Enemy at home

I start to walk backwards, trying to get away from him, but my body hits a wall.

"I gave Eliot a chance . You have to admit it . I was hoping he'd prove me wrong, but of course he didn't . I presented him with a woman, you, on a platter. All he had to do was marry you, fuck you and impregnate you, but no, he couldn't even do that. I'm not surprised, really. His mother made him soft. Whatever happens now is her fault. I'm going to enjoy raising my son to be the monster that I am. I will make sure there is no weak-willed mother to install a soft heart in my son and heir this time. Our son will be everything I need him to be. He will rule this city and destroy anyone who stands in our way.

"Our son?" I stutter as Eliot's father approaches me. He wraps his hand around my neck and squeezes.

"Your father and mother betrayed me. Eliot's dear mother betrayed me. The three of them planned to run away with you and Eliot , but I got to them first and I've been waiting for this moment ever since. I don't need my son to take revenge. I will marry you. I will abuse you and take my child from your womb as soon as I can. Your last memory will be seeing me triumphant, with our baby in my arms, before I shoot you right in the center of your pretty forehead."

He lets out a loud laugh, and it almost makes me vomit with fear because it sounds so dark and evil. My survival instincts kick in and I try to knee him in the groin, but miss. Despite his age, he is stronger than me, and he slaps me hard across the face, not once but twice. Loud noises ring in my head, my left eye hurts, and my legs wobble.

"Stupid bitch." He forms a fist and throws it straight at my face.

The pain is excruciating and the metallic taste of blood fills my mouth. My eyes roll back in my head and I feel myself losing consciousness. I fight against it. I struggle to stay alert.

"I'm going to really enjoy this," he says with a smirk. "I'm going to tear your pussy apart. I'm going to make the last few months of your life even more hellish than the first eighteen years, and there's nothing you can do about it, because you're mine."

The last word out of his mouth is my undoing. It is Eliot's word to me, not his.

The corners of my world close and darkness claims me.

ELIOT

I've never driven so fast in my life, and as we speed up the driveway to my house, I see that my father's car is already parked in the driveway.

"Shit, Andrew , he's already here." During the drive, Andrew called for backup, but they haven't arrived yet. I pull my gun out of the holster, silence it and cock it. "He's not leaving with Revean."

"Eliot , don't let what you've discovered about him cloud your judgment."

"He killed my mother," I spit. "I won't let him take Revean."

Andrew nods. "I agree, but keep your mind focused. You're more lethal when you do."

"Don't worry. I've never been more focused." That's a lie. My mind is all over the place, but I won't let my father have Revean .

With stealth, we enter the house. All seems quiet until we approach the bedrooms. One of my father's men is standing next to Mery , with the gun pointed at his head. Before she can react, he looks at us and Andrew shoots him. A bullet in the forehead. Andrew goes straight for Mery. Blood covers the white T-shirt he is wearing.

"Mery." Andrew checks for a pulse when he reaches her side. "She's alive. He looks at the wound under the T-shirt. "It looks more superficial than life-threatening, a centimeter on either side, though, and it would have been a different story."

I feel such relief. I know how much she means to him.

"Get her out of here. She needs help."

"Eliot," he turns his head to look at me, "you can't do this alone."

"You love her. Make sure she's safe."

Andrew opens his mouth to protest, but I understand the feelings flooding him right now. Mery's safety is his priority.

"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can." Andrew scoops Mery up in his arms and heads down the driveway.

I walk inside the house, knowing that Revean was going to study in my office today. As I approach the office, my father comes out. There is a man beside him carrying Revean unconscious. His left eye is swollen shut and there is blood on his lips.

I point my gun at my father.

"Put it down."

My father laughs.

"You finally got a pair of balls, son. What did it take for that?"

"The truth. I witnessed everything that happened that night. It just took me a while to remember," I spit. My father doesn't seem shocked by this revelation. "You killed my mother."

"I killed a whore!" he shouts at me, his face red with anger. "And now I'll finally get back what's mine."

The floorboards creak as four of my father's men appear from behind me, guns drawn. Two more men emerge from the office.

"Get out of my way," my father orders.

I stand up defiantly.

"Move!" he shouts again before pulling his own gun from his pocket and placing it against Revean's forehead . "I remember the hole I put in your mother's head. I could always do the same thing to Revean."

"You need her alive to get the money. You're bluffing."

I know he won't shoot her. She's worth more to him alive than dead.

"Are you willing to test that theory, Eliot . You've seen what a cold-blooded killer I can be. Your mother was an inconvenience I had to put up with. She was weak and foolish . She couldn't even give birth without screwing it up . I'm sick of people screwing me over. I am the power in Las Vegas. I always have been, and nothing can change that now. Get out of my way, Eliot . You've had your chance."

He presses the gun harder into Revean's forehead, and his eyelids flutter open. As he regains consciousness, he begins to look around, and his eyes widen as he sees what is happening. She screams, and my father shoves the barrel of the gun into her mouth to silence her.

I'm out of options.

I can't do it alone.