Page 100 of Fighting Shadows

“Aw, did you chop off his dick?” Dominic pouts, “I wanted to do that.”

Dad scrunches up his nose, “Ew, no. That’s all for you.”

Pops visits quickly and cauterizes the wound that Dad inflicted on Charlie, “I’ve stopped him from bleeding out, but he’s passed out right now. I may not have used any sedatives,” he winks at me. He makes his way into the kitchen, kissing Mrs. McKay on the cheek and washes his hands, “I’ll hang around for the next few days and keep him alive for you all. I have the adrenaline shots ready in my bag.”

“Thank you,” Dad says sincerely to his old friend, and Pops nods his head respectfully. “Anything for Autumn, you know that.”

Charlie’s panicked shouts can be heard from the open door to the basement, and I take a fortifying breath before getting up from the sofa. All the men in my life stand with me and follow me down.

“Little One!” Charlie shouts when I come into view, his face contorting with fury as the others follow down behind me. “I know they’ve brainwashed you. Let me go, and we can leave together. We can be happy, you and me, just like I always promised.”

I shake my head at his words because they don’t hold the same weight that they used to.

Younger Autumn wanted nothing more than a family, to have someone who wanted her around and who loved her. He convinced me he was that, but I know now that he was a predator—a groomer who haunted my every waking moment until now.

I roam my eyes over his blood-splattered body. His torso is bare to the room, and he has a gaping wound and a missing left hand. Turning my gaze back to my dad, he smiles and winks at me, “He lost a hand for daring to touch what was not his,” Dad says.

“Can someone gag him?” I ask. I don’t want to hear how delusional he is as I say my piece, and as much as I want to kill him for everything he’s done to me, I want my men to take their revenge on him.

They need this just as much as I do.

Dominic strides over, ripping Charlie's tattered shirt from his body and shoveling it into his mouth, ignoring his muffled screams of protest. I breathe easier as I step closer. Zander follows closely at my back, and Tobias grabs my hand for support.

I look at the man who was my first monster, the one who haunted my nightmares and made me realize the cruelty of this world far too early, and feel nothing as I stare down at him as he weeps, “I’m not yours. I haveneverbeen yours. I will walk out of this room today and forget about you ever existing in my life. I’m going to move on, be happy with the men who are going to make the rest of your sad life torture, however short it may be, and I’m never going to think about you again. You didn’t break me, Charlie; in fact, you did the opposite,” I say, stepping closer with each word until I’m looking down at him.

Charlie screams around the fabric of his T-shirt, but none of his words are illegible, and I smirk. Turning my head to Dominic, I see the others all staring at me with pride in their eyes, and Ismile at them before I hold my hand out to Dominic. “Do you have your knife?” I ask him.

“You don’t need to do this,” Zander starts to say, but I cut my glare at him. “I need to do this,” I say, hoping he hears the conviction in my voice.

Charlie looks at me with what looks like relief as Dominic runs to get his knife from dads safe, returning not a moment later and places it in my hand, “I’m so fucking turned on right now, Cupcake,” he growls in my ear, pressing his thick hard cock into my back as he pushes Zander out the way.

I don’t say anything, though, and I press my lips to his—thank you for being my angel of death.

“I’m not going to kill you, Charlie,” I say sweetly; the knife trembles in my hand as I press it into his chest, blood welling from where the point presses into his skin, “I’m going to let these men do whatever they want to you. Violate you in my name, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

I carve the first letter into his chest, the jagged words a slow process, but I want this to hurt.

RAPIST

The words drip blood from where I cut a bit too deep, but his defeated look is worth it as I give the knife back to Dominic and step back.

“You’re a predator, Charlie, and I hope they make you suffer,” I say before I turn around and walk out of the room.

Atlas

We all follow Autumn from the room, leaving Charlie to drip blood over the tiled floor of the basement. It’s easy enough to wash away, though, and the only person who would ever miss him is helping us destroy him.

He loves our girl, and I’m glad that she has someone else in her corner after everything she’s been through in this life.

My time with Charlie is tomorrow, but tonight, I need to hold Autumn in my arms to ensure the nightmares don’t pull her under.

I make my footsteps heavy on the stairs down to the basement on purpose so he knows I’m coming, and the wide, fearful eyes that greet me fill me with satisfaction.

“Hello, Charlie,” I greet, but he can’t reply; the gag still in his mouth prevents that.

He mumbles something, but I pay no mind and make my way over to the table, my favorite weapon already waiting for me.

“I heard you like games, Charlie.” I laugh, but it sounds hollow. “You really thought you were going to win against Kelvin? Tut tut tut. That was a fool's game, but I have one even better,” I goad, the revolver in my hand.

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