Page 19 of Now that I Found You
“I told you to stop asking fucking questions. If you keep this shit up…” he says, pointing the tip of the knife toward Ellie. Her face trembles, and that’s it for me.
“Put your fucking knife down!” I yell, taking him off guard. I have him right where I want him. His back is to me, but he’s facing Ellie.
The only thing working in my favor is knowing the counter is separating him from her. One rash movement and I’ll take him down without a single hesitation.
“Who the fuck is this?” he questions, his head snapping back to me over his shoulder before looking back at Ellie.
“Quit asking questions,” I retort, throwing his earlier threats back to him. “It’s my turn to ask questions, but first, put the knife down. If you hurt my wife, so help me God I will live out the rest of my days making yours miserable. Do you fucking hear me?”
His head darts back to Ellie, before bouncing back to mine. It must be the mention of her being my wife that throws him off.
“You really are the crazy bastard she says you are.” He laughs. “She said you’d show up here like this. I’m glad she finally told you about me.”
“I’m sorry?” I question.
“It’s terrible you had to learn about us this way.”
Ellie’s eyes are wide with horror at his insinuation, flashing over to mine. Her arms waiver, silently telling me it’s not true. He’s gotta be out of his motherfucking mind if he thinks I’d ever think she’d choose this piece of shit over me.
“So, you’re the Royal she’s been telling me about, huh?” I bait him.
“Oh, so she has mentioned me then?” He laughs again, this time sounding more like a cackle. It’s sinister and disturbing, and it’s then I realize I don’t want to drag this out anymore. This fucker likely doesn’t know the history and who Royal truly is, but I’ll make him pay for it just the same.
When he turns his head back to look at Ellie, her eyes flash to me. When they do, I nod my head to her telling her to move out of the way.
Her throat bobs as she takes a forceful swallow. The fear and panic are evident on her face at the thought of what could happen next. The cops are going to be here any minute, and I’m afraid once he realizes his plan has failed, he’ll get angry.
“She’s mentioned you alright. Did she give you my message by chance?” I ask, as he turns back to look at me. In that same movement, Ellie rushes out of the way and I dive toward him, as we both stumble against the counter.
Despite being unsteady on his feet, his grip on the knife doesn’t waiver. Wrapping my arm around his, I attempt to control his lower arm to the floor. Ellie’s cries from behind us begs us to stop, but I drown them out focusing on his face.
“I guess she didn’t tell you how I said if I ever saw your face as a free man, I’d be sure to send you straight back to hell where you belong.”
I can almost picture I’m staring at Royal. My anger intensifies nearly throwing me off, letting up on the grip I have on his arm. An evil smile spreads wide on his face, realizing my mistake, as he takes the knife in his hand, driving it up into the side of my stomach.
“No!” Ellie screams.
My body hunches over trying to protect myself, as the knife twists before he pushes me backward, sending me crashing to the floor.
The taste of blood fills my mouth. The last thing I remember before the darkness pulls me under is the sound of the loud commands in the background from police and Ellie’s sad face, full of pain and heartbreak as she mutters the words, “Please, Callum, don’t leave me. Oh, God, please don’t take him, too.”
