Page 136 of The Widower
But I had no better idea, and with every cry from the other room I grew more worried. I had to act, and I was going to try my idea right then.
COLIN ADAMS
I screamed in pain again.Over and over.
“What the fuck is the code?”
I said nothing—just closed my eyes.
“Guess you like being tortured.”
Marcos left the room, but a few minutes later he came back holding a small blowtorch.
“What I’m about to do is gonna hurt, Colin. More than you can imagine.”
“You don’t have to do this,” I rasped. I barely had the strength to move my mouth.
“You know, I’ve heard that when people are burned in certain spots, the pain’s so intense they just give up.Never tried it myself, but I don’t see another choice. So tell me—are you gonna let me into that room, or do you wanna make this hard?”
I wasn’t going to give Isabelle and the kids away. He could kill me here and now, but at least I knew they were safe in my study. After hearing his guy say they’d managed to get inside, I was sure of it.
He could do whatever he wanted to me.As long as they were safe, I’d die at peace.
“Yeah… looks like you want the hard way. Somebody’s about to scream like a little girl.”
What followed was pure horror. I’d never felt pain like that in my life.
But Marcos wasn’t satisfied. He kept hitting me with his fists too.
He burned me near my fingers, my toes. My stomach, my shoulders, my back...
I’d reached my limit. Then everything went dark.
Maddison and I were having tea with her dolls.I’d actually gotten used to it.
“Daddy, did you know I want to be an astronaut?”
“An astronaut?”
“Yeah. I want to visit the sun.”
I laughed at her innocence.
“It’s way too hot there, sweetheart. No one could ever make it that far.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Then I want to go to the moon.”She pouted, and I couldn’t help but laugh again.
“That’s a little easier,” I said thoughtfully.
“But what if the rocket explodes when I’m up there?I’m scared, Daddy. I don’t want to die.”
I took her tiny hands in mine and kissed her forehead.
“I’ll protect you. You don’t have to worry.”
