No.
No.
“How could you?” I scream, taking a step back, staring at the man who is supposed to love me.
“I need Jagger out of the way. He has been a thorn in my side for too long. He wouldn’t step away. I had no choice. This isn’t about you. This goes far deeper than you could ever imagine. I had to do this. I knew Jagger would take you to get to me, and I knew he would eventually fall for you, how could he not? It worked out exactly how I needed it to.”
I’m going to be sick.
All along my father was one step ahead of Jagger. All along he was behind this.
“How could you? I’m your daughter,” I whisper as tears burst forth and roll down my cheeks.
“I never intended for you to get hurt. I did what I had to do to get him out of the picture. It had to happen like this.”
“You’re working with Manchez,” I say, shaking my head in horror as I angrily swipe a tear away.
“Yes.”
How could I be so stupid?
How could I have let this happen?
“Please, just let him go.”
He shakes his head, pulling out his gun just as a car rolls in and stops beside us, the windows dark. “Get in the car.”
My eyes widen as fear grips my chest. “Dad, please.”
“Look, just do as I ask, and no one will get hurt. Get in the car.”
“Dad...”
“Now. Willow.”
I slide into the car, trembling. The drive is a man I’ve never seen before, and he stares straight ahead as my father gets in beside me, reaching over and jerking my hands forward so he can cuff them. I fight, God do I fight, but it’s no use. With one swift slap, he renders me speechless and utterly broken.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he grinds out, “stop fighting me. As soon as he’s out of the picture, you can go back to your life. Do you understand?”
I don’t say anything, I refuse to acknowledge him at all. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead to me. We drive for about twenty minutes and pull up at an old, run-down warehouse. My father pulls me out of the car and drags me inside and into a secured room. I go numbly, not saying a single word, but vowing to myself that he will pay for this.
With blood.
After a few minutes the door to the room opens and Manchez steps in. I’d recognize that face anywhere. He smirks and walks forward, running a finger over my cheek, I jerk my head away.
“Lovely to see you again, Willow.”
“I delivered on my end,” my father says, “you deliver on yours. Don’t hurt her.”
“I don’t intend on hurting her, at least, not if she behaves. Now tell me, sweet Willow, where are Jagger’s little gang friends?”
They’re still not with him?
That gives me a hope I didn’t know I needed.
“I don’t know.”
He laughs lightly and cracks his knuckles. “Don’t lie to me. You won’t like how it ends.”
“I don’t know,” I grind out. “When I got back this morning, they were all gone.”
His eyes meet my father’s, and they share a short nod.
“Very well. Kane, make sure she’s tied up good. We’ll finish this my way. Did you get what I needed?”
My father hands him the papers and Manchez smiles. “Well done, my boy.”
What the fuck is this?
“You’re fucked,” I growl, kicking out and just missing my father.
Manchez grins and has the nerve to look proud of that fact. “Well, I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“You won’t get away with this,” I grind out. “Jagger is smarter than you.”
He laughs now. “He’s going to die, Willow. I promise you that. In fact, he’ll be arriving right where I need him shortly.”
I close my eyes and swallow. I have to get out of here. I have to do something.
“Deal with her, Kane, and then meet me in the den. We leave in half an hour. We need to make sure we’re prepared.”
When Manchez leaves, I stare at my father. Is he my only hope? My only chance at stopping this. I have to try.
“Daddy, please, don’t hurt him. I love him.”
For the first time, my father’s face softens a touch.
“I have to do this. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve been in love before, haven’t you?” I cry. “Please don’t take that from me.”
“It all ends eventually,” he mutters. “All of it.”
“I’m your daughter.”
His eyes are pained as he fiddles with the ropes on the chair, when he’s secured me, he removes the handcuffs and steps back. He avoids my gaze for a moment, before making his eyes emotionless and looking at me.
“I’m sorry I let you down. But this is how it has to be.”
“Dad!” I cry as he leaves the room.
I hang my head and scream, my back aches and my wrists burn as I tug at the ropes. I curse and tug until I hear the cars pulling out of the driveway. I know there will be someone guarding my door. I yank again, only this time I notice they rope is a little looser than normal. My father did them quite tight to begin with so why are they loose now? I keep pulling and yanking until my wrists are bleeding, but the binds are coming undone.