Twelve of Roses

“W-what is going on?” Darcy stammered.

Con pointed his gun at her and smiled.

“Nothing too serious. Why don’t you have a seat, and then we can have a long conversation about what comes next?”

“Let Rose go first.”

I shook my head at her. She was trying to be brave. I got it. I’d do the same thing for her if our positions were swapped, but Darcy and I were not one and the same. I’d been conditioned to Con’s type of deranged schemes. She had no idea how fucked up the man she’d fallen for truly was.

“That wasn’t a request you could refuse, boo,” Vicky stated. I watched her walk to my butcher’s block and retrieve a knife, and then proceed to help herself to a muffin.

Darcy stiffly made her way to the stool I’d just occupied.

“What the hell is going on, Ryan? Who are these people?” Her voice cracked with each question, triggering the tears she’d been trying to visibly hold off to break free.

Like a chain reaction, my own began to fall, dripping from my cheeks. This was all my fault. I should’ve hunted Con down and put a fucking bullet in his skull. No—I should’ve burned with him in that cabin.

“You have to let her go, Con—”

“What did I tell you about getting worked up?”

I swallowed and clenched my jaw. How could I save her? I couldn’t be reckless like I used to be without risking my baby. Was that selfish? Was it wrong? I told her a thousand silent apologies with my eyes.

She blinked at me and forced the smallest smile as if she understood.

If only she really did.

“Poor things,” Justin remarked, looking at the two of us as if we were a pair of shelter puppies. “Maybe I should just keep this bitch? Molly’s a bag of bones by now. Vick and Rose could use another sister.”

“Hey, let’s see how this goes first. Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Vicky warned.

“They’re right. Darcy, I need you to focus, okay? I’ll explain everything after we’re done,” Con said.

“What do I have to do?” Darcy questioned.

He rested his chin on my head. I felt his grin, and my stomach heaved.

“We’re going to play a simple game first. If you participate, I promise I’ll let you go.”

I shut my eyes, hoping with everything I had that this wouldn’t end the way all his other games did.