Page 58 of Gunner

“Give me the baby, Carmine.”

Carmine looked at the child with a glint of evil in his eye, and she wondered how in hell she’d ever thought he was handsome. The malice practically emanated from his black soul.

“What, this baby?” He made a show of dropping Deacon which made the baby cry and she jumped forward to try and catch him. Bile rose in her throat as she tried to keep the terror at bay.

“Just give him to me and we can leave. Go someplace quiet and talk.”

“Yes, I want to talk. To make you understand how much you hurt me.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you.”

He cocked his head. “No, but you will be.”

Lacey had never been so frightened in her life, but she had to keep it together, or baby Deacon and Roz would die.

“Here take that rope and tie that bitch up.” Lacey did as Carmine instructed, not making the knots as tight as she could, sensing Roz was coming around and would be able to save Deacon at least.

“Now put the brat in the crib and walk towards me.”

Lacey cradled Deacon close, kissing his downy head and muttering a quick prayer that his crying wouldn’t wake the girls. Placing him in the cot, she moved towards Carmine.

He grabbed her hair and hauled her forward, kissing her roughly, biting her lip until she tasted blood and grabbing her breast hard, pinching her nipple.

“Feel that beautiful. You still want me.” Lacey was using all her skills to keep from puking on his Italian leather shoes. Carmine lifted his hand, and she saw the gun coming at her head but couldn’t stop it as pain exploded in her eye and the world went black.