Page 65 of Dove

The demon inside me roared and clawed to get out as I watched my little dove walk to her death.

33

Kincaid

Iignored Maddox as he shook his head slightly. Trying not to alert Tristan as he subtly told me to leave. To escape.

He’d left me an opening. I could’ve. I could’ve snuck out behind Tristan. Walked through the open bedroom door, down the stairs, and out of the house. The house I’d desperately wanted to leave once upon a time. But not anymore.

“Ah there’s your little dove.” Tristan chuckled, only bothering to glance at me over his shoulder. I wasn’t a threat, even with the gun in my hand.

His gaze and gun focused back on Maddox, who knelt shirtless on the floor. His hands resting on the back of his neck as he stared at me. Blood trickled down from a cut on his head, and his handsome face was bruised.

“No. Leave.” His harsh tone cut into me. His turned down. His fists clenched. He acted like he didn’t care. Like that would make Tristan spare my life.

But his eyes pleaded with me to go. His eyes were the only thing that gave him away. The only thing that told me that he feared for me. Cared. Even bloody and bruised, his body was coiled tight, ready to fight. Ready for an opportunity.

“I won’t leave you.” I answered as I raised the gun. Maddox’s eyes closed slowly as if it hurt him to see me here. As if he knew we both wouldn’t make it out. Resigned in our death. “My place is by your side.”

I focused back on my target. I wanted to move. To stand between him and Maddox, but I knew he’d shoot before I took a single step around him. I was determined to make him train the gun on me. But he wouldn’t; he was too arrogant in his assumptions of women.

“You’re not going to shoot me.” Tristan smirked like everything was going as he planned. “You’re too sweet for that. You don’t have what it takes to end a life.” He leaned closer to me as I inched towards Maddox. I could smell the stench of decay coming off him. “To feel that stain on your soul. It’ll never go away. I’ll haunt your dreams.”

His whispered words tried to crawl under my skin. Tried to poke at what was left of the old me. The girl before Maddox had come into my life. The one I had so hysterically clung to.

That girl was gone.

“Let him go, or I will kill you.” There was no hesitation in my voice. No strain in my arms as I held the weapon. But my heart constricted in my chest. Unable to beat when I looked at Maddox. My lungs fighting for air each minute he was on his knees at Tristan’s mercy.

Tristan laughed loudly. Doing what he’d always done; underestimating the women around him. How could a woman hurt him? We were disposable. Pawns for his games. Whores as he so eloquently said before.

“I’m glad you’re here to watch him die. Then you’ll know what waits for you.” His voice lowered as he licked his lips and glanced at my bare legs. “I could use another whore to make some money. I’m not sure who’d touch you after everything Maddox has done to you, but” he shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure we’ll find someone desperate enough.”

The old wounds tried to come back. Tried to make me lose focus. Feel ashamed of myself. Of Maddox. Of what we did. What we were. I waited for the familiar churning in my gut. The twisting of my heart.

But clarity came with my adrenaline. I wasn’t embarrassed of anything we’d ever done. And I wouldn’t let a worthless rat, who had more to be ashamed of, make me feel that way.

He’s the one who should be wondering what was wrong with him. Wondering how his life had ended up here. Killing his best friend.

“I’ll kill myself before I let anyone but Maddox touch me.” I snapped.

Death was preferable to a life without Maddox. It was what I wanted before him, and I would take it if I couldn’t have him. I didn’t want to walk this earth without the man I loved.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make it easy on you. I’ll get you high first. It’s amazing what a person will do for their next fix. Soon you’ll be begging me to find you a customer. Willing to spread your legs for anyone. Just like your mother, right Maddox?” His eyes gleamed with pleasure as he poked at Maddox’s childhood trauma.

I thought Maddox was a monster. A demon. But that was before I looked the devil in his eyes. It wasn’t Maddox who couldn’t feel; it was Tristan. His eyes were dead and cold, like he felt nothing for threatening his friend’s life. For threatening to rape the woman his friend loves.

“You’re going to wish for death when I get my hands on you.” Maddox jerked forward like he was going to grab him but settled back as if he thought better of it. I know the only reason he hadn’t was to give me time. To get me out. But I wasn’t leaving without him.

I was stalling as much as he was. Hoping Henry or Sebastian or anyone would come before I had to pull the trigger. Before, I had to make the choice.

I would, but I knew it would cost me something. Something I wasn’t ready to lose. The last thread of my humanity. The last piece of the girl my mother raised me to be.

“Empty promises.” Tristan’s face pulled into a sick smile. “You had your chance.”

“I saved your life.” I yelled with renewed rage. It shook through my body, making me fist grip the gun tighter. My voice raw as I spoke. “He let you live because of me.”

“That’s true.” He walked forward to stand next to Maddox. He raised the gun to his temple. “So whose fault is it when I kill the only thing you care about?”

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