Page 77 of Degrading Her

The only difference now was that I knew there was one person I would never kill.

Fiona.

I clenched my fists. “I willnotrepeat myself.”

Two seconds passed. Hesitant. Worried. Then Fiona scattered through the barn toward the door. As soon as she was out of sight, my vision tunneled, focusing on the man in front of me. His shaved head. The cleft chin. He had disrespected me and my family. He even stalked my woman. Almost hurt her. He knew this was coming.

Every sound fuzzed out. Sweat beaded my brow.

“Good to see you again, Roth,” I said.

His speech was slurred, his lips swollen and fat: “Can we negotiate?”

I chuckled. The once eloquent man had been reduced to bruised scraps of a human that could only mumble a few words.

Wilder stepped forward, brandishing one of his favorite blades, but I held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. The rest of the men shifted.

“We discussed your elimination with your ex-employees,” I said, “letting them take turns with you. Each contributing to your murder.”

“Fuckyou,Feldman.”

“Unfortunately, I’m a greedy bastard,” I said, gesturing toward two of the newest hunters, recruits from Roth’s own company. They brought forth a sturdy wooden pillory,unlocking it. It was short enough that it kept him on his knees, but strong enough that he wouldn’t be able to move. He would be locked in that position. I grabbed the back of his shirt and shoved him inside of it. He threw me off of him. I grinned; he had more energy than I expected, but fighting for your life would do that to you. I gritted my teeth and pushed his neck into the wooden half-circles until he fell still.

Once his neck and arms were properly placed, I slammed down the top of it, then locked the wood into place with a giant padlock. He pulled at the restraints, resisting. But he was stuck. I stood straight, looking down my nose at him.

Manipulation worked best with valuable people, but when that didn’t work, you killed them.

I stepped one foot on top of the pillory, leaning on it with all of my weight.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” I said.

“Please, Sawyer,” he suddenly begged. “We can talk about this. We?—”

This was what I had been waiting for: to make him beg.

I ignored his pleas, walking to the cabinet. My eyes glossed over each of the weapons, but then narrowed in on one. Made of stainless steel with jagged edges, the saw wasn’t the most efficient tool for the job, but that was exactly why it was perfect.

It would hurt.

Carrying the blade by the handle, I stepped over to the pillory and rested it on his neck. The side of the neck was the best area; it kept the livestock order alive as long as possible, and therefore, their bodies felteverythinguntil they passed out. I worked the blade from side to side, his skin spreading open, and he gasped, vomit spilling on thegrounds, on my shoes, but I kept going, achingly slow. No one beats me. No one messes with my family. And no one, fucking no one, messes with Fiona.

He screamed one last time, that final force of dominance settling on my shoulders. I let him flail like that, until finally, his body gave up, hanging limp on the wooden structure. He had passed out from the pain and blood loss. A puddle of blood reflected our image together: Roth’s empty eyes and mine. My father would have been proud.

But it wasn’t enough.

I grabbed my gun, shoving the back of it into his cranium until I saw gray and red chunks and bits of skull flying, knowing that by killing Roth, the Feldman Farm would dominate once again. Making all others kneel before us. Making them beg.

Just like Fiona.

Please, Sawyer.

I flinched, her words echoing through my mind. I scanned the room, instantly finding her. Fiona’s makeup streaked face, eyes in shock, glaring at me from the corner of the Dairy Barn. I was covered in blood.

She no longer looked afraid. She looked angry. The sting of betrayal simmered in her eyes.

I opened my mouth, but she cut me off.

“You pushed me away like I was another kill to you,” she said.

---