She draws blood but he’s relentless and refuses to release her.
They get to the top and Colton switches the screen so we see them in the kitchen. The DeCarlo son stands over her, yelling in her face. Tears roll down her cheeks but she’s strong, whatever he wants, he’s not getting it from her. She spits in his face and my eyes widen in fear as he rears back and slaps her hard across the face.
Harrison appears in the kitchen and I’ve never seen him look so pissed. He rushes toward them but the guy jams the gun hard under Maryne’s chin while grinning up at Harrison like some kind of monster.
Harrison comes screeching to a stop, hands up, and looking at Maryne with fear in his eyes. He pleads with the brother to let Maryne go but in the blink of an eye, a sick grin twists across his face and the trigger is pulled, sending blood spraying throughout the kitchen.
Chapter 21
“NOOOOO,” I scream, racing to the door and banging my fits against it. “You fucking bastard. I’m going to kill you.”
Colton races after me, curling his strong arms around my waist and hauling me away from the door. “Shhhh, Jade. Shhhhhh.”
I fight against his hold, clawing at his arms, desperate for my freedom. I’d do anything to get downstairs and curl my hands around that fucker's throat. Hell, maybe I’ll shove his own fucking gun against his jaw and shoot him exactly the same way he shot Maryne.
He didn’t even hesitate, just shot her. She didn’t do anything wrong, never hurt anybody, and was always the first person to offer me a warm smile. I need to make this right. I need to get out of here. I need my fucking Widows. I need Nic. He’ll know what to do.
“Come on, baby, please. You need to calm down. We’re outnumbered. If they find us up here, they won’t leave until we’re in body bags. Come on, Jade. Please, there’s nothing we can do.”
“No,” I cry, desperately trying to pull free. “There has to be something. I refuse to just sit here and let them get away with this. They can’t do this. She ...she ...”
Colton turns me in his arms and crushes me into his wide chest. “I know,” he murmurs. “But I’m not going to let that be your fate. We have to wait them out. Believe me, we will make them pay. I will end them, but we can’t win like this. We have nothing. If we run out of here right now, we’re both dead.”
“I ... I …” He holds me tighter and the fight begins to leave. She’s dead. He just took her life as though it meant nothing. Sweet Maryne, gone just like that.
My eyes begin welling with tears as reality truly starts to sink in.
She’s gone.
Gone.
My eyes flash to the monitor to see Harrison on his knees with Maryne’s lifeless body in his arms. He holds her tight, sobbing for his lost friend as blood pools around his knees. I’ve never seen someone so filled with pain and it becomes instantly clear—Harrison was deeply in love with Maryne.
My breath catches on a lump in my throat and as the grief comes up and hits me, heavy sobs begin to overwhelm me.
I cry into Colton’s chest and he holds me impossibly tighter, resting his chin above my head. I only knew Maryne for a month but in that time, she became so much more than just a supervisor, she was like another mother to me. I can only imagine how hard this is hitting Colton.
Maryne’s been the only motherly figure in Colton’s life since his own mother left a few years ago and even before then, she was probably still the only motherly figure. After what I saw at the funeral, I doubt Laurelle Carrington has a maternal bone in her body. If anything, it was probably a competition between Charles and Laurelle as to who could be the shittiest parent.
It all becomes too much and as I watch the men storming through the mansion and wreaking havoc on the staff, my knees buckle and I sink to the floor. Colton drops down with me, refusing to let me go as he watches the screen closely, removing all traces of emotion from his face.
“It’ll be over soon,” he promises me, his hand roaming up and down my back. His tone doesn’t match his words and the lack of confidence leaves me wondering if