Page 21 of Almost Ravaged

I hold my breath, panic clawing at my chest. He’s with it enough to remember my best friend’s name.

“Atticus,” he repeats. “And his bitch sister. I’ll make ’em pay. Her, especially. They don’t want to give me what I’m owed? I’ll take the allowance directly from her.”

My muscles lock up and my vision goes spotty.

Sawyer squeaks behind me, her fingers digging into my sides in an iron grip.

My dad coughs, then heaves himself to sitting, only to fall back again.

Fury burns hot in my veins.

He can’t have her.

He can’t leave this fucking room after a threat like that.

“Atty.” My voice is eerily calm now that I know what I have to do. “Your dad’s gun safe. Is it still in the same place?”

Behind me, Atty shuffles across the room, likely headed for the bookshelf. I don’t dare take my eyes off my dad.

“It’s here,” he grits out. “It’s on the floor. He was already going for it. He—” His voice breaks on a sob. “He just wasn’t fast enough.”

Sharp nails dig into my sides. From behind me, Sawyer says, “Ty, no. You can’t. If you get caught—”

I clutch her hands, eclipsing them entirely, holding her to me for one breath.

Then I let go.

“I can, and I will.”

I won’t let him hurt them. Now that he’s threatened Sawyer, I won’t let him even get to his feet.

Atty groans. “No. We can’t do this.”

He’s right.Wecan’t. But I can.

My dad has to die.

For what he did to me for all those years. For what he did to the only adults who ever showed me unconditional love. For what he’s threatening to do to Sawyer.

He’ll die for all of it.

He dies today.

“We need to get into the safe,” I say calmly. “Atty, can you get it open?”

Chapter ten

Sawyer

“I’m going to be sick,” Atty groans.

Considering the retching sounds he makes, I worry he’s right.

He’s trying to use Dad’s thumbprint to open the gun safe, but every time he touches his lifeless hand, he gags and drops it.

“You can’t puke,” I hiss. “If…” My heart hammers in my ears, making my vision go blurry, but I breathe through it. “If Ty does this, we can’t leave any evidence that we were here.”

Tytus’s fingers clamp down against mine, pinning me to him. After a handful of seconds, he peels my hands away from his sides and lifts one to his mouth, kissing the tips silently.