Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Gideon
Over the next week I could tell Penn wanted to inquire about what had happened.
While we were alone a lot in the ICU, it didn’t feel safe and there were ears everywhere.
He was being moved to a regular room later today, and I knew without the twenty-four seven watchdogs he’d be sure to ask me everything.
Owen, Olivia, and Matteo were hounding me about seeing Penn, but children weren’t allowed in the ICU, so I was hoping they’d distract him some once he was sent to a different room.
“Okay, Mr. Garrand, are you ready to be sent to your suite?” An orderly with a big smile greeted him outside the ICU room.
“Absolutely.”
The orderly looked at me. “Are you following me, or did you want the room number to meet us there?”
“He’ll come with us,” Penn answered and yeah, I knew my time was up. As soon as we were alone, he’d ask.
I motioned for them to go ahead. Penn thought being transported in the bed was ridiculous, but his leg was still in a cast. He huffed and puffed the entire way.
“Here we are.” The orderly pushed the bed inside the suite. I wasn’t sure if Penn had insurance but I was dealing with everything, so he’d have the best room available.
“Thanks.” Penn sulked. He really was a horrible patient.
“No sweat. Nurse will be in soon to hook things up. Have a great day.”
Once he left, Penn’s attention was on me. “I want to know.”
“And you will, but the nurse will be here in a second, maybe we wait until after.”
“You mean after the nurse leaves, or everyone else you’ve invited to come?”
Okay, nobody ever said Penn was stupid, that was for sure. “Penn, I can’t tell you with so many ears around. For now, just know it’s over, and you’re safe.”
“Are you?”
“Of course I’m safe.”
He glared at me. “I want to know every detail.”
Fortunately, the nurse chose that moment to enter the room. She got him situated and told us to order dinner, but I’d already made sure food would be delivered here. I wasn’t eating hospital food, and Penn sure as shit wasn’t.
Once she left, though, there was no escaping anything.
“Tell me.”
I moved to his door and shut it. “Fine, but there’s no need to go into massive detail.”
“I want to know everything, Gideon. Now, tell me.”
I pulled up a chair and told Penn everything that had happened from learning where the boat was to finding him hanging. I paused when I got to the warehouse part.
“It’s okay, Gid, I want to know.”
I glanced up into his green eyes full of love and understanding. There was no judgment to be found.
“Okay. There were three of them, one being Lorcan…”
Dave had managed to stay awake for the slicing, the breaking of the leg, the beating, and even the stab to the gut, never once passing out.
He begged a lot and said he’d tell me anything I wanted to know about the Anders business dealings.
But I didn’t need to know any of that. I’d figure it out or destroy it.
Lorcan’s gaze was on the floor, unable to watch any of this. But I wouldn’t let him miss the finale. I moved behind him and yanked his head up.
“I want you to watch,” I growled into his ear. “If you look away, I will keep bringing him back to life until you watch.”
He hesitantly did. Dave was doused in gasoline, and the lighter had been lit.
Dave was a blubbering mess. I nodded and the lighter dropped, and Dave’s body was engulfed in flames.
He released a blood-curdling scream as his skin melted off his bones.
The smell was horrific and unforgettable.
When he no longer made another sound, Danny put out the fire.
I walked over to Lorcan’s other man, who had pissed himself watching Dave. “Your turn. What’s your name?”
“Mr. Hendrix, I just started working for Anders a few days ago. I don’t know your kids or anything.”
I hummed. “I asked your name.”
“Benny.”
“Okay, Benny. So, you’re saying you didn’t know about Penn being held today, being beaten, all that?”
“I…”
“You either did or didn’t.” I leaned forward and slapped his cheek. “Don’t lie.”
“I did.”
“And you think I should just let you go because why?”
“I didn’t know!”
I laughed loudly. “Know that you chose the losing side?” I glanced at Danny and Toni, and both shrugged. “This guy’s a comedian.” I returned my attention to Benny. “No dice, Big Ben.” I motioned to Danny and then moved over to Lorcan. “Having fun?”
“You’re sick.”
I nodded. “Perhaps. But I’m only doing to them what you wanted to do to the ones I love. Seems fair to me.”
“You want me dead, just do it already.”
“If I hadn’t come and saved Penn, what would you have done to him?”
Danny’s knife sliced across Benny’s chest. and he released a hissing scream. “Wait, Mr. Hendrix.”
I held up my hand to Lorcan. who I was sure wasn’t going to honestly tell me his plans for Penn. “What is it, Benny?”
“He…he said he was going to send Penn to you in pieces.”
Hearing that, a sharp rage sliced through me. The fact that Lorcan was going to take his time with Penn. And Penn would watch it happen, without pain to help him pass out, he’d have to rely on blood loss. No, I wasn’t the sick one, he was.
Once again I grabbed Lorcan’s hair and pulled his head back, exposing his neck. “Maybe I cut some pieces of you off before lighting you on fire, huh?”
“Please, Mr. Hendrix, please.”
I ignored Benny. He’d given me insight, sure, but the fact of the matter was that he was disloyal. In the face of death, a coward had emerged. I would grant him one thing, though.
“Thank you, Benny, for that information. For that, we won’t make you suffer.” I released Lorcan.
“Thank you.” He sighed.
“You misunderstand.” I took the ten steps to where Benny was hanging, pulled out my gun, and pressed it to his forehead. “You still die.” His eyes widened and I pulled the trigger, flinching when blood and brain matter splashed over my face and shirt. I took the offered towel from Toni.
All that was left was Lorcan, and once he was gone this would all end. I turned and returned to the man and if looks could kill, I’d have dropped dead right there.
“Any last words?”
“You might kill me here tonight, but the Anders name won’t die. My death will bring forth a war like you’ve never seen.”
Smirking, I tucked my gun into the back of my pants. “Too bad you won’t be here to see it.”
I was staring out of the hospital window, afraid to look over at Penn and see his sweet gaze morphed into disgust.
“Gid.”
“Hmm.”
“Look at me.”
Slowly, I panned my head toward him. His emerald eyes shone with unshed tears. “Do you regret killing them?”
“I should, but no, I don’t.”
He opened his hand. I moved swiftly to him and slid mine into his. “You did what you had to do for your family.”
“And for you.”
He smiled. “No one since Tenny ever gave much of a shit about me.”
“Well, not anymore.”
He squeezed lightly. “Did you follow through with Lorcan’s death?”
I could still hear his final scream. “Yes.”
“So, it’s done, or was he telling the truth about a war?”
“It’s been fairly quiet. Bainer’s murder, the commissioner’s suicide with the lengthy letter saying how he couldn’t live with the weight of killing his colleague and friend.
” I winked at Penn “It’s kept the authorities busy and many of those possibly still loyal to Lorcan in a confused frenzy.
” I’d said suicide but Penn knew it wasn’t, not really.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I read it and laughed. “Story time is over for now. You’re about to have some visitors.”
He didn’t say anything, just beamed and brought my hand to his lips for a kiss. A minute later, my family invaded.