The man above her pivots toward me carefully, holding up his hands.
"What did you give her?" I growl.
He whips his head in the direction of the other man. The one Marco now has in a chokehold on his knees. Clearly, he expects that man to save him.
"Want me to break his neck, boss?" Marco nods to the guy in his grasp.
"Save him for me," I answer coldly.
My eyes never leave the doctor, and when I stalk toward him, he cowers back, slowly reaching into his pocket for something. He’s still fumbling around for it, only to drop the pen as soon as he produces it because his hands are shaking so badly.
"I don't want any trouble," the doctor says. "I just came here to do a job. That's it. I swear."
"And what exactly was that job?" I cock my head to the side, studying him like a pest.
"It was... an abortion," he croaks. "The woman didn't want the baby. That's all I know."
All the pent-up rage that's been breeding inside me boils over as I grab him by the throat and lift him off his feet.
"That woman is my wife," I snarl. “And that is my baby inside her.”
"I didn't know," he gasps, feet kicking as he fights for air. "Please."
"Tell the devil I said hello." I produce the knife and stab him in the gut three times, dropping him to the floor. "I'll see you again in hell."
He's choking on his own blood when I kneel on his chest and grab him by the hair, slashing the blade across his throat. Blood sprays across my face, and I wipe it from my eyes before turning my murderous gaze on the other man.
Marco's got him locked down so tight, he's half-dead already. It's more than he deserves to die so quickly, but I don't have the luxury of time to torture him.
Marco releases him, and he drags in a long breath as I grab him by the collar and haul him up onto his feet.
"Where is Abel?" I demand.
"I don't know," he answers, his voice almost too hoarse to understand. "He took off and said he had some business to handle."
"What business?" I dig the tip of my knife into his forehead.
"Fuck, I don't know," he wheezes. "He doesn't tell us anything."
I drag the knife down and to the right, carving an F into his flesh. Blood gushes from the wound, and he nearly collapses again. Sensing a need, Marco comes to hold him upright for me.
"I can do this all night." I stare at him.
It isn't exactly true. The sirens in the distance are getting closer. Someone undoubtedly heard the gunshots, and I need to get my wife out of here. But the last thing I want to do is drag this piece of shit back to the compound to finish him off.
"He's gone off the rails," the guy tells me. "I don't know where he's been. But he was supposed to handle this shit, and he left it for us."
I carve a U into his forehead next, and he starts talking faster, spewing whatever he thinks will save him as I move onto the C.
"He said you'd be looking for him, and he couldn't let you find him. He was getting too paranoid, so he wouldn't tell us anything. But we knew the gig was up. Abel was going completely insane. That’s why one of my guys delivered the note to you. So you could come get her."
“Purely out of the kindness of your heart?” I muse, slashing the blade to complete the K.
“Look, we fucked up, okay? I know that!” he screeches. “We just wanted some respect. You can’t blame us for that.”
“Respect is earned,” I remind him. "Now tell me what the doctor did to my wife."
"All he did was give her the sedative," he pants. "Come on, man. You're carving me up like a fucking pig."
"It's the least of what you deserve." I move onto the Y and O as blood pours down his face, blinding him.
"I'll help you find Abel. I swear it. Just give me a chance."
"Your chance was up the moment you decided to fuck with my wife." I finish off the U with a flourish, stepping back to admire my handiwork. "Which one of you left the bruise on her face?"
He swallows, and I know it was him before he even conjures up a half-ass denial.
"Boss." Marco glances at me from behind, signaling I need to hurry things along.
I nod and then look at the piece of shit in front of me one last time. "Did you touch her anywhere else?"
"What?" He shakes his head in disgust. "No way. Abel wouldn't let us do that."
"You're lucky I'm in a forgiving mood," I tell him.
"Really?" He perks up, blinking his bloody eyelids hopefully.
"Yes," I answer flatly as I drag the tip of the knife to the pulsing vein in his throat. "I forgive you for being so fucking ignorant. You didn't know not to touch what belongs to me."
I stab him in the throat. Once. Twice. Three times, until his blood flows in rivers down my arms and the gurgling noise in his mouth fades to nothingness. When I drop him to the floor, Marco kicks him in the face for good measure.
"Just checking." He shrugs when I look at him. "We gotta go."
I pivot toward my wife, pausing briefly to untangle the hair from her face. Blood smears over her cheek when I stroke it, and warmth fills my chest when I pick her up and cradle her limp body in my arms.
"Time to go home." I whisper the words against her ear, finishing them with a kiss. "Where you belong."
6 Ivy
I feel heavy. Arms and legs like lead. But he lifts me without effort, and when my arm falls away, he carefully adjusts his hold, tucking that arm over my belly. I realize the zip ties are gone and try to open my eyes, but I can’t.
