“I’m tired of waiting, Bay.” He shoves his shoe into my ribs, and I’m thankful for that over my stomach.
Through the panging discomfort, I roll onto the side he hasn’t hit to protect my baby.
My baby.
Fuck, it took this to start thinking about wanting to keep it?
“I guess we both can’t fake it,” Matteo says matter-of-factly. “I don’t want you as much as you don’t want me. We both know what this is.”
Matteo kicks my spine, causing my body to bow back at the impact as I wring my hands together to try to obtain some relief.
I start to slam my feet into the hard tiled floors to see if Ozzy can hear me. Any noise or SOS to get him to come in here.
“You thought running me over with that prick’s car was going to save you, bitch?” He kicks at the back of my thigh and out of my peripheryal, I see him continuing his circle around my body.
I curl into a ball, protecting what’s inside me, even though I was just its predator two minutes ago. The protectiveness that just washed over me is the only thing I can think about. The something Reeve, Torin, and I created.
What Torin wanted me to keep.
What Reeve promised he’d never forgive me for if I destroyed it.
“You’re fuckin’ little temper tantrums are over.I’myour fucking king.” He punts at my knees covering my stomach, and I groan in pain all over again.
I can’t get enough air through my lungs.
Everything just hurts.
“I’m going to start a new kingdom.” He stomps my skull, crashing it into the hard tile, and my vision begins to blur.
It’s not about me anymore and his sick obsession.
We’re passed over each other.
He’s going to kill me because he doesn’t need me. He’s going to annihilate my existence because I’m more than the girl who left him behind.
I have power.
Even though I handed Torin the South Shore seat, I’m still his biggest threat.
“I’m going to kill every single one of those motherfuckers and make you watch.”
My body is rocked with nausea over the prospect of that happening.
Of how I might not be able to stopitfrom happening.
The distinct click of something pierces through the air before a blood-curdling scream emerges right behind it.
It’s a gun.
I don’t have to look up to see what the damn thing is. I’d recognize its characteristics and sound anywhere, in any state or matter of mind.
I wonder if this is how Levi felt.
I wonder if I’ll get as lucky as him if Matteo decides to pump some lead in me.
In the baby.
Tears sting at my eyes. This is exactly why I wasn’t meant to do this. I can’t protect another child. I’m not meant to be a mother.
