Page 112 of Forgotten Deeds

Lily’s frozen in shock. I try to shout to get her attention, thrashing my body on the ground until finally she notices me. Her hand shaking, she drops the gun and stands, running over. Squatting down, she rips off the duck tape from my mouth—looking like a deer in the headlights.

“Little angel, you did so good,” I praise her. “Can you find something to cut these zip ties? Go upstairs and bring me a knife or shears from the kitchen.”

She looks back over to Ethan’s slumped body; part of his skull’s missing, and blood and brain spatter covers the back of the couch.

Oh no.

Turning a violent shade of green, she doubles over and vomits.

“Lily, it’s alright.” I try to soothe her sobs, but I can’t fucking comfort her like she needs right now, not with me tied up. “Wifey, look at me.”

“I can’t,” she says, tears streaming down her face as she clutches her stomach.

“Yes, you can. Be a good girl and look at me,” I tell her in an authoritative voice, and her eyes meet mine; so much pain and fear in them, it fucking kills me all over again. “Walk upstairs. Find a knife or pair of scissors. Bring them back down to me. Go now. We’ve got to get home to Iris,” I remind her.

She nods resolutely, running up the steps.

Glancing over to Ethan’s slumped remains, the motherfucker better be grateful I didn’t get my hands on him.

It feels like an eternity, but I hear footsteps, and Lily appears with a pair of kitchen shears. Her hands are shaking so badly, I’m afraid she’ll accidentally cut me, and that would only upset her more. “Good girl. Take a deep breath for me. Hold it for a count of three, and let it out,” I coach her.

She does so while I count, and I tell her, “That’s it. Now, cut the ties.”

Craning my neck, and I watch her trembling hand use the shears to cut the zip ties cut, and my hands and legs are free.

Pulling myself off the floor, I hold out my hand to take the sheers from her, because she’s still got a death grip on them.

Looking down to her hands coated in blood from where she stabbed Ethan in both his femoral arteries—fucker would’ve died from that alone, even if she hadn’t shot him point-blank in the head—she drops the shears. “There’s blood on my hands,” Lily whispers.

“Hey, it’s alright,” I tell her, taking her hands and wiping them on my own. I’m not sure if she’s talking physically or metaphorically, but I tell her, “See, blood’s on my hands, not yours. Never yours, little angel.” I wrap my arms around her trembling body as she sobs. “Just let it all out. Give it to me; I’ll carry all the darkness and pain for the both of us. Always,” I assure her, holding her tight until she’s cried herself out.

Scooping Lily up in my arms, she burrows her head in my chest as I carry her upstairs and away from the scene. Finding my phones on the table, I call Sammy.

“Need help ASAP moving equipment for my home gym.” Meaning this is a personal situation, not family business. I give him the address.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re asking me for a favor,” Sammy says with laughter in his voice.

I grit my teeth. “Yes, I’m asking for a favor.”

He chuckles. “Be there in about twenty.”

“I’m going to drop Lily off at the clinic first. I’ll meet you back at the house. Tell Nicky this is an emergency.”

“Will do,” he says, hanging up.

* * *

Lily

I don’t remember the drive, but somehow we’ve arrived at a warehouse, and Darius carries me inside what looks like a hospital room. I’m greeted by Nicky, with Enzo standing in the corner. He takes one look at me and turns white as a sheet.

Do I look that bad? I glance down to my blood-spattered body. Yes, yes I do.

“Lily, I don’t want to leave you, but I have to go clean things up,” Darius tells me, kissing the top of my head.

Clean things up—meaning clean up the crime scene. Because I killed Ethan. I give my head a shake, trying to make it stop.

“I’ll take good care of her,” Nicky promises. “And if we wrap up here before you, Lily can just come home with me; we’ll hang out until you’re finished, and you can come to the house to pick her up.” Nicky assures him.

---