His head rocked back, and I could see where the flesh had opened up. Blood poured out of the gash.
He only roared, swinging wide to hit me across the cheek with the back of his hand.
I stumbled backward and slammed my lower spine into the island.
Pain burst, streaking out as I gasped.
“Ethan, no!” Hadley shouted from the other side of the room.
Ethan didn’t slow. He raised another hand, striking me across the opposite cheek. “You stupid bitch. For years I waited for you to go after him, lead me to him, but you were too weak and pathetic to ever do it, weren’t you? So fucking pitiful. I actually started to feel sorry for you, did you know that?”
He laughed a hollow sound. “Began to think you might actually be mine, even though I’d catch you with that faraway look on your face, and I’d know. I’d know where your heart andmind really were. But I accepted it. Figured when I finally caught up to him, I’d make him pay for what he did to you, too.”
My head whirled with the words he threw at me.
“Then you betrayed me. As if all those years I gave you meant nothing.”
Anger surged through my being. “All the years you gave me? You mean all the years you demeaned me? Made me feel foolish or lesser than? Ignored my needs and my feelings and my thoughts? You only wanted a perfectly behaved wife to act as a cover for what you really did.”
He shrugged a shoulder as the flames behind him continued to grow, getting so close to touching the ceiling as smoke filled the room. “I guess I figured if you weren’t useful for what I originally wanted you for, I had to get creative as I bided my time.”
Disgust churned through my guts. Hatred hot. As hot as the flames that glowed against my face.
“So you’re plan is to kill me and all these women to get back at Cash? While you stand here in the middle of the flames with me?” I could barely force it out, wanting to drop to my knees at the thought. But I had to remain strong. Make him focus on me so the rest would have the chance to get out. “I guess it won’t be a complete loss.”
He laughed in that condescending way he’d always laughed at me. “No, Daisy. As soon as Cash shows and busts in here, my men will surround the property. Cash will come for you, and I will have the honor of watching both of you burn, him for my brother, you for betraying me, and Hadley just for the fact that she was involved. That she was too weak and pathetic to stop Cash that day, and because of it, my brother is dead.”
He took a menacing step toward me. “That bitch has been in hiding for years because she knew I’d come for her, and now it’sher time. The rest of these women and men will be nothing more than unfortunate casualties.”
I still couldn’t make sense of it all, but it was becoming clear quickly that my sister had somehow been involved in the gambling Matthew had been. And that Cash had…
I couldn’t focus on that. I had to stop this. End it before Cash and the guys arrived. Because they would come. I knew they would, and there would be an ambush waiting for them.
I ripped open the drawer at my side and fumbled around through the growing smoke for one of the knives stored inside. A relieved sob choked out of me as I produced one, and I didn’t hesitate or give Ethan time to prepare.
I lunged for him with the blade pointed out.
A roar of pain tore up his throat when I hit his upper shoulder, but he had me by the wrist that held the knife faster than I could process, holding tight as he delivered a kick to my ribs.
Oxygen gushed from my lungs as pain splintered through my body, and the blade clattered to the floor. A fist flew through the air and landed against my jaw.
My head snapped back, and I fumbled backward, trying to catch my balance as my sight bleared in and out, but the momentum was too much. I slammed against the floor, hitting the back of my head against a side table.
Dizziness nearly had me toppling fully to the side, but I fought it, not allowing the pain to deter me. Because I would do anything for these women who were so willing to sacrifice for me.
Would do anything to get them back to their children, the same as I would do anything to get back to mine.
No longer was I willing to succumb to the idea that I didn’t get to spend this life with them. I knew Cash would take careof them. Shelter and care for them the way he promised me he would do.
Love them.
But I wanted him to do that with me at his side.
Hadley was suddenly in front of me, trying to help me up while she pointed the gun at Ethan with the other. “Oh God, Daisy. Get up. We have to get out of here. I never meant for this to happen. This wasn’t supposed to happen this way. It was only supposed to be Cash. Cash, who ruined both of us.”
“If you want to do something for me, then release the women.”
Disbelief pinched her face. “Daisy, I?—”
