Dick swallows convulsively. “But the girl I bought, she won’t get her money,” he sputters.
“I don’t want your fucking money,” Ava says from the corner. “It’s going to help those who need it.” Dick turns to her, shocked she’s still in the room. “And one of the assholes responsible for those people will get a bullet in his head.” She chuckles and shrugs her shoulders. “Seems like a win to me, don’t you think?”
Dick looks around the room like he’s just now realizing the situation he’s in, and his face goes white. “I’m not in the mood to torture you, though. I just want you dead.” Rex walks toward him, slowly raising his gun as he does.
Alice stands from the bed and edges toward the door. The door Rex was guarding, but Nix steps in front of it. “Going somewhere, mother?” She swallows, her eyes darting around the room like she’s also realizing the real possibility of not leaving this place alive.
Nix’s father takes a deep breath and shakes his head. “Nix.”
“Not one more word, father.” Nix stands in front of the door and I walk to stand by his side. I clutch his hand as we all face Rex and Dick.
“You will rot in hell for eternity for all the things you did to Anna and any other girl you touched against their will.” Rex looks over his shoulder, glaring at Alice. “You too, for allowing it to happen. Watching while things were done to her and to McKenzie.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, a flash of Alice’s laughter ringing in my ears as Bill is above me. “Breathe, love,” Phoenix whispers in my ear, grounding me. Reminding me where I am.
A shot rings out and my eyes open just in time to watch as Dick’s body slumps. His eyes still open as he stares unseeing, the gunshot wound to his head seeping blood and brain matter on the wall just behind him. Ava claps her hands in delight and actually giggles. Alice gasps and turns toward Phoenix, her hands raising.
“Nix, sweetheart—”
“Goodbye, mother.” He raises his arm and shoots her between the eyes. Nix’s father cries out and catches her slumping body before it falls to the ground. I turn in Nix’s arms and put my hands on his face, forcing him to look at me. When his ice-blueeyes capture mine, there’s torment, pain, heartbreak, and guilt swirling in them.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. He puts his gun back in the holster, wraps his arms around me, and lifts me in his arms. I want to wrap my legs around his waist, but my dress is too constrictive to do that, so I cling to him. “I’m so sorry for everything that was done to you. For not believing you. For blaming your father for all these years. For hurting you.”
I kiss his forehead, his cheek, his ear, his mouth. I shower him with all the love and affection he should have had growing up, but didn’t.
He clings to me, his head lying in the crook of my neck. “But I can’t say sorry for buying you at that auction. I wanted you. I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life. You’re mine. You’ll always be mine.”
I’m not sorry he bought me at that auction either. “Always.”
Chapter 38
McKenzie
We all climb into the limo, and Rex drives us back to Victor and Olivia’s house. While we were in the room taking care of Dick and Alice, Victor and Gil took care of letting those who came to watch the various couples do the ritual know that it would no longer be required, unless those who were bought agreed to it. A few did, but others wanted to go off by themselves or leave all together. They led them to a different area of thehouse, so they wouldn’t hear everything that was going on. Rex and Phoenix both used silencers, so that helped hide the noise.
Once we were done, the party was over, and everyone had left. Two separate cleaning crews came in. One got rid of the bodies and evidence of what occurred in that room, and the other cleaned up the mess left by guests. I glance at Julian, wondering if he’s upset at the night’s events. Apparently out of all of them he’s clean cut and straight laced. I’m sure he didn’t expect to help a mafia boss. Bailey, his wife, has her head laying on his shoulder and he’s combing his fingers through her hair.
He catches me staring at him, but I don’t hide my curious stare. “If what happened to you had happened to Bailey, I would have done the same thing,” he says.
Bailey opens her eyes and gives a tired smile. “He did kill someone for me,” she says. “Him and his brother saved me.” She sits up and looks around the group. “They all showed up to help. We’re a family and now you’re part of it. What you do to make money is your business as long as it doesn’t involve hurting people.”
“I appreciate all of you helping,” Nix says, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “I don’t trust a lot of people, but I do trust you all. Especially after tonight.” He sighs and stares down at the floor. He’s probably thinking about everything that transpired tonight. About his father.
Rex knocked him out, then Jason and Luca took him out and handed him over to his men. The men didn’t seem too upset at the fact that Alice was dead. We ride in silence the rest of the way to Victor’s house. Nix has my hand clasped in both of his while I rest my head against him and close my eyes, grateful everything is over. I don’t have to look over my shoulder any longer.
After dropping everyone off, Rex takes us to the hotel, so he can go pick up Anna. Nix and I take a shower and fall into bed, both of us mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted.
“Mom!” I drop to my knees next to her. Her lips are blue, vomit and blood on the floor. I shake her. “Mom! Mommy!” I wrap my arms around her and pull her up so she’s in my lap. “Please. Please wake up. Please.” Tears are streaming down my face, making everything around me blurry.
“McKenzie?” My dad walks into the kitchen. I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting here rocking back and forth. Tears and snot dripping down my face. “Oh my god! Isabel?!?”
He drops to his knees beside me, his hands raking along her body like he’s trying to find a wound. “James!” James walks in, but I don’t pay any attention. “Get the car. We have to take Isabel to the hospital.”
I finally look at my father. “She’s dead, dad.” My voice cracks. We finally look at each other and the heartbreak that’s evident on his face causes the sobs to start all over again.
James drops to his knees beside us. “What happened?” It takes me a minute to realize the question is directed at me.
“I don’t know. She texted me earlier and said she was feeling better today. We were supposed to bake together, but when I came in, she was passed out on the floor.” I motion to the vomit on the floor, the blood from where her head hit the floor, and the broken tea mug with spilled tea next to it.
