Page 110 of Where Angels Fall

He’s standing a few feet away; shoulders squared like he’s still ready to fight. His eyes flicker around the area, always on alert. His knuckles are split and blood drips from a cut above his eye.

And his wrists... My vision tunnels.

Dark purple bands circle both of them, angry flesh swelling. The skin is broken in places from where he was shackled up. He broke his wrists to save her.

Something primal rips through me. I cross the space between us without thinking. Gripping his shoulders, I drop my forehead against his. No words. There aren’t any that could convey how thankful I am and proud I am. He wouldn’t take them, anyway. Our ragged breaths mingle, and my eyes flutter closed, gripping him tight.

Pulling away, our eyes lock, his dark voids blinking up at me. He nods once before pulling away and striding over to Kaleb, whose face is curled into a snarl. Murder is etched into his features as he takes in his brother’s state. I know how he fucking feels.

Inhaling, I steady my racing breaths and turn again to go to my girl. I need to hold her and get her fixed. Need to get rid of all her pain and ensure she doesn’t feel it ever again.

That’s when I hear Griff.

“Stop moving, you fucking prick,” Griff snarls, boots scraping against the concrete.

In his enormous fist is the scruff of Howard Dally. The asshole I completely forgot about. Seeing his face almost makes me laugh. Pale and sunken, and so very fucking pissed off. The truck he was in is pretty much destroyed, bullet holes marring the once shiny exterior. It’s a wonder he survived at all.

He struggles futilely against Griff’s hold, his arms still secured behind his back. Blood soaks his clothes.

“Found something in the truck,” Griff calls, voice cold.

“Get off me,” Howard grunts, twisting and turning as Griff shoves him to his knees on the rough ground. He lands with a thud.

My head whips to the side, nervousness coursing through me at her reaction. Her eyes are wide, stuck on the man who she calls her father. She tries to stand, and before I can get to her, Kai is by her side, lifting her to her trembling feet. He helps her walk closer. That devoid look falls onto her face, and my heart drops.

She chose him once before.

And I wouldn’t blame her if she chose him again.

It goes against everything in our nature to turn on the people who brought us into this world. I would fucking know. I killed mine.

And I left her... I let her get taken and tortured. I watch, frozen to the spot, just metres away, as she looks the man up and down slowly. His face is nothing but pure hatred as he glares up at her, and it takes everything in me not to shoot the look clean off his face.

“You stupid fucking girl,” he spits.

Everyone has paused, watching them, ready to strike. Everything sounds louder now. Unease coils tight inside me. I don’t know if I’m about to watch her walk away from me. Because she could. She could ask me to take her and her father to the hospital right this second and I fucking would.

She doesn’t reply to him, just watches him. My eyes are glued to her face, just watching.

“Look at you,” he sneers. “I gave you everything, and this is what you choose.”

“Angel,” I start, my voice rough. “You don’t have to...”

She shakes her head without looking at me, her eyes stuck on her father.

He laughs, the sound ugly and cracked. “You think that man loves you? You think you matter to them?” He gestures to us, crowded around them. “You’re nothing. You always were nothing.”

The dock feels like it’s tilting. I step forward, ready to end him myself. But Maddy lifts her hand slightly, and I freeze.

Her voice, when she speaks, is quiet.

“You had the chance to save me, and you didn’t. You chose your money over me.”

He rolls his eyes. “I gave you everything, you ungrateful bitch.”

Silence follows.

Griff shifts behind him, his grip tightening. Even he looks sick with the words the man is spewing.