Page 44 of Long Live the King

Focusing my attention back onto Laura, who hasn’t stopped crying even for a second, I bend over and put my face directly in front of hers, our noses rubbing together like Eskimo kisses.

“Looks like Victor just unintentionally saved your life for now,” I say in nearly a whisper. “I’m gonna go, but if I’m wrong about this, or if anything has happened to Alannah, I’ll be back for you.”

With that, I stand up and start to head for the door.

“Oh, thank God,” I hear Laura say behind an exhale, and I think I’ll just walk out and get in my car. I think I’ll drive away and go find Tommy. But the second I hear her and think about the possibility that Tommy may have already killed the love of my life, I stop in the threshold.

Tommy stole the truck.

Tommy shot Dan.

Tommy killed Raphy.

Tommy kidnapped Alannah.

I stop, turn around, and walk back over to Laura who holds her hand up when she sees me coming, but I’m done holding back. I’m done being shackled by rules, because when it comes to Alannah, all of the rules change.

“Thank God?” I ask, throwing her words back at her. “Nah, thank Tommy.”

I place the barrel of my gun on Laura’s hand, and with no hesitation whatsoever, I pull the trigger. The gun kicks back as the bullet travels through Laura’s hand and into the front of her forehead. She falls backwards, her lifeless head bouncing off the floor twice before coming to its final resting place.

I don’t even think twice about it. I simply holster my gun and walk out the door, closing it behind me and leaving Tommy’s fiancé lying dead in a pool of her own piss and blood.

Tommy took Alannah. I took Laura.

So-fucking-be it.

No more rules. No more approval. No more conference calls.

They wanted a war. I’m going to bring it to them.