Page 126 of It Must Be Fate

“Let Ivy go,” Rhodes demands.

“No.”

Blink.

Rhodes shakes under the weight of his anger. “What do you want?”

“Revenge.”

“Why?”

“Your dear old mum here ruined my life.”

The fuckingliar.

“I was going to kill her, but now I see there’s something that’ll destroy her and your family even more. And it’s this little girl right here.” He shakes a boneless Ivy who gives a pained whimper. “You both seem to care very much about her. She’s coming with me.”

“You can’t take her!” Rhodes springs into action. He leaps forward but falls back when Peter kicks him in the chest.

“No…” I whisper, the one syllable barely intelligible.

I should have let this playdate happen at Thayer’s house. I should never have opened the door. I should have checked the cameras. I should have immediately punched Peter in the face once I saw who it was.

I should have...

I failed. I failed. I failed.

Blink.

“Please…” I beg as Rhodes scrambles back up to his feet.

“Shut up,” Peter hisses at me. “Shut the fuck up before I change my mind and put a bullet in your skull.”

“You can’t take her,” Rhodes repeats more vehemently.

“Rhodes, I’m scared,” Ivy whispers, tears streaming down her face.

Blink.

My eyelids feel like they weigh a hundred tons, my blinking getting progressively more frequent as darkness calls to me.

“I am taking her,” Peter announces, voice devoid of all emotion.

Rhodes climbs the final step until he’s standing in front of Peter. He doesn’t flinch as the gun comes to him.

“If you’re taking her, take me too.”

Blink…Blink… Blink…

“Rhodes…No,” I manage to utter.

He ignores me.

Blink.

His chin goes up. “I’m not letting you take her without taking me too.”

Peter’s cruel smile stretches sinisterly until he laughs, the sound spine-chilling.

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