Page 51 of A Father's Insistence

“If I could keep you here and subject you to what you did me, I would, but I don’t think any of us want to keep you alive for that long. You don’t deserve a moment more of our pain and worry. I will, however, thank you for one thing. For giving me Theo. My soul mate, and my savior. Despite who his father is, he’s the kindest man I’ve ever met. I know we’ll be gray and old, and in our bed together when we die. It will be peaceful and painless. Not like your death.”

Tamara comes to Joanna’s side and takes her hand.

“You stole my mother from me, and in a brutal way. She should be here to see the child I’m carrying welcomed into the world. You are a sick old man with twisted views on what is acceptable. In no way would your depraved thoughts about me ever be reciprocated. I’ll enjoy your death. I hope you rot in hell.” She pauses a moment. “But I also have to thank you. You didn’t give me William. Well, I suppose you did in a way with your treatment of Victoria, but no, my thank you is for something else. You gave me an education, and one I’ll use to ensure every trace of you is removed from the records. You’ll be nothing. A nobody for eternity.”

I help Victoria to her feet when she holds her hand out to me and assist her over to where the other two women are standing. With Tamara on one side of Joanna, Victoria stands on the other side of my wife and takes her hand.

“You stole my innocence from me, and my belief in a world that was better than the one I lived in. You destroyed my past so you could have a future. It’s a shame you never realized how strong the daughter you raised actually is. I survived being given away like a possession to a wicked and ruthless society. I found my husband and my love, and as the Duchess of Oakfield, I’ll bring peace for generations to come. That is what I thank you for. For being my father, in just the way you were. You created what you see in this room right now. Every action you’ve ever undertaken has led to this point. The point of your death and our triumph.” My sister looks to me. “Do you want to say anything, Theo?”

I look at my father who has managed to spit out the tie that was stuffed in his mouth and is now starting to beg,

“Please, Theo, you can stop this with one word. I’ll do whatever it takes. Don’t be the monster these people have tried to turn you into.”

I let out a laugh—it’s a long barking one, and the entire room falls silent.

“You still believe after all of this you’re innocent, don’t you? That what you did was for the good of a future where women would be preyed on and abused.” I pull my fist back and send it slamming into his face. My knuckles are still sore from my attack on Joanna’s father and instantly smart. But I don’t care when I see my father’s nose break.

“Pull his shirt off,” I order Nicholas who eyes me suspiciously. But when I unbuckle my belt, he realizes exactly what I mean to do. He strips my father of his crisp white shirt, which has been marred with a splattering of blood, and I take my belt and bring it crashing down on my father’s back. He yells out and tries to shift, but William comes forward and holds him down. I repeat the process twenty times, harder and harder each time until his back is littered with cuts, oozing blood.

“Is that how you think a woman should be treated?” I ask my father, and he spits at my boot, so I kick him in the face. “Did you do that to Joanna?”

My wife comes to my side and places her hand on my shoulder.

“Yes,” she tells me.

“Was there more?”

There are various sex toys littered around the room, which the men had planned to use on my sisters. I grab a large one and ram it down my father's throat.

“How about that?”

Joanna nods.

“Maybe I should go further? Make you truly understand what it’s like to be a woman in your world.”

William bends down and picks up a particularly large phallic shaped object.

“If you do, I say we use this one.”

I shake my head.

“It’s not something I particularly want to see, thank you. No, I think he gets the message. His actions have created a better man in me than he ever was, and that’s why Joanna is now free. She’s learned what happiness is, despite the demonic actions of a mad man who has half the balls I do.”

“Phew.” William wipes his brow. “I was worried. I’ve seen some sick things, but I’m getting too old for this shit. I’d rather just go home and fuck my wife senseless.”

“William.” Tamara whacks him on the shoulder.

“Sorry, can’t help with the truth.”

Nicholas coughs.

“Are we done?” he questions, and we all nod yes. “Who wants the honors?”

“Me.” All three women say in unison. It’s like a melody in my head. The three women left distraught at the hands of my father are ready to take back their power.

Joanna pulls her weapon back out while William hands Tamara his, and I give Victoria mine.

Nicholas positions my father on his knees and steps away from the path of any possible ricochets.

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