Page 59 of Reclaim (Deadly Hearts 3)

ChapterThirty-One

Ruby

Our eyes are riveted onto the gory scene in front of us. Even David is watching, but I think it’s more his interest in Declan rather than Declan’s actions. Scott’s muffled cries die down when Declan steps back and the casino falls into silence.

I jump a mile when a phone rings, resounding around the mostly empty casino, an eerie, shrill sound.

All gazes land on me.

My cheeks heat up slightly. “Erm,” I murmur and pull my phone out of my bag.

Mom.

Yeah, not happening. I silence it and let it go to voicemail.

I replace the phone in my bag and clear my throat.

Ramsey is trying not to laugh, which would just be highly inappropriate, so after catching his gaze, I quickly avert it in case I start laughing.

“Ruby had an idea,” David blurts out suddenly.

Declan’s ice-cold, blue eyes swivel in his direction to take him in before he slides his gaze over to me.

I nearly flinch from the lack of emotion, lack of anything, in his eyes.

“Ruby?” he prompts me when I stay silent.

I can’t speak, but not out of nerves or shock at my earlier words on what I wanted to do to Scott. I’m just immobile from seeing Declan so removed from this situation. It makes me want to go to him and wrap my arms around him, bring him back to the real world and to me. None of it matters anymore. I want it over with so I can move on and reclaim my place here.

“Just kill him and be done with it,” I croak out eventually. “I’ve wasted enough time worrying about him and dwelling on what happened. He is responsible for Boomer and everything that psycho did, to me and to whoever else. He employed him and enabled him when he should’ve put him down. End this.”

Declan and I stare at each other for the longest time, but he sees I’m serious about it. He sees I’m exhausted and worn out and ready to move on.

He pulls the gun out of the back of his pants and holds it out to me.

Not even a single cell inside me hesitates. I stride out from the back of the bar, noticing my hand still bloody and sticky with Scott’s blood. I hold it out and Declan places the gun into it and steps back.

I stand in front of Scott and place the gun to the middle of his forehead. He doesn’t make a sound now. He knows it’s the end. Staring blankly into his puffy eyes, I pull the trigger, seeing his head snap back and his body slump as he dies instantly.

I shove the gun back at Declan, who takes it over to the bar and cleans it down of fingerprints.

“What do we do with him?” David asks into the maudlin silence.

I walk over to the sink and methodically wash my hands clean, my brain saying over and over again, Out, damned spot; out, I say.

“Giselle’s is still all burned out,” Ramsey says quietly. “Dump him there and set fire to him."

I nod slowly.

Giselle.

“Did we ever hear anything from her while we were away?”

Silence.

Turning my head to David, I know he knows something. All I have to do is blink at him and he caves. I do love him so much.

“Okay, okay,” he says, holding up his hands. “She emailed and rang a few times, enraged like a beast when she couldn’t get hold of you. I blocked her number on your phone. She is convinced you did it and has told the po-po, plus the insurance company."

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