Fuck!
Bastard!
He should have seen this coming. They all should have seen it all coming.
“This town. This city, it all belongs to Gabriel Colton, and even when I’m gone, there will be more to take my place.”
“The Coltons are scum and should have stayed away where they were warned to. They come after me or my family, and I will fucking kill them,” Maddox said.
“You took my brother, you traitorous bastard,” Ruby said.
Her focus was absolute. He stepped closer to her, knowing his brothers were ready to pounce, and to rid them all of Bruce.
“You don’t have to do this, baby,” he said.
“He killed my brother. I know Lionel was disappointed when he arrived at the café, and he even tried to wait to take care of the problem. His waiting, his compassion, it got him killed.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I know. It’s his fault. He killed my brother and took away one of the most precious things in the world to me. I loved my family, I did. I cared about my parents, but I loved my brother.”
Before he could stop her, she fired the gun. No one had time to duck, and Oliver wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, knowing that there was nothing he could do. She fired the gun five more times, and pushed him away as she stepped up close to a gasping, dying Bruce.
“Did they beg?” she asked.
“He … called … me …. traitor.”
Oliver held her hand as she pointed the gun, aimed, and shot Bruce directly in the forehead.
Silence filled the air. It was like static was all around them. Oliver didn’t know what to do, and so he waited.
Ruby dropped the gun, turned to him, and sobbed. He caught her as she cried for everything. Holding her close to his heart, he held her even as his family watched. No one did a thing as she broke down in his arms, crying the ten pent-up years.
For ten years his woman had been all alone. The only thing she wanted more than anything to was avenge her brother’s death. She had done that, and now it was time for him to hold her, to comfort her, and to give her everything her heart desired.
“Can I take her to my old room?” he asked, looking at his mother.
“Go. Go.”
Before he left the room, he caught sight of Landon holding a shaking Sarah. That was going to be a tricky situation, and he was thankful he wasn’t in his father’s place. Killing Sarah wasn’t an option, but keeping her silent was.
Lifting Ruby into his arms, he carried her upstairs toward him old bedroom. Lowering her down to the bed, he brushed away each one of her tears even as more came. He didn’t care that his shirt was soaking wet, or that his head was pounding from her cries. All he wanted to do was hold her.
Time passed, and he wondered if his father and brother had gotten rid of the body. There was no way they were going to leave a body in the sitting room.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice croaky and dry.
“Why are you sorry?”
“I shouldn’t have killed him. This is all my fault.”
“Babe, it’s fine.”
“I’ve never killed anyone before.” She pressed the heels of her hand against her eyes.
He kissed her hands, slowly pulling them away from her face. “You don’t need to hide from me. You’ve never needed to hide from me.”
“I killed.”