“Fuck,” I hiss, and I immediately rush to the door.

“What’s wrong?” Laura asks, running after me.

“They’ve got Mother!”

I don’t even take the time to properly say goodbye to Laura or the boys. I have to get to Mother in time before … fuck!

If he hurts her, I’m going to fucking murder him.

I’ll give him the slow, painful death he’s deserved all along.

Fuck!

I knew I should’ve killed him when I had the chance.

In my car, I speed through the streets to get to the church as fast as I can, not giving a shit about the fact that I’m running stop signs. I have to get there before he does something irreversible. Before I lose another person I love so deeply.

It’d kill me too.

My wheels screech as I jump corners and skid to a stop right in front of the church.

I jump out and run through the doors … only to find Mother standing there in front of the cross, gazing at me with a confused look on her face.

With a pounding heart, I gape, completely fazed. “What …”

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“You’re alone …” I approach her.

“Of course, I am,” she replies. “Who were you expecting?”

“No one came here?” I ask.

She places a hand on my arm. “No … Are you okay? You’re sweating.”

I wipe my forehead with my sleeve and say, “No. Absolutely not.”

“Tell me what’s happening.”

“Julio had a picture of you …” Now that I think about it, she looked way too relaxed in the picture. It’s like it was taken from afar. So that means …

“Shit!”

I should’ve known it was a distraction.

I turn around and start running.

“What’s happening?”

“Lock the church down!” I yell over my shoulder. “Julio’s going after Laura and the kids.”

She puts her hand in front of her mouth in shock as I rush out the doors and jump back into my car.

I don’t think I’ve ever hit the gas this hard in my life—that’s how fast I’m going. Rage fills me up inside, and when I’m stuck behind another car, I swear out loud and smash the horn.

“Fuck. Goddammit. FUCK!”

It doesn’t release the pressure building inside.

The innate fear that I’m not just about to lose the one girl I love … but my long-lost son as well.

I can’t let it happen. I won’t. I’ll do anything to prevent them from dying. If I have to, I’ll sacrifice myself for them. If that’s what it takes to keep them safe, I’ll do it.

“Faster, faster, faster,” I mutter to myself as I race through the streets, trying to get back to her house in time.

However … the moment I get there, I already know I’m too late.

What I see is like a vision from a nightmare.

The same scene unfolding as that day I vowed never to forget.

Laura, Diego, and my son being dragged to a car by a few of Julio’s men.

And he is sitting in the front seat …

Right before I get there, I can still hear Bruno’s cries as he calls out my name, his eyes solely focused on me as the car drives off.

Fuck.

I can’t let them get away.

I won’t let it happen … not again.

So I hit the gas as hard as I can.

* * *

I’ve been following them for fifteen minutes now, and we’re driving all the way into the middle of fucking nowhere. It’s not looking good. When they finally stop, I’m still a long ways behind. Too far because the three are kicked out of the car, and Laura scrambles to protect both Diego and Bruno.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” I shout at my car, trying to push it to its limits.

Julio steps out too now, and he’s wearing a rotten smile I wanna wipe off his face. He pulls a gun from his pocket while the two sons of bitches point theirs at them too. Bruno begins to cry, and Diego’s screaming for help while Laura is trying to negotiate with her dad. I can’t hear what they’re saying; all I can see is a bit of their movement, and it scares the shit out of me.

“I’m coming,” I growl, trying to get there before he pulls the trigger.

The closer I get, the more the frightened looks on their faces burn into my brain. I have to get them outta there, no matter the cost.

So when I’m finally there, I park my car right next to theirs, drawing their attention away from Laura and the boys.

I tuck my phone far into my pocket and grab my gun before I step out.

Three guns are now pointed at my face as I point mine at Julio.

“You son of a bitch …” I mutter.

He laughs. “Frank, how nice of you to join us.”

“You couldn’t just go after me, could you?”

“I’m surprised you actually took the bait,” he muses, cocking his head. “How is Margaret? It must be hard on her to see her boy losing his mind.”

“Shut up!” I spit.

The two men raise their guns at me, but Julio waves them off. “Wait.”

I look at him and then at the scared little face of Bruno. Then at Laura, who immediately grabs Bruno and pulls him toward her, hugging him tightly. I know what she’s thinking. If they wanna kill them … she’ll die protecting them.

With a foul taste in my mouth, I glare at Julio and hiss, “Let them go.”

“No.” He laughs again. “Why the fuck would I do that?”

“They’re innocent.”

“No, they’re not.”

“They’re your kids, for fuck’s sake,” I spit, still keeping my gun aimed at him.

“Dad? Why are you doing this,” Diego mutters, but Laura slaps her hand in front of his mouth to shush him.

“Shut your mouth,” Julio spits at him. “You shouldn’t have run away with your sister, Diego. You know, I thought I was a good dad. Apparently not good enough, it seems.” He glares at Laura now. “When you all ran, you thought I didn’t know where you were? Wrong. But I gave you your space; I let you live on your own. And then you go around and betray me like that? With that bastard?” He points at me.

“It’s none of your business,” Laura replies.

“Yes, it is. You were my daughter,” he growls. “But not anymore. None of you are my children, you fucking pussies.”

Diego’s eyes tear up too now as he’s coming face to face with the fact that his dad literally abandoned him after his sister took him in.

“How dare you? They’re your goddamn kids,” I hiss.

“So? They should’ve stayed by my side. This is the lesson they learn.”

Julio walks to Laura and snatches Bruno away from her.

“NO!” Laura screams. The men have to physically hold her back, and the altercation causes her necklace to break and scatter.

Bruno’s shrieks go through bone and marrow as I struggle not to pull the trigger on Julio right there and then.

“Do it,” Julio barks, looking me straight in the eye. “I dare you.”

“If you don’t let them go, I will,” I say.

“I’ll kill your son before it happens,” he growls, pointing the gun straight at Bruno’s temple.

“And then you’re next,” I reply. “I won’t let you get away with it. Not a chance.”

“If you shoot me, you die next,” he says. “My boys won’t let you run.”

“I don’t fucking care.”

He smirks and then bursts out into laughter. “You know, I admire your tenacity. It’s not every day that I find a man willing to sacrifice himself for his family, even though it’s futile.”

The barrel is pressed harder against Bruno’s head.

I hold up my hand. “Wait!”

He narrows his eyes. “Why should I? You know how it works. The death of this kid for the death of my men. An eye for an eye.”

“No,” I say. “You’ll hurt your daughter too.”

“I don’t care about that little bitch, just as I don’t care about that other little bitch. The moment they ran away from me was the moment they stopped having the right to call me father.”

“Kill me, Dad,” Laura begs. “Kill me but leave Diego and Bruno alone.” She gets up from the ground and begs. “Please.”

“As far as I see it, we’ll both be dead when this ends,” I interject, and Julio sets his sight on me instead.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me. If you touch any of them, I’ll kill you personally.”

“And then what?”

“Nothing, but at least you’ll be dead.”

He frowns, but then he starts laughing again. “You’re serious.”

“Dead serious.”

“You want to die?”

“If that means stopping you, then yes.”

My determination makes him lash out as he tightens his grip on Bruno’s arm, who cries even louder.

Laura goes to her knees and begins to pray to God. Grinding my teeth, I contemplate my options and even ponder whether I should throw myself in front of Bruno to serve as his shield. But I know that’s futile. Sacrificing myself won’t save them.

I have to give him something he wants most of all.

Something he can’t say no to.

“Take me instead.”

He frowns, and a pause follows, but then he parts his lips. “Go on.”

“You can do whatever you want. I’ll give you my gun, and I won’t fight back.”

“No, don’t do this,” Laura begs.

I ignore her plea.

Not because I don’t wanna hear it or because it pains me, but because it’s the only right thing to do. For once in my life, I have to pick the good instead of the evil.

Julio scratches his stubble. “If?”

I take a deep breath.

“If you let them take my car and spare their lives.”

“Frank, no!” Laura yells.

“It’s the only way,” I say.

“No, that’s not a solution,” she says. “It’s suicide.”

“But at least you and the boys will be safe.” We stare at each other for a moment as she finally comes to the realization there is no other way out of this mess.

“So … this is what you choose?” Julio sniggers. “You know, I never pegged you to be the hero type.”

“You don’t know me at all,” I retort. “So we got a deal?”

He gives me an arrogant smirk and nods a few times. “All right, preacher … we’ve got a deal.” He steps closer, releasing Bruno from his grip, who immediately runs back into Laura’s arms. Julio extends his hand, and after careful deliberation, I take it with my left hand.

Laura closes her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek as she grips the boys tight.

“You will leave them alone and let them live. Got it?” I say, still pointing my gun at him with my right hand to make sure I get my end of the deal.

“Of course … I never go back on an agreement.” Another rotten smile. God, how I wish I could rip it off.

I pull my hand away and turn toward Laura. “Go. Take my car. Take them home safely and stay there.”

She nods with tears in her eyes. “Thank you,” she mutters softly.

Then she quickly grabs the boys and rushes to my car. She locks the doors and, after a thoughtful look, drives off. The last thing I see is Bruno’s sad face as he waves goodbye a final time.

God, I’ll miss that boy.

But I can live with it now that I know he’s alive.

Or rather … I can die in peace.

He’ll be okay without me; I’m sure he will.

Julio whistles at the two men still standing there, and they come to snatch my gun and frisk me, taking my cell phone too. I knew it was coming. I just didn’t know they’d grab my arms too and hold me down like some prisoner.

One fast punch to the gut and I’m bucked over, heaving.

“That’s for fucking with my daughter.”

Julio kicks me in the chin, causing one of my teeth to lodge itself into my lip, making me groan in pain. “And that’s for breaking into my home and killing my men.”

He spits on the ground in front of me then directs his attention toward one of his men. “Grab the shovels and the rope.” The guy walks off and returns moments later.

The two men pull my wrists to my back and tie me up until the rope burns into my skin. Julio walks off, beckoning the guys to follow him. They drag me along like a rag doll, but I don’t know where we’re going, and I can’t see. I’m way too fucking dizzy from the pain and just struggling not to fall. We stop somewhere farther up ahead, where Julio points at a spot on the ground and flicks his fingers.

The guys begin to dig.

Long and deep.

Like … coffin deep.

And all I can do is stare and wait until they deliver my fate.

“So you thought it was a smart idea coming here, did you?” Julio jests. “Wrong.” He bursts out into laughter again as he circles me like a vulture. “And then you made a deal with the devil. Oh, oh, oh … preacher. Do you know what I’m going to do to you after all the shit you pulled?”

I shrug. “I don’t care.”

He stops in his tracks and frowns at me, cocking his head. “Are you sure about that?”

I glare ahead, not even giving a shit whether he’s looking at me or not. It’s a lost cause. I can’t change anything about my fate anymore. He can’t do anything more to me to hurt me. He made the deal. Gave me my dying wish. And now I’ve surrendered to God.

I’m untouchable.

“Aren’t you even a little bit scared?”

“No.”

At first, he seems confused, but then he laughs again. “You motherfucker.” He spits on my face, but I keep on staring ahead. I will not lose my dignity to this man. I will go down like a soldier. Like I should’ve done all along. All those years wasted on liquor and sorrow. No more.

“Can you believe this shithead?” Julio jests, looking at his men.

They gaze up and momentarily stop digging. “No,” one of them replies. “He’s crazy.”

A pause, followed by Julio frowning and yelling, “What the fuck are you doing? Get back to work!”

“Uh, yes, boss,” the other one says, sweating like crazy as they both continue to dig without speaking another word.

“Now, where were we? Oh … that’s right. I was going to tell you how you’re going to die.” He grabs a cigar from his pocket, taking his sweet time to put it in his mouth and light it. “At first, I thought maybe I should just shoot the motherfucker and get over it. But then I realized that’s too easy. It’s too nice. And the man who killed my wife and took my daughter doesn’t deserve nice. So now you know … I’m not going to shoot you. No, your death will be much, much worse.”

He takes a drag and blows the smoke in my face. “You know what’s going to happen to you?”

A drop of rain falls on my face, and I look up at the sky to see a string of ducks fly by. Julio looks up too, and at this moment, I find my peace with whatever may come next.

“Ducks … hmm …” he murmurs, taking another drag as he lowers his head to look at me again. “Strange animals, they are. Have you ever seen a duck being chased by a dog?”

I don’t respond. I don’t even nod or shake my head. I’ve stopped caring.

“Well, since you’re so interested, I’ll tell you anyway. You’d think the duck would fly away, right? But because of its panic, it will run across the street like an idiot.” He makes flapping motions with his hand, pretending to be the duck. “Until … the dog comes close enough, at which point …” Julio stiffens like a board. “The duck falls and plays dead in the hopes of being left as spoiled meat. A last ditch effort.” He smiles. “And you know what happens next?”

Again, I don’t reply. I just stare at the men who seem to be done digging their hole as they stick their shovels in the dirt, panting out loud.

“The duck still gets eaten,” Julio continues.

I cock my head, giving him an annoyed look while he takes another drag and blows more smoke into my face. “The duck could’ve flown away, but it didn’t. Instead, it fluttered and crashed, running from its predator, until it died anyway. A futile death if you ask me,” he muses, sniggering like a crazy son of a bitch again.

“It’s done,” one of the guys says, and Julio turns around to look at the hole.

“Perfect. Put him in.”

They grab my arms and drag me closer then shove me forward, so I land in the hole. I only manage to twist myself around before they start throwing dirt on my body.

“Spare his face for last. I wanna hear his dying words. Maybe I can savor them like I did with his wife.”

That familiar fire burns inside me again, but it’s too late to do anything right now.

As he walks off, I yell, “You’ll meet your end, Julio.” He glances over his shoulder, waiting until I open my mouth again, which I do. “One way or another … you will die a lonely, horrible death, and no one will mourn over your corpse.”

He narrows his eyes and his brows furrows, after which he laughs like a lunatic again. “Good joke.” He waves it off. “Go on, boys. Cover him up.”

* * *

When the grave is filled with dirt all the way up to my neck, the guys stop shoveling and signal Julio. He waltzes back from his car with a brand new cigar stuffed in his mouth. He grins as he sees my uncovered face, blurting, “You almost look decapitated.”

“Hmm … a talking head,” I murmur, spitting out some dirt that got into my mouth.

“Now that would’ve been a sight to see,” he says, laughing, but then it grows eerily quiet. “Well, got any last words?”

“I currently lack the ability to give a shit,” I reply, trying to move, but my body feels stuck as a rock. “But please have my imaginary finger.”

He shakes his head, blowing out more smoke. “Such a shame. If only you’d been more remorseful, maybe I would’ve been more kind.” He takes his cigar from his mouth and signals his boys to throw more dirt on my face.

“Too bad, preacher. See you in the next life. But first … I’ve got a certain old lady to take care of.”

My eyes widen, and I shout, “What? No, you fucking wouldn’t. You took the deal. You swore you wouldn’t touch my family!”

He shrugs and holds up his hands with a disgusting smile as he walks off. “I never said anything about her. Better say some prayers for your church, preacher,” he muses.

“You can’t do this! She’s innocent!” I sputter as they throw more dirt on my head, but he doesn’t even turn around. “Don’t you fucking touch my mother! I swear to God, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your short, shitty life!” I roar.

But no matter how hard I scream, he doesn’t come back.

And the more steps he takes, the further my face is covered in dirt until I’m no longer able to speak.

Fuck.

Within a few seconds, the earth has covered me to the nose. I hold my breath.

Three more shovels of dirt and I’m under.

I hear their laughter as they walk away, and I’m praying to God to give me the strength to outlast my fear. I thought I was prepared. All these years I begged for the end. But now that the moment has finally arrived, I know for sure … I am not ready to die.