Page 140 of Firefly
“She’s my future wife.”
Rage flickers weakly through Hayden’s swollen face. “She’d rather die,” he spits.
“You’d know all about dying, wouldn’t you?” Brayden smirks cruelly. “Considering everyone thought you were already in the ground.”
Hayden jerks wildly against the men holding him. “Touch her again and I’ll—“
Brayden suddenly glances toward me smiling slowly. Then walks back over and places one hand against my stomach.
Everything stops.
“She’s carrying my child already anyway.”
Silence. Pure stunned silence.
My heart physically stops beating, and Hayden goes still then his face crumbles.
Not fear. Not violence. Heartbreak.
Oh God.
“No,” he whispers brokenly.
Then Brayden's smirk widens while rubbing my stomach possessively.
“Guess I got to her first.”
“HE’S LYING!” I scream. “Hayden, he’s fucking lying!”
But Brayden keeps talking anyway.
“She’ll marry me.” He shrugs casually. “Give me sons. Build a life.”
Hayden's entire body shakes violently now.
Not from fear. Grief.
The kind that kills people slowly from the inside out.
I start sobbing harder.”Please don’t listen to him!” I beg, but Brayden grabs my jaw roughly, forcing me to watch Hayden.
“Look at your boyfriend,” he whispers cruelly. “Look what loving you did to him.”
Another kick slams into Hayden’s ribs hard enough I hear something crack again. He chokes as blood spills down his chin while I completely lose my fucking mind screaming.
“PLEASE!”
Nobody cares.
Hayden still tries crawling toward me anyway.
Every movement leaves blood smeared across the concrete.
One eye swollen shut.
Mouth split open.
Breathing ragged and wet.
