Ivy

I tilt my head to the side, doing my best to try and muffle the sounds of my cries from the pain in my arm. The numbness from holding still causing a surge of the worst discomfort I have ever had, to progress its way down my arm.

I remain exactly where I am, my eyes darting back and forth between Cade and Drew. Until finally they lock on Cade’s eyes that capture and hold.

The man is hard and yet just like the boy I knew, he’s showing his love by giving me his vengeance.

His look is chocked full of determination and unspoken love. Utterly convincing, it’s impossible to look away. My heart aches beneath his stare that’s filled with grief and regret.

Why would you give this to me? I blink away tears wanting to pour out of me. Why?

Because it’s the only gift, I’m giving you to destroy.

My lids close and the weight builds and builds and builds. All the years of Drew driving my soul into the ground surface.

Strong and intense.

As if he was abusing me all over again.

I open my eyes and stare at the man who holds more evil inside of him than the devil.

Drew laughs, coughs and sputters a malevolent sound. His good arm is tugging against Cade’s legs that are wrapped around his neck. Feet and legs thrashing and stirring up the bloody snow. He freezes when his eyes fix on mine.

“Come on, pick up the gun or the knife and kill me, Ivy. I dare you. You’ll be handcuffed to the bed while they stitch you up. Little miss innocent and deceiving will spend her life in prison.” A glacial grin ticks up at the corner of his mouth.

I won’t touch that knife or another one ever again in my life.

Fear blares inside my head so loudly I can hear it deafening my ears. “You expect me to believe Cade’s friends haven’t killed your men already? Your threats won’t work on me anymore, Drew. You have nothing left but death. If you had anyone alive out there, they would have already put a bullet through Cade to save your ass.” I might have been a scared woman before. I’m not anymore.

“He might have had men here; I’ll guarantee every one of them are dead and on their way to never be found. I think I told you I had brothers who would have my back. Let me mention you committed a crime on Roan Diamond’s property. The man doesn’t take kindly to people crossing him. Ivy, do you remember reading a story about a family being murdered in their home by a fire, and the only survivor was the oldest child? He went on to collect millions from life insurance. I came up with a plan on how you can kill your husband and get away with it. Pick up the gun and pull the trigger, baby, and I’ll fill you in.” Tears fall, and I wobble a smile. Cade’s words are the last bit of strength I need.

I’m delirious and confused, but I notice the second reality creases Drew’s brow before his eyes go wide.

I take in the snow coming down. The purity of the flakes promising something new. A sign of strength. A representation of a fresh start for Cade and me.

Laughter slips from my mouth when a cold gust of wind blasts through my body. “Whatever should I do with all the money my dead husband is leaving me? Cars, a mansion on top of a hill. His business. I’ll own it all.” I don’t want a dime of it. I won’t share that with Drew though.

“Fuck you, Ivy.”

“No thank you. I have a man who gets me off just fine. He does it so well that he’ll be inside of me before you hit the depths of hell. You’re not so tough now, are you? I told you there’d come a time when I’d get a chance to kill you, Drew. Thanks to the man I love, I’ve been given a choice. Do you know how long I have waited for today? A long time. I’ve loved Cade ever since I can remember, and you took him from me, and now you’re going to pay. Not only for that but for what you did to him. To your family. How does it feel to be helpless? To wonder when you're going to die?”

I drag myself the rest of the way up. Grab my gun that glistens in the snow like a symbol of hope. Hope I never thought I’d have.

I won’t hate myself for drawing his last breath. What I do despise is doing it here. Over the top of his family’s grave. But he’s the one who brought me here. He’s the one who copied a killer and committed the worst kind of crime.

“Look at you standing there. You don’t have the guts to kill me, Ivy. You're weak. Pathetic. How many years did you let me take from you? Too many to turn you into a killer. Too many for you to forget.”

I swipe at my bleary eyes. My legs are weak, my arm is throbbing, my face is swollen, and my vision is blurred, to say the least.

I edge forward, boots crunching in the snow.

I gulp down the bile that threatens to rise in my throat, the fear this crazy man has put me through threatens to bring me to my knees. I did it for so long when I stared into his vile and wretched eyes that my legs wobble to fall.

Not this time. Not ever again.

Black energy trembles through me.

Dark and sinister.

Powerful and fierce and wanted.

Warmth skids down my spine.

Tremors roll as my conscience opens wide, my pulse fluttering, ease of comfort soothing across my skin.

I puff out a white clouded breath and slowly tilt my head toward Cade.

Pulled.

Those black eyes are giving me a choice to pull the trigger. To do it fast so he can tend to my wounds. Protect me and become my savior.

I blink myself away from his soothing face and turn my attention to the man who is turning blue from lack of oxygen to his messed up brain.

“Wrong, asshole. After tonight the memory of you, and everything you’ve done is as dead as you are.”

I pull the trigger hitting my target dead center in his cold hollow heart.