Page 107 of Retribution

That’s when I break.

I pull her into my arms, wrapping her limbs around me as I bury my face into her neck in an attempt to absorb her cries. Her body shakes uncontrollably and I rub my hand over her hair as my sobs pour out of me without any form of power behind them.

I am completely lost; I am helpless and unable to save my daughter.

The tears emit from me with no resistance, I am completely hysterical. I kneel to the floor with her in my arms and she tightens her grip on me.

I can’t do this, I can’t lose her. My baby, my daughter, my darling, I can’t lose her.

A gentle hand touches my shoulder and I notice the familiarity, the warm touch offering little to console me at the moment. I shake my head and bury my head deeper into Willow, both of us gasping for air among the strangled cries. We’re both mourning, howling in pain from the unforgiving world. The world that has torn us apart, when it should be us two together, against the world.

“You are and always will be my Daddy,” Willow whispers, her voice nasally from being upset.

I squeeze her tighter. “Always my darling, always.” I reassure her.

Rocking us gently, I try to conjure up the courage to look around at the room even though I couldn’t care less right now. My irrational thoughts are telling me to get up and run out of here with her in my arms and never look back, escape and build us a life somewhere else in the world.

“You will come back to me, you will,” I demand, a new emotion overtaking my emotions.

Determination.

Passion.

This is not the end, they will receive their retribution in due course.

I finally manage to look up, Allie’s parents are peering over us expectantly and I use all my being to not stand up and kill them with my bare hands for the cards they’ve just pulled, just to get their own way. They don’t care about what Willow wants, all they care about is themselves, what they see fit.

“Listen, darling. You need to stay strong for me, okay?” I talk quietly into Willow’s ear, caressing her back.

She nods and sniffles, pulling back to look at me in the eyes. I almost lose it again, seeing the pain on her face and the torture it’s causing her.

I place my hands on her cheeks, wiping away some of her tears with my thumb.

“Daddy will always come back for you, always.” I smile at her, a shaky chuckle coming out to absorb my sobs.

My eyes betray me and another tear spills out before I wipe it away quickly. I need to show her strength, show her that I’m not worried, that I’ve got this.

“I love you so much, Daddy,” she cries and I melt underneath her.

Her voice breaks and it yanks at my heart, ripping it out of my chest with such a force that I can barely survive without her.

She has my heart in her tiny hands and she always will.

“I love you Willow, I love you so much.” I pull my lips into a tight smile and rub away her tears again.

“Whenever you miss me, think of that. Think of my love for you, think of your love for me. That’s what will bring us back together.” I assure her and she nods, wiping her nose on the back of her hand.

“Come on Willow, sweetie.” Rachel says and I literally want to rip her fucking head off.

Dumb fucking bitch.

Willow stands up on shaky legs, turning to her grandmother.

“I hate you.” Willow spits at her, crossing her arms over her chest and stomping past her.

Rachel looks at me in disbelief and I glare at her, hoping that she feels unprepared and nervous to take on Willow. I hope it feels so fucking unnatural to her that she brings Willow right back home, to her home.

God, my eyes are filling up again.

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