“I doubt I ever will, Father.”
And as she had practiced so many times in hiding with Bea, Deva twisted and grabbed the gun from her father’s hand before pivoting and using the butt of the gun to crack the goon’s nose who quickly folded to the ground. The man howled, and blood gushed, but she was now standing in front of the man who called himself her father, gun pointed at his face.
“On your knees.”
The expression of utter surprise on her father’s face didn’t remain for long, as rage twisted his features.
“Bitch!”
“I said on your knees. You will learn what it feels like to crawl, Daddy.”
He made a move toward her, and she fired. It was unconscious, or maybe it wasn’t, but she didn’t aim for body mass and instead the bullet hit his thigh.
The howl of pain reverberated throughout the gym, and Deva froze. Not from what she had done, but to whom. Her hand was steady enough for not having shot a gun in so many years. And part of her wanted to pull the trigger again. And again.
Still standing, her father held his thigh. His second in command started to move, and she kicked him in the balls.
“I said kneel!”
“You are fucking insane!” Her father spewed in her direction.
And she fired again in his calf. This time, the older man fell forward, and Deva still aimed. It was as if it wasn’t enough.
“I should keep firing, destroy that leg of yours and let you bleed to death, like Johnny.”
Mex heaved trying to staunch the flow with both hands. “My son died when he stepped on a mine serving his country.”
“My brother died fleeing the life you had forced him into! And I won’t make the same mistake.”
As she aimed at her father’s head, something caught her eye, and Aleksei appeared in her line of vision.
“Deva, stop. We need to go.”
A racket came from the front door, she didn’t have the chance to answer him as he pulled her backward.
Faint noises became gun shots as they turned, heading for the back door. Before they left, Deva risked one last glance back, and she only saw rage on Mex’s face. That was one door she hoped was closed for good.
