Page 56 of Grace's Revelation

The sound of his voice rang life in my ear. I lifted my knee and connected with Papa Scott, but not square. He slammed me back against the wall and stepped behind me.

The back of my head throbbed and I felt blood trickling down my leg.

“Back off, Mase, or I’ll snap her neck.” Papa Scott's grip tightened around my throat.

My vision clouded, but I could make out other shapes and voices in the room. The world moved in slow motion and it was hard to capture what was going on.

“It’s over. Dad.” Mase said. “You’ve got nowhere to go. Let her go.”

“You’re such a fucking disappointment, Mess.” The hand around my neck squeezed.

I shivered. My breath constricted.

My hands flew up to pull his fingers from around my throat.

They wouldn’t budge.

He tightened them.

It was like sucking air through a straw and it was messing with my focus. I was determined to get out of this with my life. I had too much to live for.

My body hurt, my chest seized when I tried to take a deep breath. I was sure I was bleeding to death.

Something had to happen now.

“You gave up your son, you tried to kill my future.” Mase pleaded. “How much more destruction are you going to cause and for what purpose? Power?”

I wish I had the strength to tell him not to bother. His father was crazy… and you can’t reason with crazy.

“That’s why you will never be a leader, Mase.” He tightened his grip around my waist.

My body was flush with his. I kicked my legs, but they were weighed down like lead had been strapped to them.

Lead ankles.

An idea entered my brain.

I lost all feeling in my body and it must have been more than Papa Scott could handle. My body slumped down.

Papa Scott slumped down with me.

I reached back, grabbed along his ankle, and found it.

The steel holstered in his boot.

It was a little six-shooter, perfect for a second weapon, lightweight, but deadly.

I grabbed it and pulled it out.

Papa Scott had no time to react.

I cocked it with my thumb, pressed at against the thick part of his thigh, and pulled the trigger.

The noise shocked all of us.

Papa Scott grunted and threw me in Mase’s direction.

He dropped his weapon and caught me as the world fell out from under me.