Page 68 of Forever Filthy

‘No!” David shouts. “You will not trade your life for mine. I have lived and had my time, your life is just beginning. It has been an honor to stand by your side,Lordess. Don’t judge me for the secret that was kept from you, judge me by the person you know me to be.”

Tears flow freely down my cheeks as I stare up at my friend who has stood by my side and never once judged me or tried tochange who I am, even though he is a federal agent and about to be put to death because of me. The pain in my leg lessens as the pain in my chest intensifies.

“I’m… so… sorry,” I choke out through my tears.

“I’m not. I would have chosen this end a hundred times over if it meant the final result was still the same because you are worthy of it. Embrace the wonders of life and allow those that love you to protect and cherish you because we all need somebody. Thank you for being mysomebodyand reminding me that I am worthy of more than the badge I have worn for more than half of my life. All you set out to do has been done, hold on a little longer for them to get here because this will befilthysoon enough.” His meaning hits me like a ton of bricks. They know where I am and they are coming for me, but they won’t make it in time to save my friend. Thomas shouts for Leo to take David to the cremator. He shoots me one last loving look before he stumbles forward.

I scream and shout, I even try to stand but Tate holds me back. I try to free myself of her hold but she clings tighter to me. “They’ll shoot you,” she shouts, but I ignore her plea as Leo and Vaughn force David onto a trolley looking thing. Two others step forward and hold David down while they strap him to it. He tries to fight but it’s useless, he can’t get free.

“Thomas, please, I am begging you!” I scream. “David, I’m so sorry!” I shout.

“A favor asked is a debt owed, Lordess, my debt has been repaid!” he shouts out, stunning me silent for a second until Vaughn pulls the door to the furnace open. I struggle harder to get free but Tate wraps her arms around me from behind. Sobs claw their way out of me as I watch them wheel that fucking trolley to the entrance, the temperature so stifling I can feel it from here. It’s like a heatwave. When they begin to push Davidtoward it, he starts screaming. He isn’t even inside before the stench of singed hair assaults my nostrils.

“David,” I cry again as Leo pushes the tray forward. David’s screams will haunt me every night for the rest of my life. Vaughn slams the door closed and locks it but it doesn’t mute the screams of my friends' excruciating pain. I close my eyes and try to block the sound out but there’s nowhere to hide or run to escape them.

“I’m so sorry, Vivian,” I hear Tate whisper after a while and that’s when I realize the screams have finally stopped. The ghost of his screams can still be heard. Soon I will meet the same fate as him and I can’t find the strength within myself to fight the inevitable.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Archer

“What exactly am I watching?” I clip out, sitting here for hours watching all these monitors has my eyes fucking aching.

“When they pass a camera the software Vatican designed will ping their facial features and alert us, we’ll be able to track them and determine what direction they are heading.” I kick my feet on the makeshift desk and cross my arms over my chest, my anger still simmering over the fact Alex the cock head wouldn’t let us leave, then Ezekiel and Vox pleaded with us to remain calm and not fuck this stupid plan of Vivian’s up. When I get my hands on her I am going to wring her pretty little fucking neck, and then punish her in the only way I know how.

Orgasm denial.

That should do the trick. I smile to myself and picture just how I plan to do that. My blissful state is interrupted when fucking Halo jerks forward in his seat. I nearly fall out of my own when I try to match his move, the bastard has his face practically pressed against one of the monitors. I try to peer around him but I can’t see shit. I shove his shoulder but he just growls and remains where the fuck he is!

“Dude, either move the fuck over or tell me what you are seeing?” I snarl.

“Vatican, Omen, get Alex now,” Halo calls out. When I try to shove him out of the way again, the fucker pulls a blade and has it pressed against my throat. He moved so swiftly I didn’t even anticipate the move. “If you get in the way of me doing my job, I will put you in the ground and not lose a wink of fucking sleep over it, clear?” He doesn’t wait for a response as he turns back to the screen effectively dismissing me, which grates on my already frayed nerves. Within a minute everyone has gathered around us. Vox nudges me to try to garner my attention but I ignore him, too focused on trying to catch a glimpse of the screen,

“What have you got?” Alex asks.

“I have a sighting of Thomas himself with another cunt I don’t recognize,” Halo answers as he sits back so we can all view the screen. The instant I see Thomas’s face, white hot rage runs through my veins, but then I flick my gaze to the guy beside him and lean forward to make sure it's who I think it is.

“Get out of the fucking way,” one of Alex’s minions snaps but I ignore him. I pull back and turn to face Vox, Ez and Hayze who all wear varying looks of surprise.

“How the fuck is Leo involved in this?” I ask.

“He was never a member of the Saints,” Hayze adds.

“Vivian would never have inducted him,” Ez announces. I nod my head in agreement. Vivi would never have allowed Leo to join after what he did.

“That traitor would have helped Thomas so he could get revenge against us for what we did to him.” The anger that laces Vox’s tone can be felt, knowing Thomas is behind this is one thing but to learn that someone we once went to school with and played on the fucking football team with, is helping this cunt, has my stomach churning. It’s clear we can’t trust anyone but ourselves. This whole town is filled with two-faced bastards that are only out to help themselves.

“I’ll kill the son of a bitch for helping him,” Hayze vows.

“There’s another angle,” Halo says, then clicks a couple buttons on his keyboard so the screen shifts and a new picture appears, but it's the side of the car. My blood turns cold, I can see her through the center of the front seats, huddled in the backseat with a terrified look on her face that has every emotion inside me firing on all cylinders.

My baby.

I just got her back and I won’t fucking lose her. I can’t be without her again. Turning my back on Vivi the first time was excruciating and the pain nearly crippled me but this time, it would kill me. I can feel the raw emotions wafting off the guys and I know they are feeling everything I am. No one needs to say a single word, we all know we are about to go to war for that girl and there is nothing anyone can do to stop us. Vox pulls his phone from his pocket and dials someone, he stands tense and poised as if he’s ready to strike at any moment.

“Witch?” My attention is captured at the mention of his pet name for Nova.

“Is she okay?” Ezekiel asks with worry lacing his tone. Vox puts the call on speaker so we can all hear.

---