Page 186 of Forget

Harold bucks and screams at me, slamming me into the wall to get me off me as I whimper and cling to him. The sad thing is that this is better than his fists. He’s not thinking well through his haze of pain, or he’d be hitting me to knock me out.

A shot rings out in the alley, and Harold grunts before falling back, unfortunately taking me with him.

Gasping, I breathe hard as I see that he was shot in his lower back, well away from me. Glancing up, I see Aiden aiming his gun at Fredrick, his eyebrow raised at me.

“Come here and retrieve your knife, Princess,” he growls, and I stand with shaking legs. My adrenaline is going to fuck with my body, I see.

“Do you want the honors of killing the asshole who was trying to flatten you like a pancake?” Aiden asks, concern in his eyes as I walk over and pull my knife from Taylor’s throat.

“Yes,” I grunt, my hands shaking as I swallow hard. My steps are all over, as I walk back, tripping over my feet, and I hear Aiden curse as he shoots Fredrick in the head.

“You had your fun with him, Princess,” he coos, quickly wrapping his arms around me as we walk together back to Harold. “Shall we do this together?”

“Ye…es,” I rasp, my teeth starting to chatter.

“You’re doing so good,” he purrs as I gasp out a breath, feeling tears beginning to sting the back of my eyes.

Adrenaline crash is an asshole.

“Do you want the knife or my gun, Princess?” he asks. “Both get the job done. Are you going to let me insult you by asking if you can use a gun?”

“Whose daughter am I?” I snarl. “Dad taught me months ago, I just prefer a knife. A gun works for this if you’ll help me stay steady. I just want him dead so I can go home. I’ll make my calls after a warm bath and maybe some whiskey.”

“Whatever you want,” Aiden promises, breathing deeply as he shoves his face in my neck.

Harold grunts as he tries to turn himself to crawl away, and Aiden kicks him.

“Stay still, asshole. You’re dying either way. Let me have my moment with my girl,” he mutters.

The way he claims me in front of Harold makes me huff out a laugh. Of course he’d do it while I’m about to blow someone’s brains out. It’s fitting somehow.

Taking my knife from me, Aiden cleans it on the back of Harold’s coat, since he’s managed to flop over like a beached whale. I’m a little surprised that the bullet didn’t paralyze him.

Putting it back in the holster strapped to my thigh, he puts his gun in my hands. We’re both wearing gloves so fingerprints aren’t an issue.

Wrapping his hands around my wrists and hands to steady me, he whispers, “You don’t even need to see the asshole’s eyes if you don’t want to. Point, shoot, and send him to hell. Thank you for messaging me and trusting me to help.”

Nodding, I sniffle as I use my coat to dry my eyes. Blinking rapidly to clear my vision, I step forward to grind my boot into the back of Harold’s neck.

“Hold still, dickcheese,” I growl. “Perfect.”

Pulling the trigger, I watch dispassionately as the bullet goes through the back of his head. The bullet is meant to leave a small hole instead of messy spray, something I’m grateful for, so I’m not wearing gray matter.

Kissing my temple, Aiden tugs me away, removing the gun from me to put it away. Holding me, he calls someone, putting it on speaker phone.

“Aiden? What’s wrong?”Dad barks, sounding panicked.

“I’m fine, Dad,” I say, my voice shaky and filled with unshed tears.

“You don’t sound fine…”Dad drawls. “Excuse me, gentlemen. My daughter needs me.”

“I need a clean up crew, boss,” Aiden says. “I would just do it myself, but Pack Dayton tried for Aisling, and lost pretty spectacularly.”

“Why would they do this, Aisling?”Dad asks.

“Emilia,” I sigh. “She said she’d get them well paying jobs if they kidnapped me and brought me to Madam Ophelia to be sold. She’s going to be a problem.”

“Fuck. I hate that my hands are bound for now when it comes to her,”Dad growls.“Are they all dead?”

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