Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Patrick

It's dark and stormy.

The wind howls through the city.

It's one of those kinds of nights you see in the movies where the person is walking through the rain on their way to kill someone.

Which is exactly how tonight is going to go. Except I'm driving my Range Rover. And I'm going to torture him first.

I've killed dozens of men in my lifetime. Not always because I wanted to but because I took a vow to my bloodline. I will always be loyal and protect those I love.

My family. The girls.

Ana .

So tonight, I can hardly wait to end Joseph Clayburn. I almost want to hang his head like a trophy in my office, but I don't want Anastasia to ever have to look at him again, so I won't.

Four men in two SUVs park behind me at the end of a road on one side of Clayburn's property. The five of us get out and gather at the back of my car to load up with supplies.

My men pull black masks over their faces and choose various guns, knives, tools, and gloves.

"See you soon," one of the men says as the four of them spread out in the thick tree line.

When their dark silhouettes disappear, I look at my watch, making a note of the time. Then I turn around and reach into one of the hidden compartments, grabbing a bottle of whiskey.

After this, I'm going to make Ana mine forever. She may not be ready to fuck me, but I'm not going another night without her in my bed. It's going to take time for her to trust me, but I'm done letting her do it from a distance.

As soon as five minutes pass, I recap the bottle and close the hatch. Then, I set out on my way for what will be a fun night.

It's pitch black out here, but I know exactly where I'm going. I've planned this meticulously. Every second I've been away from Ana these past two weeks has been spent perfecting every detail. Her father doesn't deserve this kind of time or attention, but avenging her does.

I move closer to the darkened house. My guys are long gone by now. It's just me, Joseph, and the two goons who seem to be his protection. Of course, those two assholes are taking a long nap right now, thanks to the injections one of my men gave them. Night night, boys.

The back door is unlocked for me, and when I let myself in, I move throughout the place like I live here. One good thing about working with an architect on my new house is that he was able to dig up the blueprints for Joseph's mansion easily.

When I get to the second landing, I head straight for Clayburn's bedroom and open the door. I don't make a single sound the entire time, and when I walk around to the side of his bed and lean over him, I'm silent.

"Time to wake up, asshole," I say right before I pistol-whip him on the forehead.

He gasps and struggles, flapping his arms in the air, but he can't see anything. I find his throat and put my hand around it, pressing him against the bed. I don't squeeze hard enough to make him pass out, though—I want him awake for this. He needs to be coherent so he can have as much fun as I'm going to. It's going to be a fucking blast.

Seconds tick by, and I wait. Then, right on cue, the lights turn on, and I smile down at him.

"Remember me?"

His eyes pop out, and he grabs at my wrist, trying to pull it away. "You made a deal!" he tries to shout breathlessly.

I pull out a knife and hold it just above his eye while keeping him pushed against the bed. "I made a deal that I'd take Ana in exchange for the money. I didn't make a deal that I wouldn't kill you for all the shit you put her through."

He tries to fight me, but I'm stronger and more skilled. This has been my life forever. It's in my blood.

"While I'm here, though, I do want to thank you," I say, lowering the knife closer to his cornea. "Thanks to you, I found the love of my life and my Little girl. I guess you did one thing right in your life. Too bad for you, the shit outweighs the good. It's time to play, Joseph."

* * *

My men are waiting for me when I return to my SUV. I'm tired and filthy, but I'm lighter than I have been in years.

"Finish him," I tell them as I go to the driver's side.

"Aye," one of them responds as they head back to work.

I spend the entire drive in silence. For once, my mind is even quiet. And when I pull into the underground parking garage, I can finally breathe. I'm home. Where she is. Where my heart belongs.

As badly as I want to wake her up and bring her into my room, I won't. She needs her sleep, and I need to wash all the dried blood from my hands and arms.

My shirt gets thrown into a garbage sack, along with my shoes and socks. Then I turn on the sink and soap up my skin.

That's when she gasps, and my head snaps to the doorway.

"Is that blood?" she asks.

I'm not going to lie to her. Relationships don't survive with dishonesty.

"Yes."

She glances from my face, back to my hands, and then rushes to me and wraps her arms around my waist, burying her face against my ribs.

"Oh, baby," I croon as I wash as quickly as possible so I can touch her.

"Did you kill him? My father?"

I stop breathing for a second. "Yes, Anastasia. I killed your father."

This could be it. The end of it. He may have been cruel to her, but he was still her family. Her only parent. The one constant she's ever had in her short life.

A loud sob escapes her, and I quickly turn and rest my back against the vanity, pulling her against me.

"I'm sorry, babygirl. I had to. I couldn't let him live."

She shakes her head and pulls away to look up at me, her eyes wet with tears. "I love you," she blurts.

I go still and stare at her, trying to make sure I heard her right. I did. She said she loves me.

"I love you, too, Anastasia. I think I have since the first time I saw you."

"He's really gone?" She looks so damn hopeful.

"Yeah, baby. He's gone for good."

We look at each other for a second before she throws her arms around me again. "Thank you, Daddy. Thank you."

A lump forms in my throat; it's so big I can't speak, so I don't. Instead, I hold her tightly and pray that I will make her the happiest woman in the world.

"You called me Daddy," I finally say.

She steps back, her cheeks flushed as she peers up at me. "Is that okay?"

I step toward her and cup her chin. "Yeah, babygirl. That's perfect."