Page 39 of The Count
I couldn’t breathe. I unhooked the top few buttons on my dress shirt and doubled over trying to drag clean oxygen into my lungs. But all I smelled was him and his poison. When I turned back his hand had been inching for his gun.
“Don’t even think about it.”
He dropped it, and I sat back down.
“There is more. Your buying and selling of women has been exposed. You’re going to jail for a very very long time. So, prepare for that. I’m going to be standing, waiting, and watching them take you away. Your little ass is going to be so popular in the shower.”
Fear finally spiked in his eyes and he stared down at his hands utter disbelief. I took joy in seeing the hope flea his body. It never belonged there. In the end, if the law wasn’t going to get him, I would.
“You disgust me,” I said. I stood up and grabbed my clothing, not bothering to put them on. “And don’t worry you won’t be going alone. Soon I’m going to take care of your friends too.”
“Friends?” he asked numbly.
The sound of sirens faintly echoed in the room.
“Villefort. Danglars. They’ll be joining you in prison soon. And I promise to send some of my friends to give you a warm welcome.”
He snatched his gun out of the holster before I could react this time. Instead of pointing it at me, he pressed the muzzle to the side of his forehead.
“The whole damn lot of you Mondegos are so dramatic. If you want to do it properly you should put it in your mouth.”
He didn’t move though. The sirens inched closer, growing louder.
“I did love you.” He whispered. But you should know. We weren’t the only ones who sent you to prison.”
His lips twisted into a wicked little smile before he pulled the trigger.
I exited out the back and ran through a flat field to get out of the police line of sight. They wouldn’t be able to place me there, but I couldn’t take any risks this far into the plan.
Except now, everything needed reformulated. Another participant in my downfall. How had I not known about that? And of course, the man would take it to his grave. The selfish asshole.
I didn’t mourn his loss. And I knew, despite being family, Mercedes wouldn’t miss him either.
As I made it to a cross street a mile away, I texted my drive to pick me up. Maybe Mercedes knew who this other man was. Or one of the others. I’d hoped to handle the other two from afar. I only wanted to confront Fernand because of what Mercy told me.
I didn’t regret telling him the truth, but I resented this empty guilty built up in my belly. It wasn’t for him, but the number of dead by my hand. Another added to their ranks, even if I hadn’t pulled the trigger.
We got back to the apartment and I prayed Mercy was already asleep. I couldn’t face her this way. My emotions in chaos, my body following suit. But I’d never been lucky and she sat on the couch in the sitting room and watched my trek from the elevator to her side.
“Tough night?” She asked.
“You could say that. Your cousin is dead by the way. He shot himself.”
She scanned me, weighed me, and decided I didn’t lie in two seconds flat. “Good riddance. He was a disgusting man.”
I threw myself down, and the scent of him wafted off my clothes. “I need a shower.”
She followed me in and I raised an eyebrow at her inspection of my undressing. Her smile told me she wasn’t about to leave so I finished shedding clothes, and let her watch as I stepped under the spray. “You could join me.”
“The view is better from out here.”
I arched my back and scrubbed my hands through my hair, wetting it all in one swipe. “But you could touch me in here.”
I caught a giggle before I could open my eyes.
“Oh. Is that something you want?” I shook my head at her goading and finished washing quickly.
She didn’t escape though. I grabbed her around the waist and carried her to the bed. “You’re wet,” she complained.
