Page 72 of Reaper

Blackstone smirks. “Oh, Reaper. Your little boy’s been crying for his mommy. Never his daddy, though. Why is that?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl.

“Do you think he knows you’re his father?” Blackstone cocks his head and taps his finger on his chin.

Ace’s gaze snaps to me and his eyes go wide. “Are you my dad?”

Before I can respond, Blackstone continues, “I’m betting he doesn’t know his whore mother spread her legs for you. I’m surprised you can get it up for a woman. Thought I’d turned you by the end.”

The words feel like a slap to the face. My stomach rolls as phantom pain from all I endured radiates through the most vulnerable parts of me.

Even now, standing here as a grown man, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being terrified by this man. Pure evil festers within him. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived through it. And now, I must destroy it.

“Shut the fuck up, Blackstone.” I didn’t want Ace to find out like this, not under these circumstances.

“Is it true?” Ace whispers. “Are you … are you my daddy? Did you come to save me?”

My heart breaks as I look into his tear-filled eyes. “Yes, Ace,” I admit. “I am your dad, and I’mgoing to save you from this monster.”

But before I can make another move, Blackstone interrupts again. “Did you bring the teddy bear?”

“Are you fucking serious?” I snap back, frustrated by his ridiculous question. “Why the hell would you want a stuffed animal?”

“Both you and your precious son are going to die because you couldn’t do one simple thing,” he sneers, growing irate. “Even when you were a kid, you never could follow directions. You wouldn’t have suffered so much if you just did what I told you to do.”

“Nobody should ever have to go through what you put me through!” I shout, my blood boiling. “You belong in hell!”

“You first. Be a good boy and save me a spot,” he taunts.

His laughter fuels my rage, and I swear on everything I hold dear that I’ll make him pay for every ounce of pain he’s ever caused. My only focus is on saving Ace and putting an end to Blackstone’s reign of terror.

Suddenly, Blackstone lunges at me with a snarl. Our fists collide as we engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Each punch and kick is fueled by years of hatred and pain. My heart races as I attempt to gain the upper hand, but he’s relentless.

“Get away from my son!” I roar, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

In a swift move, I reach for my gun, but Blackstone slaps it out of my grasp before I can even aim. Cursing under my breath, I manage to pull out my knife instead, ready to end this nightmare once and for all. But just as I’m about to strike, Blackstone kicks my wrist hard, causing me to drop the weapon. With a wicked grin, he lands a powerful punch that sends me crashing to the floor.

My head throbs as I struggle to regain my senses. From my position on the ground, I can hear Blackstone’s twisted voice taunting me.

“Tell me, Reaper, how are Scar, Nitro, Talon, and Matrix doing these days?” he asks, smirking. “It’s such a shame they all grew up so much. I really did enjoy their tight little bodies when they were kids.”

The vile words make bile rise in my throat. Memories of him violating those I consider family fill me with disgust. An uncontrollable urge to vomit overcomes me. As I push myself off the floor, I gag, but manage to swallow back my revulsion. I refuse to let him see how much his words affect me.

“Your reign of terror is over,” I promise through gritted teeth. “You’ll never hurt anyone again.”

With every fiber of my being, I tap into the years of pent-up frustration and rage trapped inside me. I launch myself at Blackstone, fists flying, connecting with his face again and againuntil he stumbles and falls to the floor. He’s barely conscious, but that’s not enough for me. I want him to watch me as I snuff out his miserable life.

“Look at me, you sick bastard!” I scream, my voice raw with fury. My hands find their way around his throat, fingers digging in deep. “I want you to see the man who’s going to send you straight to hell!”

Blackstone’s eyes widen as he gasps for breath, but he still manages a crooked smile. “See you there, Reaper,” he wheezes as I tighten my grip on his neck.

The urge to torture him the way he’d tortured me is strong, but I glance over at Ace, who’s watching with wide, frightened eyes. He doesn’t need to see this. His innocence is more important than my revenge. Rescuing him is all that matters now.

“Turn away, Ace!” I yell, my voice hoarse. “Don’t watch this, son.”

Reluctantly, Ace turns his head, closing his eyes tightly.

With one final burst of strength, I choke Blackstone and then snap his neck with a resounding crack. Light fades from his eyes, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

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