He sighed. “Fucking hell, what have we gotten ourselves into?”
“It’s messed up, I know. Trust me, I get it. But I trust you to handle this. Don’t let me down, Rupert. She means too much to me.”
“I won’t, boss. Watch your back.”
I sighed. “You too.”
I hung up the phone and tossed it back to the girl. She caught it with only one hand, and I snatched up the bag. I pulled my wallet out and slapped a hundred dollar bill onto the counter. Then I shoved my wallet into the bag and reached for th
e drink.
“Anything else I can help you with?” she asked sarcastically.
I paused. “Actually, yeah. There is. If anyone calls you back on that number looking for someone named Max, and their name isn’t Rupert or John, tell them to kick fucking rocks.”
She grinned. “It’ll be my pleasure.”
I made my way out of the gas station and I could’ve sworn I heard everyone collectively sigh with relief. No matter, though. I only had one goal in mind. And that was to get to my father. I knew Rupert would take care of Dani. I knew he’d put her somewhere safe. Now, I had to confront my father. He needed to know that I wouldn't be that easy to wipe off the face of this planet.
And if I got trigger happy enough, I might wipe him off the face of this planet first.
I jumped back into the car that was still running and tossed the first aid kits into the passenger’s seat. I didn’t bother with the seatbelt as I started ripping the plastic off them. I needed Tylenol. I needed gauze. I needed alcohol wipes to clean my fucking face off as I raced down the road. I cracked the small bottle of pills open in my hand and tossed three of them back. I reached for my drink and drove with my knees as I chugged the caffeine down. Hopefully, that did something for the pain. Because a hospital wasn’t in my future until I knew Dani was safe.
Until my father had been dealt with.
“Come on. You can go faster than this.”
I ripped open alcohol wipes with my teeth and wiped at my face. I was coated in blood and it hurt to breathe. My nose sat crooked on my face. One of my eyes was completely swollen shut. Too bad none of these first aid kits had a knife or a scalpel in them. Because I could’ve used my other eye. No matter, though. The alcohol wipes helped to clean off my face. My lips. My neck. My hands. I even tried to wipe some of my shirt off, since it was practically caked in blood.
Not all of it mine, though.
The closer I grew to my father’s house, the more I smiled. I couldn't wait to wrap my hands around that man’s throat. I couldn't wait to choke the life out of him and see that light dim behind his eyes. Never in my life had I wanted death so badly to fall onto someone. Never in my life had I lusted for blood like this before. I pushed the gas pedal all the way to the floor as some of my pain started to subside. Even the swelling in my eye receded a bit.
A few more pills can’t hurt much. I’m a big dude.
I fumbled around for the pills in the passenger’s seat. I picked up two more and tossed them back before chugging more of my soda. My vision finally focused for good. I felt my feet planted firmly into reality again. The clouded fog of pain lifted, allowing me to think clearer. See clearer. Carve out a path in front of me quicker.
And as I raced by the signs ushering me into the city limits, I diverted quickly to the left.
“I know a better way than that,” I murmured.
I raced along the backroads that I knew cops never policed. There were no stoplights. No cop cars. No stop signs. Nothing. Just winding, open roads that carried me closer to my father’s house. Closer to that hill he sat on top of. Closer to that looming house off in the distance. The full moon mocked me as it hung heavily in the sky. The gray clouds slowly covered it up, completely darkening the world below. If there were ever a perfect night for my father to come out and play, it was tonight. A full moon, and yet the world was still dark.
Like his soul.
I’m coming for you, Dad. This is the last playdate you get.
I charged around the corner and skidded onto the main road. My father’s wrought iron gates came into view and I made a split second decision. There was no time to punch in the code. And it sure wasn’t tactically safe for me to alert my father to the fact that I was here. So I gripped the steering wheel, gritted my teeth, and watched as the speedometer needle in the SUV clocked a buck-ten.
Straight through those fucking gates.
37
Dani
I still couldn't process it. It was like my brain refused to accept the truth right in front of me. This dark, cold, wicked man who had sentenced me to death was Max’s father. What a fucking piece of work. This man held me captive like an animal. Tied to a chair, like a pig on a spit over a roasting fire. How in the world did the man I love come from this monstrous man? How was that even possible?
I didn’t see any part of Max in him. They didn’t look a bit alike. Right down to the fishy little lips on this asshole’s face.