Page 122 of Can You Take It?

“Stop this, you bastard!”

I know that hurling insults at him won’t change a thing, but it’s all I can do to try and protect Isla.

Desperation claws at my chest as I turn to Victor, sobbing uncontrollably. “I’ll never do it again, Victor, please! Just let her go!”

“Victor, youpromised!” Mom cries out.

But when he doesn’t even flinch, something in her snaps. She grabs the table and slams it down onto his back with a force I didn’t know she had. The crash echoes, and for a second, I can’t believe what I just saw. I’ve never seen her so angry, so done with his games.

Victor barely stumbles, though. Instead, his hand strikes out, backhanding Isla so hard she falls to the floor. The sound of the slap rings out, freezing me in place, my breath caught somewhere between a scream and a sob.

“Do that again, and I’ll make you watch while I chop both your daughters into pieces.Small ones.”

Mom freezes, her hands hovering midair like she’s forgotten how to move. The blood drains from her face and her lips tremble, but no words come.

“Please stop. It hurts,” Isla pleads.

“Please! Stop this!” Mom’s voice quavers as she struggles to pull him away from Isla, her hands desperately clawing at his shoulders.

“Think of what you’re doing, Victor! Please, stop!” she implores.

Victor pays no heed to the anguished pleas of both Isla and Mom. He is driving himself mercilessly, causing Isla’s agonized screams to fill the room, each moment more unbearable than the last.

Isla’s eyes open for a brief moment, locking onto mine, and there’s no disgust in her gaze—only empathy and understanding. I mouth a desperate “sorry,” and she managesa nod before releasing another piercing scream from her tormented throat.

With one final thrust, Victor releases inside Isla, and her scream pierces the room one last time before her gaze seems to drift into the void. Victor finally withdraws and stands at his full height, the evidence of his actions still visible on him.

I collapse onto the floor and scramble away from him, moving in the opposite direction as he approaches me. Mom’s attention is now focused on Isla.

Victor draws nearer, and my back hits the wall. I’m trapped, and there’s no escape from the monster in front of me.

“Victor, please,” I plead.

But he interrupts me with a cold, sadistic smile. “Girls like you deserve to be punished. It’s a shame you can’t think of anyone else but yourself.”

He then leans down to bring his face level with mine, and I instinctively pull my head away. He’s a monster, and I know he intends to do to me what he just did to Isla, only without the guise of it being his first time.

“Look at me,” he demands, and I hesitate out of sheer terror. He pinches my cheeks until I’m forced to meet his gaze.

“What do you say?” he snarls.

“I... I’m so... s-sorry,” I stammer, but he doesn’t allow me to continue. Instead, he slaps me sharply across the face, and then another brutal slap sends me sprawling across the floor, my face hitting the ground. The room spins as I struggle to hold back tears, and the overwhelming feeling of helplessness washes over me.

Amidst my sobs and the overpowering fear, Victor yanks me to my knees with a cruel grip on my arm. He towers over me, standing at his full height.

“See, that’s what happens when you’re a disobedient little bitch,” he hisses, pointing in the direction of Isla.

I’m trembling as I try to hold back the tears. “I promise, I won’t ever—”

Before I can even finish my sentence, he cuts me off with another harsh slap. “Words won’t save you now, little girl. It’s time you understand your place in this house.”

I glance at Isla, fear mirrored in her eyes, and I can’t shake the guilt coursing through me. Victor takes a step back, his gaze flickering between Isla and me. He reaches for the knife, and a chill runs down my spine. He hands the knife to me, and I know things are about to get much worse.

“Kill her,” he commands, a sick grin playing on his lips. “Or I’ll set this whole place on fire, and all of you will burn.”

“Izel, please, you can’t—”

Isla’s words are cut off by Victor. “Shut up, both of you. It’s time for a family reunion.”

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