Page 27 of Vengeful Lies

There was one way he could think of that. At least for now, everybody got what they wanted, but it might be a hard sell to convince his brothers that this was their best move.

“I have a plan, but I don’t think any of you are going to like it,” he announced.

September 4th

4:59 P.M.

It hurt to breathe, it hurt to lie down, it hurt to sit up, it hurt to move, it hurt to be still, it just plain hurt.

Gabriella had been one throbbing mess of pain ever since those men beat her, then let her drop to the ground like a discarded piece of trash. She remembered them taking a picture of her before they left the room, and she hadn't heard from them since.

The worst part about the whole thing was seeing Essie’s terrified little face, hearing her petrified screams, and knowing there was no longer much she could do to protect the child from their captors.

While she might not have stood much of a chance fighting those men off before, now whatever chance she might have hadwas gone. Wiped away. She could barely push herself up to her feet and had, in fact, only managed it the one time Essie said she needed to go to the bathroom.

If those men came after Essie next, she’d be powerless to protect the little girl.

Which would make her a failure.

It was literally her job, one that she was paid well for even though she didn't need the money since she was already worth millions in her own right, to protect and care for Essie.

Knowing she couldn’t do that killed her.

And that served to remind her that eventually these men would in fact end up killing her.

Could her body survive another beating like that?

Another two? Three? Four?

Sooner or later, it would be too much, the damage done to her internal organs would be too great, and she’d simply die. There in the small room with only a bunch of evil men and a little girl she loved to witness it.

“Gabby?” Essie’s little voice called out, and she forced open her heavy eyes to see the little girl on her knees beside her.

“Yeah, cuddle bug?” After she’d been beaten and the two of them had been left alone again, she hadn't had the energy to entertain the child like she had been. All her efforts went into not sobbing in pain and further traumatizing the little girl.

Not that it seemed to matter.

Essie seemed to have lost all enthusiasm for anything, and simply stayed curled up against Gabriella’s side, staring into space, or softly humming to herself.

The beating seemed to have broken both of them even if she’d been the only one they put their hands on.

“Are you cold?” Essie asked, her little face worried.

“I'm okay, baby,” she assured the child. She was cold, and now that the little girl had drawn her attention to it, she couldsee that her body was shaking, although she wasn't sure if it was because she was cold or in shock. Or if she was cold because she was in shock.

Either way it didn't matter.

She’d already put her sundress back on over her swimsuit earlier and her jacket was staying on Essie. It wasn’t much, but a little layer of protection for the child, covering her almost completely from wrist, to neck, to ankle, and shielding her from the men’s vile stares.

They weren't going to feel bad when the time came to hurt an innocent child.

And that infuriated her.

If they were going to use a four-year-old as a bargaining chip, as leverage to control her father, then the very least they could do was feel conflicted about it. How could they beat on something so small, or do sexual things to a tiny child, and not feel bad about it? Didn't they have consciences?

“But you're all shaky,” Essie protested.

“Yeah, sweetie, I am, but I’ll be okay,” she lied through her teeth, anything to prevent this little girl more pain.

---