Matt lifts his head and glares at the back of Ryat’s head.
“What is his penalty?” Ryat asks.
“Death!” Everyone answers at the same time, making me jump.
“Go ahead.” Matt growls, “I won’t say shit!”
A smile spread across Ryat’s face. “You don’t have to … but she will.”
The sound of a door opening and closing on the second floor fills the large space, and then I see my dad dragging Valerie onto the stage. I sit up straighter, my eyes shooting to Ryat. His eyes are already on mine. He tried to tell me I didn’t have to stay here tonight. Is this why? I thought he was trying to save me from what he was going to do to Matt, but maybe it was to protect me from the woman who I grew up thinking was my mother.
My father brings her to a stop and forces her to her knees. She whimpers behind her gag. Stepping up to her, he removes it, and she cries harder. He grips her hair and yanks her head back. “You get one chance to explain yourself,” he says calmly.
I’ve known my father was a Lord since Ryat brought me back, but I never expected to see him in action. Is this what he wanted to talk to me about in the office? Prepare me for what he had planned on doing? Maybe he didn’t want me to be here either.
She sobs, her body shaking. “He killed her.”
“Valerie!” Matt snaps. “Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch!”
Ryat walks over to him and yanks something out of his back pocket. It’s a black ball gag. He shoves the rubber ball into his mouth and then fastens it behind his head. “You’ll have your turn,” he assures him.
“it’s okay,” My father runs his hands over her hair and her body shakes with fear at the single touch. “Keep going.”
She sniffs. “I … I found where you had been talking to LeAnne. You guys wanted to tell Blakely about her …” Her tear-filled eyes meet mine. “I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t …”
Dropping my eyes to the floor, I dismiss her. I honestly thought she was my mother my entire life, and even though I loved her, I can’t get over that she was going to take my babies. That she thought I had failed her so badly, that she wanted a do-over.
“Go on.” My father urges her. His hand still in her hair lovingly, but she’s shaking like a leaf in a tree.
“He was just supposed to scare her. But Matt took it too far.” She cries. “And killed her …”
“You’re correct.” My father takes a step back from her and she sags with relief. Thinking he’s going to reward her for telling the truth. “Matt did take it too far.” He agrees, nodding his head once. “But LeAnne is still very much alive.”
My eyes shoot to Ryat and he’s looking at my father, confusion written all over his face, informing me he was in the dark just as much as I am.
“No.” She shakes her head quickly. “He killed her …”
The sounds of the double doors opening behind me squeak. Everyone in the pews turn around to stare at whoever entered but I can’t. I’m frozen in place. Staring up into the loft at my husband. His already sharp jaw clenches, body going rigid, and eyes darken.
The sound of a pair of high heels on the concrete floor is all you hear as someone—no—some woman walks down it. I wrap my arms around my growing stomach protectively, not knowing what to expect while tears fill my eyes.
“Don’t stop on my account.” A woman’s voice announces to the congregation, making my chest painfully squeeze.
No. No. No. I don’t believe it.
“LeAnne.” My father says the name and smiles. “I thought you’d want to join in on the fun.”
Blinking, tears roll down my face.
Matt thrashes in his restraints while Valerie sobs on her knees.
I see a figure out of the corner of my eye start climbing the stairs to the left. I can’t help but look at it. Long dark hair that flows down her back in big waves. She’s dressed like she’s going to a funeral. Big black hat with a black lace veil covering half her face. A tight-fitting black dress with a long train. Coming to the loft, she turns to face the congregation and I hear the Lord members sitting in the pews gasp at her beauty. The woman screams power and radiates wealth. She’s stunning with sun-kissed skin and big blue eyes. Lips that look to be done—but not overly big—painted fire engine red.
I look just like her.
“I don’t understand.” Ryat is the first one to speak. “I saw you die.”
“No. you saw me laying on the floor. You never checked to see if I was dead.” LeAnne corrects him.
He scratches the back of his neck, taking a step back. The fact that he’s truly bothered by this, makes me even more nervous.
She goes to stand in front of Valerie, her hands on her slim hips. “You put a hit out on me.” The sounds of her slapping her follows. “Because you didn’t want Blakely knowing the truth.” She laughs, gripping her face and shoving her head back forcing Valerie to look up at her. “If it wasn’t for me, you would have never had the chance to be a mom. It’s not my fault you failed.” LeAnne shoves her away.
Valerie sobs, her head falling forward.
“And you,” She walks over to Matt who continues to thrash around. “You wanted to rape me. Men always think their dick gives them power.” She reaches out and grabs him between the legs, making him throw his head back and scream into his gag. “This makes you weak.” She snaps her fingers, and my father walks over to her, a knife in hand. He holds it out to her, and she let’s go of Matt just in time to stab him between his parted legs. The Lords all groan when she yanks it out and blood pours down Matt’s legs to the floor, screaming into his gag. “And let’s make it clear—you pushed me.”
My eyes fly to Ryat, and he’s seemed to have composed himself. His fisted hands and heavy breathing show his anger over the turn of events. “How …?”
“I knew you were coming.” She interrupts my husband and looks over at my father. “He gave me a heads-up.” She laughs softly. “I ordered the hit on Nathaniel. I requested you.” She presses a black pointed fingernail into my husband’s chest and my teeth grind at the contact. “Then Phil informed me that you had a partner. I knew his reasons for tagging along immediately. All because of your wife.”
Ryat stiffens but shoves her hand away from his body while I sit up straighter when her eyes land on mine. “Bring her up.”
Two men grip my upper arms and I’m yanked up from my seat. “Don’t touch me!” I shout, trying to get my arms loose but they effortlessly drag me up the stairs.
“What the fuck,” Ryat barks, rushing over to me once we hit the landing. He yanks me free of the two men.
“It’s quite alright.” LeAnne says, gesturing to me and Ryat shoves me behind him, shielding me and the babies. “I’m not here to harm her.”
“Then don’t have your fucking dogs touch her.” He snaps.
“Quite the opposite actually.” She holds up the knife that’s still covered in Matt’s blood, handing it out to me handle first. “I’m here to give her what she wants. Revenge.”
My heart is pounding, my adrenaline soaring. Swallowing I step out from behind Ryat and look at her. I reach out with a shaky hand and take it from her. “Is this … is this an initiation?” I ask and my voice shakes. Am I being tested? If so, why isn’t Ryat in on it? He looks confused and pissed.
“No.” She takes a step back. “This is for fun, darling. Mommy here sold you to the Winston’s to keep her secret of sending Matt to kill me.”
My eyes widen and look down at Valerie. She’s still sobbing, rocking back and forth on her knees. “That’s why you were so obsessed with me marrying Matt?” I demand. “You were willingly going to hand me over to him because Dad was still talking to my birth mother?”
She lifts her head, snot and tears running down her face. “I am your mother! You ungrateful little bitch!” Her eyes go to LeAnne who places her bloody hand on her hip, looking bored. “All you had to do was marry him!”
“He didn’t want me!” I scream.
Snorting, she licks her lips “You think I wanted your fucking father? You make sacrifices for the Lords.”
My hand shakes, holding the knife, and my grip tightens. “You were going to take my baby.” I don’t want anyone to know that I’m having two. That’s for me and only my husband to know.
“She what?” Ryat demands, stepping into me.
He thinks I told him everything that went on those days that I was in lockdown with Valerie and Matt, but I didn’t. I ignore him and step closer to her, “You said that you would cut my baby out of me yourself and leave what’s left of me for Matt.” Angry tears fill my eyes. “A mother would never say that to her child.”
Growling, she lifts her chin. “Good thing I’m not your mother.” Her eyes go to Ryat who stands to my left. “He doesn’t fucking love you! You’re a game, Blakely. To Matt. To him. I was going to do you a fucking favor.” Her green eyes move to my stomach. “I deserve that baby! I deserve my chance. And I’m going to get it …”
Cutting her off, I drop to my knees and shove the knife into her stomach, horizontally. Valerie’s mouth falls open, a single breath leaving her parted lips before I yank on the handle, pulling it across her abdomen, splitting her fucking open—gutting her—like she had planned on doing to me.
Kneeling in front of her, I feel the blood on my skin and soak up into my jeans. I watch, unable to look away—the life draining out of her green eyes—and I hope that Ryat was wrong about there not being a heaven and hell. Because I hope she’s burning. When my day comes and I have to face my God, I will gladly go to hell for the life I took, because it saved two others. My children deserve a chance at a life they want. Not one that this bitch was going to dictate.
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
RYAT
“WONDERFUL.” THE CRAZY bitch claps her hands, turning to face the congregation. “You are dismissed, Lords,” LeAnne announces. “This is a family matter. Shoo.” She waves her hands in the air.
Ignoring her, I kneel next to my wife. She’s still on her knees, shaking and her hand gripping the handle of the knife that is inside of a dead Valerie. “Blake?” I say softly, brushing the hair off her shoulder to her back so I can get a better look at her profile. “Blakely?”
“She’s fine, darling.” LeAnne laughs as if this is a joke.
I look up at her, narrowing my eyes on hers. “You can leave too.”
She opens her mouth but Phil steps in next to her. “Come on. Let’s give them some space.”
“But …”
“You’ve got plenty of time to talk to her.” He assures LeAnne and all I can think is over my dead body! That bitch isn’t going to come near my wife. I don’t trust her.
“Alright.” She nods and looks over at a bloody, but very much alive Matt hanging from his restraints. “But what about …?”