Page 50 of Fallen Saint

Bile rises, and I lurch forward, intent on throwing up my dinner.

This is my surprise. My stepfather on a silver platter for me to do with as I please. Zoey hurt me, and to express his fondness for me, Alek is allowing me to rid this earth of the monster who plagues my dreams.

“How doyoulike being gagged, you worthless piece of shit? Bragging to your “friends” about what you did to a teenage girl wasn’t a smart move,” Alek says, leaning back in his seat. It appears hehasdone his research after all.

Kenny hasn’t taken his eyes off me, which infuriates Alek.

“Lev, take out his gag.” The moment he does, Kenny gnashes his teeth together, lunging forward, intent on murdering me.

Alek loosens his hold on me, and I spring up from my seat, desperate to put as much distance between Kenny and me.

“You fucking slut!” Kenny roars, struggling against Lev. “I’m going to kill you! Come here, you bitch!”

His voice evokes the memories that have dogged me for years, and I back up until my ass hits the wall. I know Alek wants me to use that knife in front of him, but I can’t. That will make me no better than Kenny.

“No,” I sob, wishing this would all go away.

I need a lifeline, and for once, the universe cuts me a break.

“What the fuck is going on?” Saint’s question is laced with pure venom.

Lifting my eyes, I blink past my tears to see him. I need to focus on something that makes sense. Relief I have never felt before crashes into me, and I feel like I can breathe again.

Alek shatters that reprieve. “I told you to take the day off.”

“And I told you I don’t need the day off,” Saint counters with rapid speed, his eyes never wavering from mine. “Who is that man?” He addresses me, beseeching me to tell him what’s going on. But to vocalize it will mean I have to decide what to do next.

“Your momma was right. You are poison. Look what you’ve done.”

The room grows even smaller as things are about to turn dire…for my stepfather.

Saint closes his eyes and tips his face to the heavens, breathing deeply as Kenny has just signed his own death warrant.

“Believe me, her pussy ain’t worth the trouble.”

Just like always, Kenny doesn’t know when to shut up, but unlike then, when I had no one to protect me, now…I do.

Saint movements are lithe as he walks over to Kenny, and without warning, he punches him in the face so hard, his head snaps back with a nauseating crack. He staggers backward, the blood pouring from his nose, indicating Saint has broken it.

I yelp, muting my cries behind my hand as I watch on, wishing I could feel something other than this paralyzing fear. I’ve dreamed of the day I got my revenge. There are so many things I want to do like incite terror in him just as he did to me.

But I can’t.

That would make me just like him, and I amnothinglike him.

Alek springs up, not wanting to get blood on his chinos. He suddenly seems annoyed that Saint is here, raining on his good Samaritan parade. “Well, this just got messy.” He reaches for the white napkin to dab at the splatter of blood on his shirt.

My hands are splayed out against the wall as I need something to anchor me. And when Alek reaches for the knife, it’s clear why he made the toast he did.

To new beginnings, indeed.

“???????, the choice is yours.” He extends the knife my way while I shake my head in horror. “But he doesn’t leave here alive.”

“What?No. Y-you c-can’t. I w-won’t.” I’m on the cusp of hyperventilating because this is wrong. No matter which way I look at it, if I kill Kenny, I will kill a piece of myself as well.

“Kill him!” Alek exclaims, waving the knife. He is clearly annoyed that I don’t like my surprise.

Kenny suddenly realizes he’s in deep shit. “Look, man, just let me go, and I won’t tell anyone about this.”

---