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“No, I can’t,” Nix chokes out, jumping to his feet and marching out of the room. Emma follows him, laying a supportive hand on my arm as she passes me and I suck in a stuttered breath as I wait for the next video to load.

“This video is one he was filming as we rolled up on him.”

I take a step forward. “She’s safe?”

“Yes.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you lead with that?” I growl, balling my fists and taking another step forward. He points to the screen where another image of Tate pops up.

“Because you needed to see this.”

Before I can argue, he presses play and the sound of Tate screaming fills the room. My stomach rolls and my heart stops as I watch Devlin drag a scalpel down her arm, slicing her open before he grabs a needle and thick black thread and starts stitching her back together again.

“Why?” Smith breathes and I glance over at him as tears build in his eyes. He presses his fist to his lips and closes his eyes, shaking his head like he can somehow erase the images we just saw but I know there’s no way in hell I’ll ever forget it.

“Turn it off,” I bark and Dominic nods, pausing the video before folding his hands in front of him as he flashes me an expectant look. “Where is he?”

He smiles. “I was hoping you’d feel that way.”

“I don’t know what kind of sick fucking game you’re playing but I want five minutes alone with this son of a bitch.”

Dominic holds his hands out with the sick smile still on his face. “I’m merely presenting you with an opportunity. Do you want my blessing to marry my daughter or not?”

“She’s not yours to give away,” I snarl as I take a step toward him. Who does this motherfucker think he is? He is the entire reason that this has happened to my girl and he has the fucking gall to come in here and act like I owe him something. Dominic takes a step toward me.

“I suppose you’re right but you can’t really think I’m going to allow you to marry her if you can’t take care of her.”

“The only reason she’s in that bed is because of you.”

He waves his hand through the air, dismissing me. “The point is, you have a chance to avenge her pain. Do you want to take it?”

“You have him?” I ask, watching him warily. He nods.

“Oh, yes. I’ve got Devlin and I’ll deal with him if you’re not man enough to handle it but what would she think if you didn’t end the monster who spent the last twenty-four hours torturing her?”

I nod. “Let’s go.”

“Kodiak,” Smith breathes and I shake my head. He’ll never understand – not unless it’s the love of his life lying in a bed being tortured.

“Stay out of this, Smith.”

“Tate wouldn’t want this,” he growls under his breath and I suck in a breath. The night she learned the truth about the kind of man her father is pops into my mind and I remember how horrified she was that he was a part of her. Dropping my head, I sigh as my mind wars with my heart. Images of what that animal did to her replay in my head and I want to hurt him even a fraction of how much he hurt her but Smith is right. Tate wouldn’t want me to become her father. Shaking my head, I turn to Dominic.

“I would love nothing more than to sink a blade into his gut a couple hundred times but Smith is right, that isn’t what Tate would want.”

Dominic laughs. “As far as I’ve heard, Tate is as fierce as some of my best men.”

“She is,” I say, turning back to the image of her on the screen and my chest aches. “But she’s also good and pure in a way that you’ll probably never understand. Besides, she already has one murderer in her life and you brought all this trouble down on her head so it’s only right that you clean it up.”

“What do you know of it?” he scoffs and I glare at him.

“I know that as that animal was forcing himself inside her, he wanted her to plead with you for rescue. Don’t act like this isn’t on you.”

He takes a step toward me. “Know your place, you little punk.”

“My place is by her side,” I assert, squaring my shoulders and meeting his gaze. “Now, where is she?”

Dominic studies me for a moment, a wry smile stretching across his face. “You know, I could just take her and go back to Chicago right now. You would never see her again. So maybe you should try to be a little respectful to your future father-in-law.”