Chapter 27 #2
“Move aside.”
“No need for guns here. I’m letting you walk,” Kit croons. “You came for your wife. You got her.”
The icy tone in his voice chills me, destroying everything warm and fuzzy in my heart. After everything we’ve been through, how can he just let him take me?
Markus debates for a moment. “Fine,” he finally drops the gun to his side. “Now grab your fucking dog, Emma, and let’s go.”
I can’t believe he’s letting me go. How can he be so cruel?
I thought… I thought he loved me. But when I meet his eyes, they’re too cold.
The feeling of my breaking heart wracks through me.
Foxie isn’t even here. She’s at Kit’s, safe from all of this, but Markus didn’t even notice.
He never cared for her. My legs shake so violently I don’t know how to move or what to do.
I don’t want to leave without her, but I don’t want Foxie to have to live with Markus’s cruelty any longer.
Perhaps I should leave her with Kit—
“Tequila.” My gaze snaps to Kit’s at the mention of my nickname, at the sound of his familiar soft voice. His eyes are the brightest blue, piercing into me as another tear stains my cheek.
It hurts to look at him.
“Eyes on me,” he smiles.
His smile confuses me. Alerts me.
Why would he smile?
Kit’s eyes avert behind me as a loud whistle escapes from his lips. In the next second, Bandit has his jaws tight around Markus’s wrist.
Markus screams, trying to pry Bandit off. He loses his hold on me, dropping the gun in the process. When his knees hit the floor, Bandit grabs him by the throat, cutting off his screams, leaving him gasping for air. Holding him down in place with the strength of his jaws.
I flinch when Kit gently strokes my arm from behind me. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay.”
There’s a breath of a moment as I take it all in, realizing that Kit was never going to let me go. And then my arms are around him, curling into his warm body. Everything snaps in place as he pulls me tighter against him, confirming his words. I’m safe.
“I’m so sorry. You’re safe now. It’s okay,” he says into my hair, lightly stroking my lower back.
“I thought—I thought—” I can’t even say the words.
He brushes a lock of hair from my face. “I love you, Sadie. I’ll never let you go.”
His words wash over me, replacing the chill in my body with the warmth of his. He loves me.
“I just needed him to lower his gun.”
A painful process, but it made sense.
“Did he touch…” he struggles to form the words.
“No,” I murmur.
Relief flashes across his face, and he pulls me back in.
Markus begs to make it stop, trying to kick at Bandit, but then Bandit squeezes harder, and he cries. I’ve never heard him cry.
“Ryker,” Kit calls out.
Ryker, Blake, and Wes step through the door. How long have they been out there?
Kit takes off his navy Carhartt and helps me put it on, covering me in the sight of my silky blue bra before they can see. I’m too shocked to have even noticed that I was practically naked, but I’m thankful that Kit did.
“So, this is the piece of shit,” Ryker spits on Markus.
Wes curses, kicking him hard in the ribs.
Markus whines.
“I think he thinks this is pain,” Blake laughs. “Boy, you have no idea what pain is.”
A soft finger on my jawline brings my eyes back to Kit. “I need you to go outside.”
“What?” I say through my tears.
Kit nods to Ryker, and then he takes off. Blake picks up Markus’s gun and tucks it away, circling him like a vulture.
“We need to get that burn taken care of. Cole is outside waiting to take you to his place,” he finishes.
But I don’t want to leave him. “Kit, I—”
His hand brushes my jaw. “Do you trust me?”
“Of course,” I nod.
He smiles and lifts me into his arms, carrying me outside into the snow, where he gently places me in Cole’s truck. My body is still shaking as he pulls the seatbelt around me. “I’ll come get you in a few hours.” Snowflakes land on his flannel, quickly covering him.
“Hours?” I blurt out, eyes widening.
Kit nods, unfazed.
“What are you going to do to him?” Not that he doesn’t deserve it, but it still bothers me. And I need Kit right now. I don’t want to be alone.
“Well, I’m not going to commit murder. Though I’d like to,” Kit smirks, rubbing at the scruff on his chin. “But you will never see him again. I promise.”
With that look in his eyes, I believe him.
“I know a good lawyer,” Cole chimes in, offering me a warm smile. “You have nothing to worry about, Sadie.”
Ryker walks up holding Foxie, who’s ecstatic to see me. “Thought you might need this,” he smiles, placing her on my lap. She peppers kisses on my face as she settles. I’m so thankful she’s safe.
“Thank you so much, Ryker.” Tears fall onto Foxie’s soft orange fur.
“Tell Averie I say hi,” Ryker blushes, tipping his black cowboy hat before walking back to my cabin.
“Averie?” My eyes snap to Kit.
Kit glances at his wristwatch. “She should be at Cole’s at any minute.” He meets my eyes, softly smiling. “I thought you might need a friend. I hope that’s okay.” If my heart hadn’t already fallen for him, I would’ve fallen right here in this moment.
I eagerly nod, confirming my happiness.
“I’ll find you,” he taps Cole’s truck, stepping back. And for the first time, I don’t question those words.
I know he will.
Cole puts the car in gear and heads off. My eyes follow Kit until he disappears into my cabin. I can only imagine what he’s going to do to him. A part of me feels almost guilty to want him to hurt… but another part, the biggest one, hopes that he makes him suffer.
You will never see him again.
A blessing to know he can no longer hurt me.
The greatest freedom in knowing he’s finally gone. That I wouldn’t have to keep watching over my shoulder for a shadow because that shadow won’t be able to follow me anymore.
He’ll never make another scar.
When we pull up to Cole’s mansion, Averie hops out of her white Jeep Wrangler. The sight of me, with what I can only imagine to be a bruised neck and face with a bloody lip, puts her into a frenzy. “Sadie, who the fuck did this to you?” Murder shines in her green eyes. “I’m going to—"
My arms wrap around her, cutting off her words as I sob into her long blonde hair.
Averie squeezes me, and I’m reminded of how much she cares for me. “Is this some kind of new fashion trend? I’m here for it,” she jokes to lighten the mood.
I probably shouldn’t laugh, but I do, hiccupping as it rolls through my sobs. God, I’m a mess.
Averie glances at Kit’s Carhartt, which practically goes to my knees. “I have an extra sweater in my Jeep. Let’s get you inside before you freeze to death.”