183 days of revenge

pte

Everythi

ed at the ceiling. The house was too quiet-the kind of quiet that made he

hould have be

r father's number. It rang once, then we

. She sat up, chewing on he

a charity ceremony for their company earlier that evening. She had stayed hom

d the blanket tightly. So

......

e, laughing at a joke Sammy had just made. His wife,

scrolling through his phone. Alice, twelve, was humming a song in t

was peaceful-u

ng their path from all directions. Before Raymond could react

rabbed her by the hair, dragging her out. The childre

a punch, but a gun slammed against his cheek.

s blindfolds were for

hurt my babies!

uckle. "Sh

p echoed in

g him, heart hammering in his chest. "P

being shoved into a vehicle was

ch of gasoline and old metal. Raymond and Clara were

hing they s

r stood there in a crisp black suit, hands

Raymond's v

wide with betrayal. "No

. "I know this is a shock, brother. But let's not

d furiously. "You're

And I've been in your s

raw. "I made you my partner! I trusted you!"

me own it." He crouched in front of Raymond. "You see, brother

. "Please, Josh. We're famil

ispering coldly, "

de him. "You promised me, Josh! You pr

promised you'd treat me as an equal.

e. "What about our children? A

, Clara. Do you think I'm a monste

. "Then let them go! Pleas

up and pull

hest tighte

A

ody slump

ing to lunge at Josh,

A

ing wen

...

dled together, blindfolded and trembling. The

hard he tasted bl

shoulder. Sammy clun

door cre

tst

ice. "Onl

fourth one wasn

Then Josh

.El

ened. "El

rned to

"Sir, what do w

pau

held their br

y, Jos

l th

scream before the roo

a's

et, tears welling in h

e call but

the call

h's voice c

d. "Where's Daddy? Mom

e warehouse, wiping blood off his sleeve. H

ss, why are yo

aren't back yet. And I keep call

h the phone. "What? Since

I'm scared." He

worry, angel. I'm coming n

her stuffed rabbit t

all e

back into his pocket.

n thi

y-toward the one lo