My father... if he was even still capable of speech... coughed out something wet and broken.
"I'm sorry…" he croaked. "Spare them. Please…"
The boss barked out a laugh. That empty, theatrical kind that made your skin crawl.
"Sparing them?" he repeated, lifting a brow. "You think that's punishment? No, no. I want you to suffer."
Then he turned and looked at me. "I want to kill them… one by one. While you watch."
My heart slammed into my throat.
No.
I couldn't just stand there.
I had to do something.
"I—" I stepped forward, barely able to form words. "Wait. Wait."
I crouched down, handed Kaleb to Michael. "Take him," I whispered. "Keep them close."
Then I looked up at the man and tried... tried to steady my voice.
"H-how much?" I asked. "How much does he owe you?"
The boss turned, eyes slow to land on me, and that damn smile curled his lips.
"Ten million dollars," he said.
I froze.
Ten.
Million.
I was fucked.
