Page 51

I look at the cunt that raped my girl and smile as I drop the baseball bat from my hand.

The handle is dripping with blood from where I inserted it into his ass, and he’s got no more tears left to cry.

His soul belongs to me now, and I get to decide how long I torture it.

He’s willing for death to come so that his pain will be over, but I plan on keeping this fucker alive for as long as I possibly can.

“It fuckin’ stinks in here.” Sinner steps through the door, looking at the man on the floor, who's curled up like a fetus, and recoiling. “Is he even alive? The fucker smells like he’s already dead.”

I’ve kept him alive for three weeks, feeding him just the bare minimum and only bringing him out of his closet prison to torture him.

I killed his friend on the first day, spent hours letting him watch all the things I did to him, before his life ended so he’d know what he had coming to him. Then I locked his buddy’s rotting body in the closet with him, until it smelled so bad I had to get rid of it.

“You gonna put him outta his misery any time soon?” Sinner crouches down beside the trembling wreck of a man and prods him with his finger.

“Millie ain’t ever gonna be outta hers. What those fuckers did to her will be with her forever,” I remind him, lighting myself a cigarette and taking a chair.

I don’t need to worry about tying my victim up anymore.

I busted both his legs last week, and he’s not strong enough to make any kinda break from me.

“She’s doin’ good, Dev. Surely you can see that.” Sinner gets up and joins me, taking a joint from his cut and lighting it up.

“She’s doin’ amazin’. But Quinnell’s still out there, and I know she’s scared he’ll come for her again.”

“You think this guy knows where he is?” Sinner looks doubtful.

“I know he don’t know where he is; he’d have told before he lost all his teeth,” I assure him.

“Raze has the new kid doing his thing; we’re gonna find him. Even if it means heading over to Ireland ourselves. I hear Irish pussy is insane.” Sin scrubs his hands together, and I ignore him, focusing on the frail man on the floor.

“Look at him, Dev, he’s already a corpse. How long do you expect to keep him alive?”

“Until I stop feeling guilty for what he did to my girl, and I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen,” I admit, making sure the fucker hears me before I get up, grab him by the ankles, and drag him back over to his closet.

He doesn't scream or beg me not to, like he has all the times before. He’s already dead inside, but it won’t be the end of his suffering. I still have plenty of ways to make him regret what he did.

“You ready to head back to the club?” Sinner asks as I double bolt the closet door and start clearing my shit into the storage cupboard.

“Nah, I got a stop off to make first. You go on without me.” I finish clearing up my mess while he leaves, and once I’m done, I lock up the warehouse and head straight for Frank Dawson’s place.

Millie hasn’t asked me again what he did that made Quinnell take her; something tells me she’s too scared to.

I know how much she loves her father; despite everything, she’ll be worrying about how he feels about us being together, and she’s probably concerned about how I’d react towards him, too.

That’s why me and him need to have a talk.

I pull up at the gates and press the intercom. They open without me even having to explain why I’m here. Parking my bike up front, I knock on the door, and when Dawson opens it, he’s barely recognisable.

“Mr. Dawson.” I nod my head politely as he steps aside to let me in. His hair is wiry and ruffled; he’s wearing pyjama pants and a tee that's stained with what I’m assuming is food, and his jaw is covered in stubble.

“Come through.” He leads me through to the kitchen, past the spot where his staff were killed. The club took responsibility for clearing up the mess, and looking around here now, you’d never guess that less than a month ago this beautiful home was the setting for a murder scene.

“How ya been?” I ask, though it seems a stupid question given the state he’s in.

“Not good,” he admits, filling the stove kettle and putting it on the gas.

“I don’t know if you heard, but I withdrew from my campaign. Julie’s staying in New York with her sister; she wants a divorce.” He takes a seat at the kitchen table and rubs his temples.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I tell him, taking a chair myself.

“Don’t be. I never wanted to be the state senator; I’m not the man people think I am,” he admits.

“I came here to talk about Millie.” I move us on quickly.

I need to say what I came here to say and then go be with her.

I’m never comfortable these days unless she’s close, but I’m trying real hard not to overpower her.

She’s safe at the club; she’s always happy when she’s with the girls, and I have to keep reminding myself of that.

“How is she?” He almost looks too scared to ask, and as his eyes raise up to meet mine, I can see how ashamed of himself he is.

“She’s doing good. Great, considering.” My head nods positively. “She’s missing you, though,” I add. Millie may not have said the words herself, but I can tell she’s ready to see him again.

“I don’t deserve for her to miss me.” He shakes his head.

“Maybe not, but you’re her father, and regardless of what happened, she loves you.

She’s gonna want you in her life, and for that reason, me and you have to come to an understanding.

” I lay it out for him, and I’m surprised at how confused he looks.

“I’m in love with your daughter, and for some unknown reason, she’s in love with me, too.

I know I’m too old for her, and I know I ain’t the kinda guy any father in his right mind would want his daughter bringing home, but?—”

“You can stop right there,” he cuts me off.

“You are too old for her, and you're right, you are every father’s worst fucking nightmare.” He huffs a laugh.

“But when those men came here and took her, I was powerless. There was nothing I could do. I could never have saved her the way you did. If you are who Millie wants to be with, you won’t have me standing in your way. ”

“Mr. Dawson… I wouldn’t have anything stand in my way,” I assure him, getting up from the table and taking the kettle off the stove when it starts to whistle.

“What I want is for her to be happy. I want me and you to get along. If she asks me what your association with Quinnell was, I won’t lie to her.

She deserves to know the truth, and that truth is that you put her first. Hell, that truth is the reason you're still alive,” I snigger at him.

“I’d like the opportunity to tell her myself.” He smiles up at me.

“I think that would be best. I also think we should keep your visits to that Russian whore house between you and me. Millie still sees you the way every daughter deserves to see her daddy, and I don’t wanna ruin that for her.”

“You're a good man, Dev.” Dawson holds out his hand for me to shake, and I grip it firmly.

“I wouldn't go as far as that, but your daughter makes me wanna be a better one,” I assure him. “Now, you get yourself cleaned up, me and her are coming over for dinner tonight, and I like my steak cooked medium rare.” I stand up and start heading for the door.

“Dev,” he calls out to me before I can leave. “Thank you. I owe you everything.” He smiles at me gratefully.

“You don’t owe me a damn thing.” I nod my head before leaving him to fix himself up.

I stand on the clubhouse balcony and watch Millie playing in the sand with Rory. Looking at her now and the way she’s smiling, you’d never guess she’d been through all she has, and although I know some days are gonna be tougher than others, I’ll be with her for every single one of ’em.

“You know she’s gonna be wantin’ you to give her one of those soon.” Ruck comes up behind me and joins me in watching the girls.

“A kid? I’d give her one if that's what she wanted. I’d give that girl anything.” I watch her smother the baby in sunscreen, then bop his nose with her finger. She’s making being maternal look hot.

“Crazy how they change us, ain’t it? I never thought a female would get to you.” Ruckus laughs as he heads down the steps to join Freya, and when Millie looks up and spots me, the smile she makes warms my entire chest.

Kissing Rory’s cheeks, she places him on Alicia’s lap and starts rushing across the beach, up the stairs, and toward me.

“You were gone ages.” She slams her fist into my chest playfully.

“Miss me?” I grab her by the hips and drag her close.

“Of course, I did.” She licks her lips, and I brush off the grains of sand that are stuck to her cheek with my thumb.

“You looked like you were having fun down there.”

“I was, he’s becoming a real little character.” She glances back over my shoulder to where Alicia is bouncing her nephew on her knees.

“He’s gonna be just like his dad.” I smile. Thinking about how proud Saul would be to see how him and Lettie have fitted in around here.

“I’m gonna want that,” she suddenly blurts out, and immediately looks scared that she’s said the wrong thing. “I don’t mean right now, but one day.” She bites her lip and awkwardly looks up at me for a reaction.

“You just let me know when you're ready, darlin’.” I grab her and lift her ass up onto the wooden rail.

“You really mean that, don’t you?” She frowns at me and laughs at the same time.

“Uh-huh.” I nod back and grip her chin. “Now, what is my pretty girl gonna wear tonight?” I ask her.

“Tonight? Is there something happening?” I love how excited she looks at the idea.

“We’re going to your father's place for dinner.”

“What?” She laughs like she thinks I’m joking.

“You heard me. We’re going to dinner at your dad’s, and I want you to be wearing something very accessible.”

“You're not thinking…”

“I’m always thinking,” I warn her, gripping her jaw tighter as I drag her mouth onto mine.

“Dev.” She eventually draws back. “I don’t know if I’m ready to see him yet.” Her excitement gets masked by worry.

“You’re ready, baby. He wants to talk to you, and I know how much you’ve been missing him. I’ll be right there with you, you just gotta say the word if you wanna leave.”

“I love you, Mr. Kendrick,” she teases, sliding her hands around the back of my neck and almost giving me a heart attack when she leans back over the railings.

“Love ya, too, kiddo.” I grip hold of her a little tighter, cause there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna let my girl go.