Page 50 of 12 Days of F*ckmas

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Someone shot in our direction.

We ducked together.

A man yelled, “Hey, Gabriel! Did you know that you are on Santa’s Naughty List this year?”

Must be Savio. You’ll die soon.

I kept my voice low. “He’s in the hallway.”

Dog whispered, “Near the painting to the dungeon?”

“Yeah. I doubt he will trigger the painting, but let’s get him away from there anyway.”

Savio roared, “You thought you could kill my father, and I would let you see this Christmas!?”

Yeah, buddy. Keep talking.

Stalking through the shadows, I kept my gun pointed forward and hurried toward the hall. Due to his messing up my place, I had hoped to spend days torturing him and savoring his screams. But now with Mariah in my life, there was greater pleasure to be had this week—her soft, warm body and the lovely sound of her moans.

Dog hurried after me.

“Woo hoo!” Savio chuckled. “Where are you, buddy? Did you run off?”

He really has no idea who he is going after.

I got to the edge of the hallway.

“Mr. Gabriel, where are you?” Savio and four men stepped into the moonlight spilling in from the back door.

There you go. Too bad I can’t make this last.

I aimed and fired.

Boom! Boom!

I got two of his men in their foreheads. They spun around and crashed to the floor.

Savio and the other two jumped back into the shadows.

Then, the worst thing could have happened.

A beep sounded.

No. Is that the painting?

The whirring gears of the wall began, telling me that it was opening the secret passage.

Fuck. Is Mariah coming out?

Every bad scenario spun in my head. Fear crashed into me, drenching my soul, scouring the flesh from my bones. The terror was so powerful and all-encompassing that I rose.

Do something. Now!

I yelled, “Savio! I’m right here buddy.”

Dog got to my side. “What are you doing?”

“Getting him away from the hallway.”

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