Ghostface Killer(88)

"You brought it on yourself," I seethe. "I'm tired of hiding." I press the point of the knife into Desmond's neck and pierce his skin. He shakes, inhaling terrified breaths as I move the tip through his epidermis in the shape of a G. "You are going to tell Regina this ends now. I've had enough." I continue to carve slow curves across his neck. H-O. I deliberately slice his Adams apple as I draw the S. He whimpers like a little bitch. "You tell her I'm coming for her. And I'm not afraid to pull the trigger." She'll know exactly what I mean. I finish the T, admiring my handiwork once it's complete, blood oozing from the letters hacked into his throat. Ghost.

"Jesus," Gianni grunts. "I'm sort of pissed Benny found you first."

I eye him deviously. "I'm yours now."

His lips curl up in a cold, conspiratorial smile.

"Make him a pretty shade of black and blue, and then return to sender," I direct Bull and Gun. They both smirk darkly. Desmond is in for the ass kicking of his life.

I rest the bloody knife on the table as Bull and Gun drag Desmond away. There's a heaviness in my chest. Sorrow for Baz and Frederick and even Gianni. Desmond betrayed them all, and he'll get what he deserves. If he lives beyond this evening, it will be a miracle. Regina will have him put down like a dog, no doubt. I wish I could see her face when Bull and Gun drop him on her front doorstep. Hopefully they'll toss him out of the car while it's still moving.




 

 

I bet she thought she was never going to see him again. Surprise!

"Stevie?" Gianni demands my attention. "When you said I, you really meant we. Correct?"

"Sure." I cop to nothing.

Gianni raises a suspicious eyebrow at me.

I stare back at him expressionlessly. I'll give nothing away.

As I climb the stairs, the steel wall guarding my defenses falls down, allowing what just happened to finally register. To affect me. Letting the devastation of what almost became my life seep in.

He could have killed everyone I love. My husband. My baby girl. My precious, innocent, helpless baby girl. The rage is uncontrollable. The fear and the what-ifs take over my mind. I nearly crumble to my knees once I reach the door to our room and hear Baz singing softly to Audie through the small crack. He loves her so much. I love them so much. So much it's terrifying. The thought of losing either one of them is crippling.

I push open the door, and the sunlight shines directly in my face. Baz's silhouette illuminates like a spirit as he paces in front of the large palladium window.

"Is he dead?" he asks about Desmond straightaway. "Did you kill him?"

"No." I take Audie from his arms and hug her tightly. I can finally breathe. Nestling my face against hers, I explain. "I sent a message."

"What kind of message?"

"That I've had enough."

Baz regards me quietly. "And what does that mean exactly?"

I flick my eyes up. "It means I'm done hiding. Today was the last straw."

His eyebrows pull together darkly. His wavy, brown hair tucked behind his ears. "Gianni is going to work something out," I lie to him. I lie straight to my husband's face. To put his mind at ease. He'll find out the truth eventually. But it will be too late. I'm not relying on anyone. I never have before, and I'm not going to start now.

Audie cries in my arms-a wa-wa-wa escaping into the air.

"She's hungry. I was going to make her a bottle."

"I'll feed her." I walk toward the bed. My tits are about to explode anyway. I hand Baz Audie as I pull off my tank top and sports bra. Leaning against the headboard, I place a pillow on my lap and prop Audie up when Baz passes her back to me. He lays beside me so he can watch our daughter eat.

Neither of us say a word. We just escape to the most important place in our world. The place where we can share our love for the little girl in my arms.



I try to keep Audie up for as long as possible so she'll sleep tonight. It's a challenging task. She's fussy because she's tired, but we have to break her out of her backwards sleep pattern. Gianni was right-I do have my hands full with this one. 

Baz is mentally vacant most of the day, which isn't surprising. His best friend just tried to kill him and his entire family. But I don't want him falling so deep into despair he can't find his way back. Audie helps me keep him grounded. Anything she needs, Baz is right there to give it to her. She's my secret weapon. Shh, don't tell.

Audie is out cold by the time the sun sets. I kept her up a good majority of the day so hopefully she'll sleep somewhat through the night. Fingers-crossed. The sleep deprivation is starting to eat away at my sanity.

I place her in the bassinet all swaddled and warm. She's an angel. A bonafide angel sent straight down from Heaven. Wrapped in pink with a halo of golden blonde hair. I wonder if that's how I looked as an infant. I have no pictures. No memories. No nothing.