Page 135 of Vicious Sentiments

Screaming, obscenities, snarls and shrieks.

And it’s me.

“What did he do?!” Cape grabs my face, pinching my cheeks between his fingers and examining me. His eyes go wide and I wonder what he sees.

He lets go roughly and turns while Julian picks me up and hauls me back. I finally go limp as I watch Cape slam his boot into Dillon’s head, satisfied that someone is still kicking him. Dillon rolls onto his side in fetal position, his pants around his ankles and his tiny flacciddick on display.

“Did he?!” Julian’s voice is pure horror in my ear, but I can’t answer him as I watch Cape grab Dillon by the throat, pulling him up and holding him a few inches above the ground. He shakes him and slams a fist into his gut.

“Noooo!” Margo appears out of nowhere. Her silk blouse billows in the air as she clamors at Cape’s bicep. “Put him down! Put him down!”

Cape doesn’t speak but he doesn’t punch him again, just holds him by the throat as Dillon sputters blood, choking and gasping for breath.

“Please!” she screams, giving up on trying to fight his strength and falling at Cape’s feet.

But Cape is gone, locked in position and as vacant as he was when he killed my dad. I hold my breath as I watch every vein in his body pulsate and the way his fingers clench and dig into Dillon’s neck.

I told Dillon that they wouldn’t kill him but that was before he tried to force himself on me. Now, I want him dead. I want him to die knowing that’s what killed him. I want Cape to crush the delicate bones in his throat and for him to choke on his blood.

The rage that’s simmered just below the surface my whole life is now boiling over and all I want to feel is the vengeance. I’m sick with it and I clutch my stomach, needing to bend over, but Julian has my back tightly against his chest.

Vengeance coils around my heart, suffocating me till I feel like I won’t be able to breath until Dillon can’t.

“Caperson…” Margo wails. “Jules, please, stop him! He’s going to kill him.”

I risk tilting my eyes up for a moment and I see that Julian’s jaw is locked and his eyes are searing. He’s fixed on Dillon and what could be his last few breaths. I look back at Margo on her knees, and I pity her.

Julian isn’t going to stop this.

Because he thinks that Dillon raped me.

But he didn’t. I didn’t let him. Istoppedhim. Me.

The tense outline of Dillon’s muscles cease and his body goes slack in Cape’s grip.

“He didn’t…” I rasp, my throat sore from screaming and I wriggle against Julian’s hold on me. “I stopped him.”

Margo lets out a shrill sound at my admission. “Cape, please, think of Marney.”

Oh god, Marney. I completely forgot that the piece of shit being choked to death is her brother. I break free from Julian and stumble forward. How could I ever look her in the eye if I let the vengeance consume me? I don’t think I could carry around a secret like that, like Margo.

If there’s any chance that Cape will listen to me, I have to try. Because as good as it felt to kick Dillon, I’m not my dad. I’m not a man. I have mercy.

“Cape.” I come up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. His skin burns through his shirt and heats my hand. “Don’t,” I tell him, eyeing Dillon and the last tiny bits of air bubbling in blood from his lips.

I have no idea if it’s too late or if it’s even the lack of oxygen that will kill him or the blow to the head. He’s caked in blood at this point and as much as it feels good to see him this way… How would Marney feel seeing him this way?

It makes me sick and I clear my throat. “Stop!” I shout at Cape. “Let him go.”

A muscle twitches in Cape’s wrist and I take that as he can hear me. I slip under his arm, side stepping Margo’s sobbing body, and try to block his murderous gaze from focusing on Dillon.

“He didn’t get to…” I think better of usingthe word and shake my head. “I stopped him. I fought, like you taught me.”

Cape starts to vibrate, tremors rolling through him but he inhales a long breath through his nose and blinks. His pupils are still blown out though, and I try again, placing a hand on his arm.

“Marney loves him and you love Marney. Don’t take her brother.” I look to Julian for help but he too has murder in his eyes.

“Please.” New tears wet the ones that dried to my cheeks. “Don’t do this.”

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