Page 95 of When You Stayed
Unfortunately for him, I didn’t have a conscience about this sort of thing. I’d be the villain in Royce’s story in every lifetime if it meant I was the one who hurt whoever hurt her. Smiling down at Royce’s boss, I yanked the knife out of his stomach, ignoring his cries of pain, and then shoved it into his chest.
“You piece of shit. You scared her, you left bruises on her arms, and then you fucking shot her.” I pulled the blade out again and then sank it into another part of his chest. His screaming faded as his voice became hoarse.
There were footsteps drawing closer to us, along with a motorcycle. I knew Killian had arrived, and possibly Silas. I didn’t look up as I locked my gaze on Rodney’s terrified expression.
“If I had more time to torture you, I’d take it.” With one last tug of the knife, I sank it into his throat for the final blow.
“Jesus, Ford.” Killian came to a running stop next to me. He had a gun drawn, but quickly slid it into his back waistband when he realized Rodney was the only threat.
“No one else?” Silas suddenly appeared, also holding a gun loosely pointed at the ground.
I shook my head. “He was taking her to the Murdoch Devils, it was a trap.”
Wiping my brow with the back of my sleeve, I leveled Killian with a firm stare. “You were right. They wanted me to attack. It was all a big fucking elaborate plan.”
I sank to my knees again, gently pulling Royce into my arms. She groaned, but turned in to my neck as I carried her out of the grove.
Killian followed close behind us, his voice breaking as he asked. “Where did he hurt her?”
“Bullet grazed her arm, she injured her head…and he manhandled her pretty rough, she’s got bruises already appearing on her arms.”
“Son of a bitch.” Killian spat.
Silas grumbled next to us. “Now I can see why you stabbed him so many times.”
Our strides were quick as we tried to get back to cottage. Killian asked, “How did you know where she was?”
“Rook called me, told me her bike was at the cottage.”
Silas quirked an eyebrow at me. A bit of silver had lightened his always pitch-black hair. He had crows feet near his eyes and a few more wrinkles than I remembered, but the same pale blue eyes, and that permanently pissed off expression.
“But you didn’t go to the cottage.”
I shifted Royce in my arms so she was higher, and I felt her nose graze my throat. “When Royce was little, there was a hickory tree she loved going to. It was her go-to hide-and-seek spot, where she snuck off to when she went missing at six. Where she wanted us to stargaze and have meetings. I had an inkling she’d gone there. Found her phone, and my cut, and then I heard her yell.”
Killian was silent, but Silas laughed. “You saved her life, Ford. And only you would have known those things about her. Guess it all worked out in the end. I made a bet when you were about seven that you’d be the one to end up with her. Thought I’d lose that bet too, but then Killian came up with that crazy plan to have Connor propose, and I knew that was the end of them.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to all that. I didn’t care that there were people who bet on me ending up with her just as long as I did. Killian let out a small laugh. “Hey, I was desperate at the time. Ford was supposed to leave.”
Silas clapped me on the back as we approached two bikes and Killian’s truck.
“Well, it’s a fucking good thing you decided to stay.”
Yeah, now if I could just convince Royce of that.
TWENTY-SEVEN
ROYCE
I wokeup in the hospital, surrounded by pink roses all stuffed into various glass vases. My throat was dry, my arm hurt like a bitch, and I was starving. I tried sitting up but couldn’t apply any pressure to my arm, so I sank back into the bed.
“Oh, good, you’re up!” A nurse walked in, looking chipper.
“How long was I out for?” I asked, feeling groggy and tired.
The nurse walked over to my arm and removed the bandage, gently touching the sewn-up wound. “You slept for about five hours, honey.”
“Slept? You mean the drugs knocked me out?”
