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“Oh, Little Rabbit, but that’s not all. I’ve been a busy vulture this year and all my research brought me to this guy. I want you to look into his eyes and tell me you don’t recognize him.” I roll my eyes at Hadley…afuckingain.
“I just told you that I know who he is, I’m just saying, the punishment is not proportionate to the crime.” Jesus Christ, I need to find him a better therapist.
Hadley walks up to me and, just like last year, cups my jaw with both hands. “Think harder. Look harder.”
With a heavy, tired sigh, I nod. “Okay.” Then he kisses the breath out of me, leaving me dizzy with a silly grin on my face.
I look hard, stare, but nothing comes to me. Hadley groans then goes back to the man and unties the ball gag.
“Speak.”
“Bowie, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—” Hadley backhands him with a growl.
“You don’t fucking speak her name.”
I’m frozen in my spot, my body pulled to over a year ago when I was left bloody in the cold snow.
Motherfucker.
“There we go,” Hadley coos, pride coating each word.
“That was you? You attacked me, but…why?” This makes no sense. I thought Mickey got one of his stupid friends to…
“Get this…Mickey never lost contact with this scum. Paid him a hefty sum to put you in the hospital. Then this guy used his money to build a meth lab. Fucking pathetic.” My guilt from minutes ago vanishes and Hadley sees the change in me. “There’s my Little Rabbit.”
“I’m tired, let’s get this over with.” With my chin up and Orion and Hayes at my side, I watch as Hadley takes out ‘Arry the switchblade and slices Seth’s throat from one ear to the other, opening his carotid arteries nice and wide.
The puppy runs up to me, pawing for me to pick him up, but Orion is quick to do it for me. We haven’t named him yet and when Orion places him in my arms, the word Solace pops into my head and sticks.
As we walk back to the house, a heavy weight is lifted off as the circle of my past life feels complete and discarded.
Now, begins the new.
The better.
The forever.