Page 47 of Above All Else

“I like it.”

“Thank you.” I squeezed her hand. “Now, off you go.”

She turned back to her room, shutting the door with asnick.

My heart shattered, and my eyes prickled. I turned back to David, meeting him at the chair he quivered in. “Now, where were we?” I raised the bat, and Carter let him go.

“Wha-wha-wait.” He held his mangled hand out in front of him.

I paused mid-strike. “Make it good.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to suffer like you’ve made her suffer.”

My bat struck his knee, the vibration running back into my hands, causing my elbows to ache. He screamed, and Carter flung a hand over his mouth, muffling his sobs.

“Are you planning on killing him or... teaching him a lesson?”

I can’t take someone’s life... but if he thought I could...

I wrung my hands around the bat, making a squeaking sound in my ear. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Please. I’ll do better.” His muffled words broke through Carter’s fingers.

Carter removed his hand, and I raised my brows. “Will you?”

Nausea filled my belly, the bile burning the back of my throat.

“Yes. Yes.” He nodded, his cheeks jiggling. Sweat glistened on his forehead. “I promise.”

I jerked the bat, causing him to flinch. “You promise?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know.” I bit into my lip. “Your word means nothing to me.”

Sharp pain pinched my palm, the muscles spasming as I gripped it with all of my might. I loosened my hold and wiggled my fingers, then tightened them around my weapon again.

“I will. I’ll do better, just please...” he sobbed, “please don’t kill me.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going to kill you, David.” I huffed out an exhaustive breath. “That little girl needs her father and agoodone.“ I nudged his broken knee with my bat. “You’re going to sober up, hire a cleaning crew, and get this house in tip-top shape.”

He nodded, the sweat dripping down his temples.

“You’ll make her meals every day and do her hair.”

“Yes, I will. I swear it.”

“If I hear or see that you haven’t been taking care of her, I’ll come back here and end you myself, David. So help me God.”

“I’ll get help. It hasn’t been the same since her mother died.”

“All the more reason for you to do better.” I let out a heavy breath. “I want you to become the goddamn father of the year. Do you hear me?”

He nodded. “Yes. Yes. Thank you.”

“Don’t let me down—don’t letherdown.”

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