Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
When she makes it to him, he reaches for her. She doesn’t reach back.
I should wait, should give the scene more time so that no one notices when I step from the pew and start shit. But I don’t. The thought of him even touching my Charlie makes pure rage pump through my heart, and I have to move. Now.
Pulling my gun, I take a few steps to get me past the rows of women, then I aim for the Prophet.
Someone yells. I ignore them and pull the trigger. He falls to his knees as I advance, my gun still up as Jacob throws up his hands to protect himself.
I’m tackled from the side, the impact knocking the wind out of me as the entire church erupts in screams. The man tries to roll me beneath him, but I use his momentum against him and come out on top. I bring the butt of the gun down on his face, breaking his nose as he screams.
I shove off him in time to see Jacob running out of the sanctuary and dragging Charlie with him. “Stop!” I hurdle the Prophet’s body, wishing I could kick him one good time, but not having a moment to spare.
Gunfire rings out behind me, wood splintering as I dash through the doors. Once there, I turn and grab a wrought iron chair, then ram the legs through the handles.
“Let her go!” I turn back to Jacob and run straight for him and Charlie.
“Get back!” he screams and pulls a knife, holding it to Charlie’s throat as he hangs on to her waist.
“Jacob!” Joanna stands a few paces away. “Don’t!”
Charlie struggles.
“I’ll cut you, bitch!” he screams.
“Charlie, it’s okay,” I call. “It’s okay.”
Her teary eyes meet mine.
“Just go easy.” I glance to the blade at her neck.
“Jacob, let her go. You can’t–”
“Shut up!” he yells at her, then drags Charlie a few more steps back. “I never should’ve listened to you. A fucking woman! You don’t know shit.”
“You little shit! I’m the one who brought you this whole plan. The money, the wives, the–”
“Shut your stupid mouth!” he bellows.
I’ve been creeping closer the whole time.
“Put the gun down!” He points the knife at me, then returns it to Charlie’s throat.
“All right. Just don’t hurt her.” I hold the gun up in my palm and slowly lower myself to my knees.
“Jacob, I’m begging you. Stop this. We can fix–”
“My father is dead because of you!”
“That makes you Prophet now. Don’t you see? This is a stroke of luck. As your wife, I–”
“I was never going to marry you!” He laughs, high and ugly. “You think I want a barren old hag when I can have my pick of all the virgins here? I could have as much teen pussy as I want. You were never going to be my wife.”
Joanna lets out an inhuman scream and rushes him, her claws out. I pop up as soon as she starts moving. Jacob yells and backs away, momentarily forgetting about Charlie.
I fire right as Joanna reaches him. They fall in a pile as I run to Charlie and scoop her into my arms, backing away as Joanna falls to the side, Jacob’s blade in her chest. He’s dead from my bullet, his face in the dirt.
“Mom!” Charlie screams.
Men shout, and they’re hitting the church door harder now. It won’t be long until they break free.
“Hold on to me.” I sprint around the building, heading straight to the parking lot.
Charlie cries, but her grip stays tight as I carry her away from this horrible fucking place.
As we get to the cars, two men pop out of the glass door, assault rifles drawn. They start firing, and I duck behind an SUV.
“We’re trapped.” Charlie sniffles.
A siren begins to wail, the sound weaving into the gunfire that suddenly drops.
Charlie looks at me, her watery eyes wide.
“I called the feds.” I kiss her, then rise and carry her to my car, gently putting her in the back, then getting behind the wheel. “The men will scatter like rats, but they’ll leave the women and children.”
Four FBI vans race past and pull up to the glass doors. Men begin unloading, all of them in riot gear. Once I’m certain no one else is coming, I floor it in reverse, then tear from the parking lot, my Charlie safe with me, and the entire corrupt shithole crawling with feds.
It’s late into the night as Edith listens raptly while Charlie and I tell her what happened. She even stops knitting, Dudley sitting in her lap as he regards us.
When we’re done, Edith takes Charlie’s hands in hers. “I’m sorry. I never liked Joanna. I can’t deny that, but I’m sorry she got caught up in this mess, and I’m sorry it led to her death like that.”
Charlie nods, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Me too. It’s going to take time for me to …”