Page 20 of Fall of Hellfire (Hellfire Society #3)

sixteen

ALI

I hate the awkwardness in the diner right now.

No one has said a word since I showed Miranda that her son was on the way.

I have no doubt that the guys don't like this sit-around-and-wait deal either.

Cash disappeared into the back with the others as soon as I got Miranda to take her seat.

Now the bitch is cowering, her hand to her chest while glaring venom at me.

Which doesn't bother me; she is kind of like an annoying little gnat just buzzing around your head.

You want to smack it down, but it's also too insignificant to be much of a bother to you.

Once again I glance down to check the clock on my phone and see we are hitting the twenty-minute mark.

I let out a sigh of annoyance before Miranda's head snaps to the window.

Her eyes go wide with concern or maybe fear before trying to cover it up with a smug look.

"Showtime." I smile, sitting up straighter, knowing our real target has now arrived.

"He is going to kill you when he sees what you've done to me.

" She holds out her hand as if I didn't know I stabbed her with my blade just a bit ago.

I roll my eyes, giving her a wink as the bell above the door rings as it's opened. Multiple footsteps head in our booth’s direction as Miranda makes a move to throw herself out of the booth and rush to Ethan.

I stay seated for a moment longer as Miranda regales Ethan with how I tricked her here to threaten her, told hideous lies about him, and stabbed her with a knife.

Taking a long, deep breath to calm the rage coursing through me, I place my hands on the table before slowly standing and turning to face “my family”.

"Hello, Ethan." I purr as Miranda turns to glare daggers at me. The pure look of disgust shines in her shit-brown eyes as if this is all my fault still.

"Ethan, you need to do something with this piece of trash.

You promised you would handle her for what she did to your father," Miranda whines, stomping her heeled foot like a naughty child who isn't getting their way.

I smirk at that, which apparently was the right move to make because in the next instant Miranda is stepping forward, hand raised to attempt to slap me again.

You think she would have learned the first time I let her get away with it, but like I told her before, I'm not the same little girl I was before.

Before she can even get close, my own hand is swiping across her cheek.

I decided to use an open hand at the last second instead of a closed fist because I knew she couldn't take it.

The sound of my hand crossing her cheek echoes in the silence of the room.

The three men standing behind Ethan go to step forward but stop as he raises his hand.

I send Miranda a smile for good measure before focusing on the asshole.

I thought I would feel anxiety or maybe some small form of fear after our last encounter, but I don't feel any of that.

I feel disgust, rage, and hatred even. Miranda stomps her foot like a child again as she holds her uninjured hand to her now red cheek.

"Ethan Black, do something about this bitch.

She's gone too far!" Ethan lets out a deep sigh, dropping his head to his chest like he is over his mother’s dramatics.

Me too, brother dearest. I know the exact moment his eyes spot his handiwork from our last meeting.

His head snapped up, his eyes filled with a lustful haze.

"Allison..." he starts, but Miranda interrupts again.

"If you won't do anything, then I demand you three to kill the fucking bitch." She looks at the men behind Ethan, but none of them move, each looking at each other before looking back at me and Ethan.

"Well, Ethan. Aren't you going to avenge our father?

Kill me for disrespecting your mother?" I taunt as I tilt my head in a ‘well, what are you gonna do’ manner.

I can practically hear his teeth grind as he clenches his fists at his side.

The lustful look that was there moments ago gets wiped from his face at my next words.

"Or do you want to do something else to me?

" The words taste like acid coming from my mouth, but I need to push him.

I know the guys won't actually let him touch me, so I just have to say my piece.

"Now Allison, my deal still stands. Give up the guys, and you could live a very good life." Miranda lets out a horrified gasp as I try not to throw up my breakfast.

Turning to Miranda I paste on a satisfied smirk. "Didn't I tell you already? Your son is a twisted and sick fuck with even sicker fantasies of wanting to fuck his sister," I spit at last.

My words trigger the reaction I was waiting for as the room suddenly turns into chaos.

Ethan lets out a snarl as he lunges forward, but out of nowhere Riot is jumping over the counter and tackling him to the floor.

Miranda lets out a scream as Arsen and Cash come up behind Ethan's bodyguard friends, making quick work of slitting throats.

Blood squirts across the room as their bodies thump to the ground unmoving.

Turning to my husband, he is sitting atop of Ethan, raining down body blows.

Not wanting Ri to kill the asshole yet, I tug on his shoulder until he finally stops and focuses on me.

I pull him to stand before giving him a quick kiss and whispering a "Thank you, baby.

" Ethan lets out a groan as he tries to roll to his side.

I tilt my head to the side and study him like one might study a bug before you squish it.

"Well, this has been fun and all, but we have other matters to attend to," Cash finally says, catching all of our attention.

"What are we doing with the shitbag?" Arsen asks, making me snort.

"We haven't discussed what we planned to do with him after?

" We might not have discussed it, but I had my own plans for Ethan.

I'm still staring down at the fucker when a few things happen.

Miranda lets out an ear-piercing scream of pure rage as Cash yells out a warning. "Bunny!"

Riot and I turn as one to see Miranda rushing towards me with her own steak knife in hand.

The look of hatred flashing in her eyes as she curses me.

"I'm going to kill you, you fucking bitch.

" I move strictly on reflex as I pull my blade from my back like before and meet Miranda halfway.

Her hands are unsteady as her adrenaline pushes her body, causing her knife to loosen in her grip.

The knife barely touches me, only scratching my arm with a thin slice.

My blade, on the other hand, is firm and steady as I go low, meeting her stomach.

I hear Ethan yell, out but the damage is done.

I hit my mark. Miranda's eyes widen as I pull back, my hand and blade coming away covered in her blood.

It's warm against my skin, causing a small smile to appear.

From the corner of my eye, I see Riot punch Ethan in the face, knocking him out with one clean hit.

Good. He got to see me kill his mother. Miranda begins to slump, so I shove her towards the booth.

Her body hitting the seat hard as she spits up blood.

I lean in, studying her now. "You know, this could have all turned out differently," I tell her, reaching up and pushing a piece of hair that had come loose behind her ear.

"All you had to do was be a mother to me.

Love me. But you couldn't do that, could you?

I looked too much like my father's mistake.

" I let out a sigh. I've accepted this, but it still stings to think about.

"You only have yourself to blame for all this death.

I am this way because of you and Richard.

Now you're going to die knowing that your son will be seeing you in hell very soon.

" I give her a soft smile before pulling back.

She begins to cough up blood, her skin turning pale and the hatred fading to the fear of death.

I don't know what I hit, but it must have been important as she bleeds out right in front of us.

Turning back to the men still standing, I give them a wicked smile. It's like I suddenly feel a hundred pounds lighter. "Well, I feel better." I turn to Arsen, who asked the question before Miranda so rudely interrupted. "Also, I know exactly where we can go to talk with our new friend."

All three guys are staring at me with a wide range of emotions, from concern to approval to lust, but it's Riot’s next words that finally give me a breath of fresh air. "Fuck, wife, that was hot as fuck."