Page 92 of Broken Discipline
“Your cousin is dead,” I shouted, tears forming in my eyes. “You can have the fortune. You can have Bruce’s company. What more do you want?”
“Carter’s fuckinglife,” he scowled. “And yours.”
In the background, behind Upchurch, Finn stood up slowly, clumsily grabbing one of the bludgeons from the table with his bound hands. Blood and bruises darkened his skin, and his cheek was swollen like a balloon. But I kept him in my peripheral vision; I didn’t let my eyes waver from Upchurch.
“You’ll never be satisfied,” I said triumphantly. “Give it up, Upchurch. It’s over. Move on. Stop being so obsessed with Finn.”
Finn inched forward on his bound ankles, keeping balanced and silent.
“Why would I move on when I can have fun with him and you?” Upchurch laughed. “Next, it’ll be your little brats.”
“You won’t get to them,” I said calmly.
Upchurch cackled with amusement. “Who is going to stop me now? You? You already failed, you stupid cunt.”
I shook my head, thinking back to every time Finn had saved me. But his words burned inside of me:I promised you that I would always take care of you. I’m not going anywhere.
And now, I had to take care of Finn.
I glared at Upchurch. “We’re not finished,” I said.
Finn’s bludgeon crashed into Upchurch’s head, clanging like a bell. Upchurch stumbled between us, and Finn lifted his bound wrists around Upchurch’s neck, using it as a brace. He pulled it so hard that Upchurch’s face turned a deep shade of purple.
I looked for the gun, but I couldn’t find it. Where was it? Where was Upchurch’s weapon?
The door handle jiggled. Someone was coming. I grabbed the knife from my holster. It was my last shot.
“Now, Kylie!” Finn shouted. “Do it now!”
I stabbed Upchurch in the chest, the blade barely penetrating his skin. But I rammed the knife harder and harder until finally, it pierced his bone. I howled, using every ounce of power that I had, showing how capable I was. I was a poor girl from Oakmont. A surviving wife of a late sadistic husband. A mother of two brilliant kids. And I was Finn’s rage-filled wife.
And I wasn’t going to run away.
Upchurch’s face shifted from purple to black, but I kept stabbing him, blow after blow after blow.
Finn let the corpse drop to the floor. I removed the knife from Upchurch’s chest and grabbed Finn’s wrists, cutting the ropes until he was free. Right as I was freeing his ankles, the door swung open. Zira peeked her head inside.
“I see you finally finished him,” she said dryly.
I opened my mouth: “I—”
“I pulled your car around to the back,” she interrupted. “Now get out.”
“But the body—”
“Go,” she urged. “I’ll explain what happened to my father; he can be reasonable. But if the other members find out, fear will fuck with them and it won’t end well for either of you.”
Right then, Zira’s warning shifted me into focus and I saw both guns—Upchurch’s and my own—and grabbed them. I handed one to Finn. He was naked and I was covered in blood, but Zira waved us toward a back door. We opened the door, escaping into the night, and the stars glittered, watching over us. Finn slid into the driver’s seat, and I slammed the passenger door behind me. Tank hummed to life.
And we drove.
CHAPTER 23
Finn
As we merged on the highway, Tank pushed herself to fifty-two miles per hour. Ramona pressed her back firmly against the seat and I hoped that Zira would truly take care of everything. I didn’t want to underestimate the Marked Blooms Syndicate’s abilities again. All I wanted was to keep my family safe.
Each breath pushed itself out of Ramona’s chest like a balloon slowly losing air. I clutched Ramona’s hand, trying to reassure her. She shook her head.
