Page 92 of Unleash Hades
“Just like Hepburn and Peter O’Toole,” I stepped between the guns, standing in the crossfire. “What do you say, Richard?”
Islinkedtowards my husband. Confidence. Seduction… this was just a game that he and I played. A high-stakes, exciting game that kept us together.
That’s what it was.
Yes. Just a game.
I had gained ground because of Bellamy, and the ball was now in my court.
I could save my boys.
“Bellamy will take the boys, and it’ll just be you and me,” I said, as sweetly as I could. Then I did something that was brazen, even for me. I let my French accent seep into my voice. The one he couldn’t resist. The one every mistress was required to have. “C’est mieux, comme-ca, oui?It’s better just the two of us.”
“Cali,” Bellamy’s voice was laced with concern.
He wasn’t going to back my play, but I lifted a shushing finger towards him.
“Oui!”I commanded. “You’ll take the boys, and leave our… domestic issues to us.” We were a united front, after all, my husband and I. “Isn’t that right,darling?”
Richard’s eyes darted towards me, and the boys, and Bellamy. Then he did the circuit again, his eyes nervous, but assured. Like a narcissist, he was still confident when he was caught.
But I took advantage of his hesitance, stepping in front of Richard’s barrel, touching it to my chest, holding the barrel in my fist.
Shoot me. Not them. Kill me, and not the boys. The boys have too much to live for.
“Take the boys,” I repeated, turning my head a little towards Bellamy, just so that he knew that I was talking to him. “Take themnow.”
“Cali… I will do this, but when I am called to the carpet, I will expect you to have my back, do you understand?”
I had no fucking clue what Bellamy was talking about but no matter.
“Yes,” I answered.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Bellamy reach out a hand to Romulus. With a quick motion, Rom’s binds came apart. Then Bellamy did the same to Remus.
“Come on, lad,” Bellamy said, tugging Rom to his feet. “You too, Remus.”
Remus stood up on his own accord, and the three shuffled out of the room as I maintained eye contact with my darling husband.
“Hmm,” he smiled. “You have always understood me, Cali.”
He took the barrel of the gun and lifted it, caressing the metal against my temple, then my cheek, down to my throat. I leaned into it as if it was a lover’s touch.
“I have,” I said, speaking truth, possibly for the first time, to my husband.
The door opened, and closed, and the three sets of footsteps disappeared. Safe. The boys were safe.
And I would follow Adelia to her grave.
I traced my finger along the barrel, over the sights, and down the safety, over Richard’s warm hand.
“I have always known you,” I said, smiling as my free hand reached out to touch Richard’s cheek. The tips of my fingers traced over his skin.
Bellamy would write the story needed to bring him down. Gavin would help him. Chloe would protect my boys. So would Hugo. My family was safe.
They no longer needed me. I could put an end to all my misery.
I traced over Richard’s cheek, to the growing stubble. Down to the corner of his mouth. With my index finger, I traced the pouted lower lip, pulling it down further to reveal his perfect, white teeth.
