Sassy in Lingerie (Lingerie 8)

I did the same, keeping myself at eye level at all times. I didn’t know if I should prepare for battle or prepare to run. Regardless of what he did to me, I couldn’t retaliate. I would never do that to Vanessa.

“This is over. Ends things with Vanessa and disappear.”

No. A thousand knives pierced my lungs, and I couldn’t breathe. My happiness was taken away so quickly, within the snap of a finger. “Sir.” I raised both hands, unsure why I was even doing it. “I’m begging you, and I’m not the kind of man who begs. I love your daughter—”

He pulled the gun out of his holster and pointed it at my face within a second. His age didn’t slow his speed. His draw was still good enough for the wild west. “I will shoot you, Bones. So get out before I do.”

I slowly lowered my hands. “Sir, please.”

He cocked the gun, his hand steady as he pointed the barrel at my face. “We made a deal. I tried, asshole. I really tried. But I will not let my daughter end up with a man who forced her—”

“I never forced her—”

He smashed the barrel of the gun into my face, making my nose and cheek bleed instantly. “You didn’t treat her with the respect she deserves, and I will treat you exactly the same.”

I slowly turned my face back to him, ignoring the bleeding and the swelling. “I would die for her—”

“I wish you were dead now.” He pointed the gun at me again. “My daughter will marry a good man. She’ll hate me for a while, but one day, she’ll thank me for this. And when she finds the right one, she’ll forget your name.”

“She’ll never love anyone the way she loves me.”

His hand shook as he placed his finger over the trigger. “Leave. I won’t shoot you now, but I’ll save this bullet for later. If I ever see you again or anywhere near my daughter, I won’t hesitate. I will put you in the ground, like the trash you are.”

The fight left my body because I knew the war was over. Crow had made up his mind, and I’d just lost everything. I lost my woman and my future. Instantly, everything I cared about was taken away from me. “She’ll be devastated.”

“She’ll get over it. She’s a Barsetti. Barsettis aren’t weak.” He pressed the barrel right against my forehead, in between my eyes. “Now, go.”

I stepped away, getting the cold metal off my forehead. I turned my back to him, not caring about exposing myself in the most vulnerable way possible. There was nothing that bullet could do to hurt me more than his decision had.

He might as well kill me.

I walked out of his office, feeling weaker by the second. He took away the only thing that mattered to me, and even though he was justified in his decision, I couldn’t swallow it. I walked in there thinking the worst was finally over.

But it’d only just begun.