REprisal - Kathy Coopmans Page 0,89

It must have felt damn good to be inside a woman like her. Sweet and innocent and so damn pure. She feels like heaven, doesn’t she? You never want to come out. Her beauty is like a circle of light that surrounds her entire existence. You can’t help but to be totally consumed in her. To want to see her smile, to hear her scream your name when she comes. She never once screamed your name, though, did she? Not one fucking time did my wife want you, and that right there is what you will have to live with. The fact that the woman you love despises your very existence.”

The door opens and in walks Zack along with several other men dressed in black suits, briefcases and computers in their hands. Zack grips my shoulder.

“You done?”

“I’m done.”

I give Trent one last glance, and like the coward he is, he already has his face turned away from me, staring flatly outside the window.

We turn to leave but Trent speaks, silencing everyone in the room.

“Wait.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Trent

Since I’ve been in this hospital, with the exception of my mother, I haven’t listened or paid attention to a damn thing anyone in here has had to say to me. That is, until he came to see me. Every fucking thing he said is true. I’m already as good as dead and buried. My heart may be beating inside of my chest, but that’s all it’s doing.

I’ve hated myself and my life for as long as I can remember. That hatred has had power over everything I have done. It’s become my filter. The only thing I know. It’s engrained in me. I’ve been raised in it and I will die in it.

His words struck me deep when he spoke of Clove in his painfully familiar voice. He’s the lucky one, the blessed half. I don’t hate him for that. It took a hell of a lot of guts for him to come here today. It showed me how much he truly loves Clove. She’s where she belongs, and if I can do anything to make her live the life she’s supposed to live, to feel safe, protected from the madness of Tina, I will.

“You listening to us, Calloway?”

My head snaps up at the sound of my name.

“Yeah. I hear you.”

We all know I’m headed into a trap. That bitch wants me dead. Little does she know, she’s the one who’s going to die tonight, not me. I’m ready and eager to put a bullet clean through her head.

I’m doing it for so many reasons, but the main one is Clove. Turner was right earlier when he spoke about love. I do love her. I always will. I know I will never be able to see Clove again, see the way she looks into her daughter’s eyes. The way she would look all dreamy eyed when I would watch her, knowing she was either thinking of or remembering Turner.

Those looks will be forever engrained in my memory. That’s all I have left of her. The ugly, hateful looks I have tossed away, promising myself I will never think about them again. I will never be able to change the things I have done to hurt her, but the one thing I can give her is the chance to be able to live her life without fear; fear that somehow her vicious mother would find someone to finish the job. To take her daughter away from her, or even kill her whole family. I won’t let it happen. Even if I take my last breath tonight, I will make sure Tina takes hers first.

I rub my wrists when I am uncuffed. The soreness lingers and just like the pain in my shoulder and side, I welcome it. The blood starts pumping harder through my veins. Like a fucking junkie, I anticipate the adrenaline rush triggered. I’m ready to fucking go. Ready to attack like a goddamn rabid animal. I’m going to fucking kill this bitch and laugh while doing it.

“So now what?” I say as I spring up off the bed.

The only time I have out been of this bed is to shower and use the bathroom. At least in prison I will be able to walk around, have someone to talk to besides these assholes who don’t say shit.

“There’s a bag of clothes in the bathroom for you to change into, along with a bullet proof vest. Once you’re dressed, we wait for her call,”