Page 66 of Ours

Spitting strained curses, Bloodbayne tried in vain to pry his hand from his throat. Somehow staying on his feet, his gnarled body twisted to and fro. Fighting with all the energy still left in his wilting muscles, he begged for his life.

“Kade!” he choked. “I’ll give ...you... anything...anything...you want!”

Reaching his destination, Kade grit his sharp teeth. Lifting his father a couple of inches from the ground, he viciously slammed his curved back against the cement wall. Leaning his livid face close, he met his terrified blue eyes.

“Yes you will...your death will give meeverythingI’ve ever wanted,” he said.

Holding him securely in place, Kade looked over his shoulder at Lexi. Motioning her closer with a quirk of his head, he took in the excitement brewing behind her wide eyes. She was always so radiant right before a kill.

“He’s all yours, my love,” he purred.

Keeping her focus on his reddened face, Lexi squeezed the metal hilt in her hand. Clearing the space, she stood in front of the bleeding, pleading man. Listening to his strangled words, she lifted her blade and began the process of cutting the buttons from his pressed, crimson stained shirt. As each button flew off, the old man winced.

Barely able to move his dangling arms, Bloodbayne tried to swat her hand away. His feeble attempt was countered by his son’s large hand pressing harder into his neck. Feeling the weight of intense pressure in the back of his eyes, he stopped wiggling and kicking. His number was up, fighting against the inevitable was useless.

“You’ve kept my daughter away from me foronehundredandsixteendays,” she growled, ripping the tucked in shirt from his slacks and yanking the fabric open. “I think it’s fitting that I give you one hundred and sixteen cuts, don’t you?”

“I...didn’t! That’ssss...that’s….nottt...true!” he protested.

“SHUT UP!”Kade yelled, trying to keep his own anger in check. He had no idea his daughter had been without her mother for that long.

Lifting her Stiletto, Lexi’s eyes trailed over the sharp blade. Preparing herself for the euphoric high coming her way, she once again met his scarred face. His skin was starting to take on a purplish hue from the pressure being applied to his throat. She knew she had to hurry, she wanted him to feel as much pain as possible before he slipped into hell.

“I counted! I counted every single day!”she screamed, remembering the heartache from not having her daughter. “And now you will count. Iknowyou will count in thatpatheticlittle mind of yours!”

“No!Please!”Bloodbayne squeaked.

Tired of hearing his strained voice, she made her first cut. Stabbing her blade into his lower abdomen, she twisted it from vertical to horizontal and back again.

“That’sone!That’s for making me have that amnio!I could have lost my son because of you!”she hissed.

Opening his mouth to scream, Bloodbayne’s vocal cords refused to respond. Slowly blinking at the livid woman, he watched in helpless terror as she claimed her pound of flesh. Absorbing the searing pain of every quick stab and slash, he writhed in pitiful agony.

Stopping her verbal count at ten, Lexi continued to mentally tally her wicked cuts. Consumed by her revenge, she stabbed the old fucker again and again, taking pleasure from the sounds of her blade slicing through skin, muscle, and bone. Carving herrevenge, she let out a dark laugh as she felt his blood splatter across her face.

It’s a badge of honor, Lexi,Nikki said.You’re doing fabulous, Sweetie! Keep going!

Spurred on by Nikki’s encouragement, she ramped up her attack. With her forearm beginning to burn, she slashed over and over until there wasn’t an inch of unmarred flesh on his torso. As her counts neared their goal, a sense of peace melded with her bliss. She found comfort in knowing that the disgusting man would never hurt her, or her family, ever again.

Keeping his dark eyes on her, Kade stayed silent as he soaked in her impassioned movements. She was wild and feral, unlike anything he had ever seen. He was so incredibly proud of her. It made his desire for her spike to new heights.

Reaching one hundred fifteen, Lexi sliced her blade one last time across his mangled chest. Finally losing her grip on the slippery hilt, she let her weapon drop to the floor. Taking in gulps of air, her chest heaved from the physical exertion. This was the one part of pregnancy she hated, her stamina never stayed for long.

Furrowing his brow, Kade cleared his throat to gain her attention. “Lexi? Why did you stop?” he asked, feeling Bloodbayne’s pulse weaken against his touch.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she turned her attention to him. She was exhausted and had accidentally cut her own hand a few times in her frenzy, but that’s not why she stopped. He was the one that deserved this kill, not her.

“He’s yours, Kade.Youend this,” she replied.

Shocked by the tender gesture, he blinked at her. That wasn’t their deal. That was never part of their deal. “What? Why?” he asked, confusion dancing over his strong features.

Ignoring the dying man as he gurgled in his own spit and blood, she gave him a knowing look. It was sweet of him to want to give her this moment, but he was the one that deserved it. She hoped it would offer him closure, so that he could become the man he was destined to be.

“He’s been abusing you since you were born, Kade. He nearly succeeded in taking everything from you, including your life. What he did to me isnothingin comparison.Youfinish this.Youkill him.”

Taking in her truthful words, Kade swallowed hard. A flood of memories tore through his mind, painful images that he had long suppressed. Their emergence stirred up years’ worth of maltreatment caused by the husk of the man wheezing before him. Nodding his head, he accepted her precious gift. Just when he didn’t think he could love her any more, she always found a way to surprise him.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice almost a whisper.

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