Page 40 of My Shining Stepbrother

I take a deep breath trying to control my anger. “I don’t care, Ronnie. she isn’t yours, and she isn't an object you can just take.”

“That’s where you're wrong, Reese. She will always be mine. Maybe not by marriage, but I made her mine when I met her. She wouldn’t even look at another man until she fucking saw you. You took her from me. She was mine!” He starts to breathe heavily, matching my breathing.

“You lied to and deceived her, which caused you to lose her. You can't blame her for wanting to run away from you. Why would you try to kill her if you care about her?” I'm sure there is steam rolling out of my ears and nostrils from the burning fire inside me. A fire that needs to be tamed by his blood.

“If I can’t have her, then nobody can. She was my little Rose. Ricky was so easy to manipulate she took his best client, and I knew he needed that client back.” That fire inside me burns so hotly that I'm sure the flames are turning blue.

“Well, now he is a dead man walking also.” I breathe out heavily, with my chest heaving up and down.

“Awww, yes, the infamous words of a serious man.” The amused look on his face makes my lips twitch as I hold back a growl.

I'm sure he doesn’t understand how serious I am. How would he be when he is delusional? I pull out my phone and send Matty a quick text to take Ricky to my shop, and I don’t mean the tattoo shop. That fucker will tell us everything and where she is.

“Where is she? You knew I would come here, so where is she?” I stood up while finishing our conversation. “I'm not negotiating with anything until I have her in my arms again. So I'll ask again, where the fuck is Rose?”

He grins proudly as he stares up at me. “Hanging out with the exterminator, one text, and she is gone for good. I would think wisely about your next move.” He treats this like a chess game, and she is the pawn.

I walk away with my head hung low. I can’t destroy him yet, which is all because he holds the power of her life in his hands. I can’t risk her life without knowing what is happening.

- Rose -

I’m cold, and I feel tired. What the hell happened? Ricky took me home, and that’s all I remember. My head hurts badly. I reach up to touch it and feel dry blood. What the hell happened? I should have listened to my gut feeling and not gone with him. Now I don’t know where I am or who has me.

I need to try to stand up and get out of here. I stand up and try to walk but am quickly stopped. I hear the rattle of chains and feel something on my ankle. Fuck! He got me! Ronnie got to me somehow, but where is Reese?

“Hello!!! Somebody!!!! Help!!!” I call out, hoping somebody will hear me and help.

I hear the steps, and I recognize them but not as Ronnie’s steps. I can’t put it into my head who they belong to. I wait a moment, and he steps into the light. My heart and stomach jump to my throat. I can no longer breathe and feel myself gasping for air. There is nothing in my throat, but I feel paralyzed. I feel like I’ve been stabbed.

“Hey there, little princess, I’ve missed you, bean.” Those words were all I needed to confirm who it was.

“Dad?” I say quietly, with my heart thumping wildly.

“I need you to listen to me, okay? I won’t hurt you, bean. You are safe, I promise.

“Get away! You just took me away from my life and chained me like some animal!” I try to move away as he walks closer.

“I’m doing this to save you. Reese is a great guy and knows what he is doing, but this is above him, bean.” He sounds sincere, but I can't believe him.

“Don’t call me that. You lost that the moment you stepped out of that door. That little girl died that day, and she won't be returning.” I give him a cold tone with a cold icy gaze.

“Let me explain, please. I had my reasons.” He begs, and as much as I would love to walk away, it doesn't look like I can do that now.

“I don’t have any other option than to listen now. Do I?” I shake my foot rattling a chain.

I sit on the ground again and bring my knees to my chest. I wish I could leave here and not have to listen to whatever excuse he is about to say.

“Bean, I left because this life was following me, and I needed you all to stay safe. I wouldn’t have made it if anything had happened to you guys. I did it to keep you safe, bean.” I see a single tear fall from his eye, but I feel nothing.

“I said stop calling me that!” I smack my hands down on the ground to emphasize my point.

“I won’t stop. You are still my little bean.” I roll my eyes, knowing this will be never-ending.

“So what is this life, then?” I look around the empty, cold, dirty room with a scowl.

“I’m the exterminator, people hire me to kill people, but I never do. I keep them safe and give them a new identity.” My eyes widened in shock. He cannot be serious?!

“For fuck’s sake! I’m not starting my life over. I just found the love of my life, and I'm starting to fix things with mom. I'm the one making sure Rachel has a damn future as her person. I’m not starting over. I'm not a coward like you were. I don't run from my problems anymore. Reese taught me to stand.” I say with a strong voice for myself.

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