And I always get what I want.”

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Hailey and Trinity screamed and closed their eyes, Hailey moving her body to shield Trinity.

Ryan’s body jerked as three bullets entered his chest. He looked at Lauren, eyes wide as he slid down the wall, a trail of blood following him.

Hailey nearly vomited and Trinity began crying hysterically. She fought hard against her restraints, but the ties wouldn’t give way.

Lauren slowly walked over to Ryan, her heels clicking against the old hardwood floor. Blood poured out of his mouth as he tried to draw in a breath.

“I love you, Angel,” he said, gasping for breath.

“Rot in hell,” Lauren responded.

Ryan’s chest stilled; his lifeless eyes still focused on her.

“Trinity, look at me, don’t look at him,” Hailey said, panic rising in her voice. Trinity was crying silently, her petite body shaking.

Lauren stood up and went to Hailey. “Are you ready to die?”

She raised her gun and Trinity screamed.

Suddenly, Lauren crashed to the ground and the gun spun across the floor.

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