Lachlan
I’d never driven as fast as I did when I left my house and sped the few miles to Julia’s place, knuckles white from tightly gripping the steering wheel. I barely had the car in park before I leapt out, leaving the keys in the ignition, and darted up the driveway.
With shaky hands, I attempted to enter the code into the keypad lock, frustrated at having to do so three times before it finally clicked. Once it did, I slowly opened the door, not sure what I’d walk in on. All I knew was that Julia purposefully put herself in harm’s way so Imogene could escape.
Just like any devoted, loving mother would.
I would have done the same for Imogene. It didn’t matter we weren’t related by blood. She was still mine. So was Julia. And I wouldn’t allow anybody to take her from me.
Keeping Nikko’s gun aimed in front of me, I tested the weight in my hands. At least it was the same type I bought after the home invasion. The same kind I used whenever I went to the range with some of my teammates.
They claimed it was a good way to blow off steam.
That wasn’t the case for me, though. Instead, I practiced in the event I ever found myself in the same situation I’d been in with Piper.
Now I was.
And I’d be damned if the outcome would be the same this time around.
Doing my best to remain as silent as possible, I crept farther into the house, grateful for all the time I’d spent here over the past few months, if for no other reason than I was able to effortlessly navigate the space without needing to turn on a light. I glanced around, nothing seeming out of place. If it weren’t for all the blinds and curtains being drawn, something Julia never did, preferring to bathe her house in light, I wouldn’t have thought anything was amiss.
Until a gunshot reverberated through the silence, my heart skyrocketing into my throat. I darted through the house, desperately searching for the source. When I didn’t find anything on the lower level, I rushed up the stairs, taking them three at a time, Julia’s sobs coming from Imogene’s room growing louder with every step.
Breathing labored, I peeked inside, doing my best not to alert anyone to my presence, my gaze falling on Nick restraining Julia on the floor. It took everything in me to not rush into the room when the sick fuck used the barrel of the gun to lift the skirt of her dress, then pressed it between her thighs.
I raised my own weapon, fighting to keep it steady as I carefully tiptoed closer, my anger becoming stronger as I listened to him tell Julia this was how it was supposed to end between them. How he was doing this because she didn’t honor him after he was sent to prison, despite his failure to honor her during the time they were actually married.
This wasn’t a man who would listen to reason. Who could be rationalized with.
He was like a dog who’d been raised to fight, maim…kill. There was no rehabilitating an animal like that. Not when they’d been conditioned to do one thing, and one thing only.
Just like there was no rehabilitating Nick. He’d never change.
And just like violent dogs needed to be put down in the interest of public safety, so did Nick.
My hands trembled as I lined up my shot, pushing down the uneasiness this scenario evoked. I told myself it was different this time. I had a clear head. And I was a much better shot than I was five years ago when I’d never even held a gun before.
That still didn’t make this any easier, especially considering Nick’s body covered Julia’s. Any shot I made came with the risk of also harming her…
But I had to do something.
When Nick pressed the gun against Julia’s temple, I didn’t hesitate.
Didn’t blink.
Didn’t falter.
I couldn’t.
Not this time.
Not with so much at stake.
I squeezed the trigger and fired.