Page 129 of Broken

I have no proof.

But I know.

Only when he’s pleading for mercy, on his knees, his face a bloody mess do I wake up from the trance I fell into once realization struck.

And even then, it’s because a hand brushes my spine.

Immediately, I know that touch.

I tense.

Guilt spearing me.

Until she croons, “Leave him, Savio. Let’s go inside.”

Automatically, I take a step back.

But it’s hard.

Putain, it’s hard.

I want to kill him. I want to strangle him. I want to?—

“He raped a girl,” I rasp.

“Leave him to the police. Once they jail him, the prisoners will make him pay for his sins.”

“He could have hurt Thiya or Arabella,” I croak, ignoring the farmhand’s denials as he sobs through bloodshot eyes.

Her fingers clutch at my shirt. “But he didn’t.”

No.

He could have.

That’s enough to earn my hatred.

Shit like this hits differently when you have a daughter. Never mindtwo.

“I swear I didn’t touch your kids, man. I swear. I swear. Jessie was asking for it?—”

“Be quiet,” Andrea hisses, the words spat with such vitriol that Eric cringes. “Do you want to die today?” When he sobs, shoulders heaving with them, she asks me softly, “Did we hear our cue?”

The shudder that rattles down my spine has me taking another step back.

“No.”

My bruised and battered knuckles curl into fists, but not with the intention of continuing to beat this asshole black and blue.

With a soft hum, Andrea nuzzles her nose into the bicep that’s bulging from exertion, then steps over to Eric. She kicks him in the balls. Once. Then looms above him and murmurs, “Eric, I expect you to confess to the police.”

“You— He?—”

She ignores him and, in a singsong voice, promises, “If you tell the police that Savio hurt you, I’ll tell them thatyouhurtme.” Her smile is angelic though her words aren’t. “I’m sure youknow what their reaction would be to the town’s local celebrity being assaulted by you…”

His throat bobs as he scuttles backward on his knees then scampers off.

She doesn’t watch him go.I do. Loathing boils in my blood and the urge to finish what I started chokes me.

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