Page 60 of Pocketful of Us

Again.

Unfeeling and uncaring at all, he reveled in my anguish.

Again.

Without thinking twice about it, he took away the life of the man that raised me, and then forced the hand of the man that never had the chance to.

By the time my mind came to terms with what my eyes had witnessed, I was reeling.

Completely fucking reeling.

All I could see was a red mist around me.

It was everywhere.

Blood was on my hands and vengeance was on my mind.

Breathing labored, I carefully lifted my father's head from my lap and placed it on the floor. I didn’t dare look at the other one.The real one.If I did, I knew I would never find my way out of the darkness.

And I had to climb out of that dark hole of depression.

I had a girl and a baby on the way that needed me.

Needed my protection.

Lying down and dying wasn’t going to work for me.

It wasn't an option.

Romi's arms were draped around me, and she was holding me just as tightly as she did all those years ago.

Whenheset my mother on fire.

Whenheburned my mother alive.

"No, Mama, no!"

"Papa, come back…"

"…We gots to go, Giacobbe... We needs to run away from my daddy…"

"Sketch," Romi sobbed, crying on her knees beside me. "We have to go. We need to get away from my father…"

"I ain't running," I muttered under my breath. "I ain't fucking running anymore." Furious, I forced myself to get back up on my feet. To stand up and face my own personal demon. "Do you hear me?" I snarled, shoving Romi behind me and protecting her body with mine. "I ain't running from you, Cal.Ever. Again. So, if you want me, then do it. Just leave her out of it. Kill me if you have to. Just let her live."

"She's that important to you?"

"She's everything to me."

"Well then." Cal Dillon cocked the hammer on his gun. "Let's see if you really are brave enough to die for my daughter, boy."

"Don’t touch him!" Romi screamed, and I had to push her back down to stop her from throwing herself in front of me. "Please, Daddy, take me instead –"

"Shut the fuck up, Ro!" I warned, pushing her back down. "You want me, Cal. I'm right fuckin' here. I'm more than willing to give it all up for her. Do you get that? You don’t compare. You don’t come close to how important she is to me. She will always come first to me, so fuckin' shoot me, asshole. Do your worst. You can't scare me anymore."

He raised his weapon and aimed it at my head.

Beyond fucking reckless, I took a step toward him, toward my death, and pressed my forehead against the barrel. "Do it," I hissed, eyes locked on his. "I fuckin' dare you."

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