Page 120 of Downfall

“No. We have strict orders…”

“I don’t give a shit what your orders are.” I snap. “You will let my daughter go.”

She shakes her head. “Montague scum.” She spits.

I don’t think, I just react. It’s stupid. Reckless. Damned fucking idiotic to do it but she has my child and in that moment that’s where my head is at. Protecting her. Getting her back.

I reach for my gun, pull the trigger, blast a hole right through her damned blackened heart.

Lara screams. Covering her face. Cowering.

Sofia springs up beside me and scoops her up into her arms. “It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

Lara is sobbing. Crying. And as I put the gun away I know it’s my fault. Christ, I’m fucking this up already.

“I’m sorry.” I say quickly. “But I needed to protect you.”

She’s got tears down her cheeks, more than anything I want to brush them away but I don’t want to crowd her, to cross any further lines, than I already have.

Lara blinks at me wide eyed. “She wasn’t very nice to me.” She mutters.

“That lady?” I reply.

Lara looks at her, at the bloodied mess, and then back at me visibly paling. “She was mean, even when I wasn’t naughty.”

I let out a low breath. “No one is ever going to be mean to you again.” I say.

“Are you taking me away?” She sounds so hopeful.

“Yes.” I smile.

“To a castle? Like they do in fairy tales?”

I let out a laugh. Sofia laughs too.

Before I can think not to I’ve pulled her from my sister’s arms and I’m holding her to me.

My daughter. My child.

I kiss her forehead. Breath in her scent. “Just like a fairy tale.” I reply before carrying her out.

* * *

When we get backto the house I let Sofia take her to pick out a room. We have so many here that I wanted to give her a choice. While they’re gone I check on Rose. She’s asleep, still heavily sedated by the looks of it, and though my heart twists at what she went through, I still feel it, my anger, my fury that she never told me.

That she concealed this from me.

If she’d come to me, if she’d admitted it when I first returned, I would have helped her. I would have done everything in my power to get our daughter back. I just don’t understand why she didn’t.

I guess she’ll have to answer that when she wakes.

I turn shutting the door and lock it once more.

Silently I make my way through the house to look for my daughter. She’s picked a turret room. One with a ridiculous four poster bed. A throw back to when this house was built hundreds of years ago.

When she sees me leant against the doorframe she grins.

I smile back glancing around. “This is a good choice.” I say.

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