Page 72 of Beautifully Forgiven

“You’re so fucking stupid,” I hiss and jab my knife in the side of his throat, then yank it out, his blood splattering across my face. He begins to gurgle as his throat fills with blood. Dropping to his knees, he clutches his throat trying to stop the blood from gushing from his body.

“Always watch the hands, dipshit.” I smile and lift my leg, I push my foot against his chest and kick him back so he lands with a thud to the ground.

I don’t waste any time, I leave him to die while I grab what I can and throw it in my truck. Spotting the keys in the ignition, I jump in and start the engine.

Looking back at the cabin that's engulfed in flames I leave it all behind, everything flashes before my eyes as I drive away.

My wife and daughter, the life that was stolen from me and then her—my kitten.

Savannah took a part of me, one I thought I’d lost a long time ago. I’ll stop at nothing to get her back.

I’m not done with her, Savannah is mine. I meant what I said when I took her.

The ringing continues as I shake my head. I sure as fuck didn’t expect to fall for my little hostage.

But here I am, fucking smitten. Damn it.

I’d kept telling myself she was nothing, a nobody, but knowing her father has her and he’s probably enjoying punishing her for what I did, I need to find her and fast.

He already took my wife and daughter from me, he’s not taking Savannah too.

I have no clue how the fuck they found me, but it won’t happen again, and I still plan on ending Pasquale it just looks like I have one more thing to do before I do. Savannah is not just a purpose, she’s meaning, a feeling. She cuts me deep, and I'd happily bleed out to watch her live. She was my revenge until I found an innocence in her that helped me heal.

* * *

I have to be smart. I can’t go in guns blazing and get myself killed, or worse, get Savannah killed.

Being dead has an advantage, at least that’s what I’m hoping. I guess my name rings true now.

I’ve been watching to see how many men are on guard. I’ve noticed one man in particular appear a few times. The gut feeling is enough to know this is the man Pasquale has replaced Marcel with. He already had another man lined up ready to ship Savannah off to the moment he got her back.

I’m going to enjoying gutting that fucking pig.

My entire body is ravaged with anger as I think of the hell Savannah has been through the last two days. Fuck this shit, I’m not waiting anymore. I’m taking back what's mine.

It’s beentwo days since I returned home. I’ve been in a daze, completely tuned out to the world around me. The times I asked my father about Jacob he got angry and slapped me across the face. He called me a slut for letting him touch me. Although Jacob’s plan backfired because I overheard my father in a meeting yesterday talking to his men about me being damaged goods, he was willing to negotiate. Negotiate, like the deal for me was still on the table. I let out a gasp so loud I was sure they heard me. I ran until I was in my room and hid in the closet like I was a kid again.

How could my father do this? I was starting to think everything Jacob had told me even though it was the bare minimum was true. Every last word.

My father is evil. He’s proofing it.

I hear a truck arrive and decide to investigate. I go to my window and sneak a peek out, seeing a huge truck pull up outside the front of the house. I watch as a man gets out and lights a smoke, then a few of my father's men gather round him. I watch as they stand, their guns in hand ready and waiting. How did I miss this? What my father did. I watch as they exchange words and then they all go quiet as my father walks out. He stands in front of the man, and I can’t quite hear the words, but I make out money and shipment. Before I have a chance to listen to more, my father lifts his gun and shoots the guy between the eyes. I gasp and fall back onto my floor as tears fall, my hand covering my mouth as I try to collect myself. I reach for my window and pull myself up on shaky arms and watch two men drag him over the pebbles and take him somewhere out back. My father wipes his gun on a handkerchief that he removes from his breast pocket.

“Make sure it's all there,” I hear him shout before he walks back inside.

I just watched my father kill a man in cold blood. My body is in shock as I slide down the wall and try to compose myself long enough to stop my body from shaking.

Once I can finally stand, I head for the bathroom to clean myself up.

Splashing my face with some water, I wipe at my red swollen eyes.

My face has been puffy for the whole time I’ve been here. I have no idea if Jacob is alive or if my father did something to him. I still have no idea how he found me, and he hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with that information.

I decide to put on my big girl pants and face my father. I've been hiding out in my room unless he summons me to dinner. The thought of being anywhere near my father makes my blood run cold.

I was so panicked about Jacob killing him, I never thought he would be the one to kill Jacob.

I slowly make my way out the door and down the stairs toward the voices I can hear. I know they are my father’s men and now that I have an idea of what my father is involved in, I’m not so sure I want to stick around to find out what happens.

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