Page 105 of Restitution

The images in his file keep flashing behind my eyes. He’s been so abused, so brutalised by these people, I kind of want him to let loose his demons and destroy everyone.

But I also don’t want him to get hurt. Really hurt. Whatever comes from these files, Kade will be a wanted man for hundreds of murders.

It was forced though. He was drugged and attacked and made to do all those bad things. Will the law think the same? Will the world of social media know he’s innocent now everything is leaked?

I cross my arms to keep them from trembling, my heart thudding in my chest as I listen to Aria explain to Luciella that Tobias was found dead. Her daughter is in disbelief, but Aria plays the clip of the reporter for her.

Luciella frowns at the screen then wipes her eyes and shakes her head. “I refuse to believe he’s dead until we see his body.”

Aria lowers her head. “I think we should prepare for the worst, sweetheart.”

“Dad isn’t dead,” she says firmly.

I move over to the window and see Kade, holding his gun in one hand, dragging Archie by the ankle across the grass and dropping him there. He scratches the side of his head with the barrel of the weapon then kicks Archie in the face, knocking the man on his back. Then he points to where there’s a tree swing next to the water on the manor’s grounds. It’s at the start of the forest that stretches for miles. He tells the guard beside him something, and the person runs back inside.

Kade walks around Archie, circling him like a lion stalking its prey, and if he didn’t have on the material covering his mouth, Iknow I’d see his lips moving. He’s probably teasing the disgusting man about how pathetic he looks.

He kicks him between the legs, and Archie throws his head back on a yell and tries to kick him away.

Kade shoots him in his good foot. There’s no way he’ll be able to run.

The person comes running back out with a torch and a tripod, and Kade grabs Archie’s foot again and drags him towards the woods. He drops him at the tree swing then lets his bag down beside Archie, opening it while the guy with the torch sets up the tripod.

Then he fixes what I assume is a phone to it, positions the torch so it’s on Archie and Kade, then gives the thumbs up as he runs back into the manor, leaving his boss to stalk around his new target.

The screen comes to life on the main computer, and I gasp when every single one of the screens lining one wall turns on, showing Kade and Archie.

He’s live-streaming this to the world.

32

STACEY

Kade isn’t recognisable. He’s concealed his identity, which is a relief.

Luciella pulls her phone out and shows us the same live feed playing on her screen. “What is he doing?”

Even his guards are frowning at the screens.

He looks evil, his eyes filled with death. A killer. Dark and dangerous as he swings a hammer at Archie’s face and knocks him to the side. He chuckles deeply, and it’s a haunting echo in the room as Aria and Luciella stand beside me.

On the screens, Kade tosses aside the hammer and pulls the blade from the holster on his thigh, grabbing Archie by the hair and bringing his bleeding face to the recording. Histerror takes over the screens.

“Tell them who you are,” Kade demands, not even trying to hide his voice. “Tell them who your wife is.”

“Fuck you,” he seethes, and Kade drags the blade down the side of his face, making him scream in pain and try to get out of his hold. He fails miserably.

“Everyone will see,” Kade continues, yanking his head back and pressing the blade to his throat. “They’ll know you fucked your own daughter, abused children and even your own wife. Did she know you were drugging her as well as your little test subjects?”

“Fuck you,” Archie says again with less fight.

“By the end of this, you’ll be a wanted man. Tell the world who the fuck you are.” The blade is pressed to his throat hard enough to make beads of blood well up, and Archie whimpers as he pisses himself.

“Ar-Archie Sawyer,” he stutters. “My name is… is… is Archie Sawyer.”

“And your wife?”

“Bernadette Sawyer. Head of Police Scotland and… and…” He chokes and attempts to get free from Kade’s hold. “It was all her idea. I fucking swear it.”