Page 59 of Ashes

Fucking idiots.

Ace told me she went over because Olivia wanted to show her what she had bought from the store today. Of course, she went alone. There was no reason to believe that anything bad was about to happen. He felt secure enough to let her go, knowing she had security that would be tailing her.

I explained to Ace that I saw Colton Adamson at the house, and before I could even finish my sentence, he told me he was on his way and ended the call. I was already on my way over, so I was not surprised that I had arrived before he did.

Knowing Colton was inside the house, there was no way in hell that I would wait outside for Ace to show up, so I took it upon myself to enter the house.

And thank fuck I did.

I made it just in time.

I walked in right as that fucker was heading toward Tate with a knife, and no doubt she would face the same fate that poor Rachel suffered.

I’m standing in the kitchen after just killing the motherfucker who raped and impregnated my little hellion when she was barely seventeen.

“Get Olivia!” she screams, her eyes wide and full of worry for her daughter, whose unconscious body is limp in the chair in front of Rachel’s bloody dead body.

Placing my gun into the waistband of my pants, I remove the jacket from my suit, push up my sleeves, and wrap my jacket around the little girl as I carefully remove the tape from her, working her free. I lift her body in my arms, carrying her out of the room just as Ace appears in the living room.

“What the fuck happened?” he asks, holding his arms out for Olivia.

“Careful. She’s covered in puke and blood.” His eyes widen. “It’s not her blood. Rachel is dead.” His mouth pops open, but we don't have time to mourn. Carefully taking Olivia’s body from me, he carries her upstairs, where I’m sure he will clean her up and change her.

I pull out my pocketknife once I’m back in the kitchen and cut through the rope around Lee. When she’s free, she presses a hand against the side of her neck that’s actively bleeding and buries her head in my chest, her body shaking with sobs.

“He killed her,” she cries against me. I do my best to comfort her by rubbing her back soothingly. It’s awkward for me. I’ve never been good with consoling someone when they’re upset. She just lost a friend, the woman she gave her child to, and now their lives will change forever.

“Lee!” I hear Rowen’s voice calling.

“Butterfly!” King calls out.

My brothers are here. No doubt that Ace called them on his way over.

They rush into the kitchen, their eyes wide and full of worry when they take in the sight before them.

“Butterfly, come here.” King steps to the side, holding his arms out for her. She goes to him willingly, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist when he lifts her.

He wipes a hand over her tearful face and carries her out of the room, leaving me behind with Rowen.

“What the fuck happened?” he asks, taking in the sight before him.

“What does it look like?” I snap, turning to face him. “He was seconds away from stabbing Lee, and I didn’t have a choice.” I’m frustrated. So fucking frustrated. All these months, we’ve been after the unknown fucker, wanting to get our hands on him to give him a taste of his own medicine and make him pay for all he’s done, only to kill him quickly without making him suffer one bit.

I had many plans for him. I had a list of things I wanted to do to him to make him suffer painfully and slowly, and in a moment of weakness, I allowed myself to lose sight of the end goal and killed the bastard quickly.

I’m angry at myself for rushing to the kill shot when there were many other areas I could’ve shot him to ensure that he remained alive so that I’d be able to torture him slowly.

Fuck me and my desperate need to want to protect Lee. I can never think clearly when she’s involved.

Colton wasn’t supposed to get off that easily.

It wasn’t supposed to end this way.

thirty-one

ACE

Upstairs,I lay Olivia on top of her purple bedspread and carefully remove her vomit- and blood-stained white dress, pulling the blanket over her quickly, so she's not exposed. I should wait for Lee to come and change her, but she's still downstairs with Eli, King, and Rowen, and I'm not sure when she'll be here. She witnessed a close friend’s brutal murder tonight, and I know it'll take her some time to recover.

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