Page 42 of Severance

Blood instantly begins to soak Kai’s shirt and I watch it seep through the fabric as I’m frozen in place. I’ve never had an out of body experience until now.

“Look at what you fucking did!” Luca’s voice echoes throughout the room. “Of course, Kai has to play the goddamn hero. That bullet was meant for you, but it’s just as good lodged in his chest.”

My hand clenches and I feel the pistol in my palm. I was so lost in the moment that I didn’t even feel it there. I glance up at Luca who stares down at Kai in disappointment. His gun hangs easily in his hand, there’s no indication that he feels threatened.

He forgot that he’s not the only one in this room with a weapon.

“Fuck you, Luca,” I growl as I point my gun at him and walk closer to him.

“Isn’t this cute.” He chuckles as he stares past the pistol, directly into my eyes. “Little girls shouldn’t play with big boys’ toys.”

His long fingers wrap around the butt of his gun tightly as I get closer. Dropping my arms, I pull the trigger and shoot his wrist. Luca screams out as the pistol falls from his hand and the blood spurts from his exposed vessels.

“You little fucking cunt!” he yells as he holds his arm against his chest. “You’re fucking done.”

I smile. “You’re right. I am done.” Luca freezes as I press the barrel of the gun into his forehead. “This is where it ends; with you.”

Luca glares at me and opens his mouth to get the last word, but I interrupt him as I pull the trigger. I fire a shot directly into his forehead, and he quickly loses his balance and falls onto the ground at my feet.

Luca’s dead eyes stare up at me and I look down at him with a smile consuming my face. He was the last one, the leader of the pack, and now he was gone.

They say that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Or that getting revenge won’t bring back what you lost.

Whoever said that was dead ass wrong. Nobody is truly blind, except for the dead and his death gave me everything that I had lost. I had control over my life and what happened in it. The puppet strings had officially been cut away.

We’re finally free.

I quickly walk back over to Kai and drop down onto my knees beside him.He’s still breathing, his heart is still beating, but he’s losing blood and it’s not slowing down.

“Fuck,” I mumble to myself as I ball-up his shirt and hold it against the hole in his chest. Kai’s unconscious and doesn’t react to the pressure. I shouldn’t leave him, but I need to find a phone. I need to get him help… fast.

Suddenly, the front door opens and I’m on my feet in a fraction of a second with my gun drawn. A tall guy with dark features steps into the room. He’s dressed like he stepped out of a Dior commercial. Stopping in the doorway, he cocks an eyebrow at me and my gun and scans the room.

“Who the fuck are you?” I demand, cocking back the hammer of my pistol.

“Tell me why the fuck my target is already dead, first,” he barks. He looked at me like I was a joke when he first entered, but now he’s looking at me like I’m the enemy.

“Self-defense.”

The man cuts his eyes at me. “Looks like you’re fine.” His eyes drop down to the floor beside me where Kai lies. “Can’t say the same for your friend there.”

“Luca deserved to die.” I shrug. “Kai was just the final straw for me. That’s right, I’m the one who killed your target. So, why don’t you tell me who the fuck you are.”

“Put your gun away,” the man sighs as he walks closer. “Anthony warned me that you two might be here.”

“Anthony?”

The man nods. “You just did my job for me.”

I look at him with the confusion evident on my face. “Anthony sent you here?”

“You think I came here for the show?” The man rolls his eyes. “Please. I have far better things to do.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe that Anthony sent you?”

The man shrugs. “Honestly, I don’t care. You can believe whatever you want. I know enough about you and Luca’s son that might convince you.”

Of course, I need to call Anthony and I don’t have a fucking phone.

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