Free Endurance (Heart of Stone) by D H Sidebottom Page B

the gun to Vickie’s head,
“I actually loved you. You have been my friend for the last eight years, our
kids grew up together. We holidayed together and we helped each other through
the shit, Vic.”
    Vickie nodded and smiled as a tear slid from her eye,
“The feelings mutual, love.” She gave Ava a firm final nod and then closed her
eyes.
    I watched as the hole ripped through her forehead and the
bullet refused to make a reappearance through the back of her skull. My wife
was getting better at her skills. She was learning where to aim to get maximum
carnage from the shot.
    She turned and gave her customary explosion of vomit on
the concrete floor. I sighed, would she ever not vomit each time she ended
someone?
    “Come on, baby.” I whispered as I slid my hand over hers
and pulled her against me. She sagged and sobbed into me as her arms held onto
me with near desperation. “It’s okay, I’ll make sure Etta’s sorted, I promise.”
    She nodded against me but then peered up at me, “But…
with what Vickie said, she’ll just take over the running of the family
business.”
    I smirked at her, “Not where she’s going.”
    She reeled back and stared at me, “What? Why, where’s she
going?”
    I laughed at the image in my head, “Well let’s just say
our friendly bondage expert is gonna keep her tied up for a while.”
    Her mouth dropped open as her eyes widened, “You’re
sending her to live with Kade and Grace?”
    “Yep,” I grinned. “I doubt she’ll cause trouble for Grace
and if she does, Kade will soon have her strapped up or Grace will drill some
obedience into her.”
    I watched the many emotions cross her face but eventually
understanding took over with a slight hint at humour. “Dear God” She chuckled
as the same visions I was having assaulted her. “Yeah, I think that’ll work.”
    “Come on,” I tugged on her hand. “I’m hungry, feed me
wench.”
    She snorted and gave me a disbelieving shake of her head.
“There’s only you that can eat after watching someone’s brains splatter the
wall.”
    “Hey!” I chastised, “You did well, baby. No mess this
time. I’m proud of you.”
    She beamed up at me and gave a small proud shrug of her
shoulders, “Yeah, I hoped you noticed.”
    “I did,” I confirmed with pride at my little warrior as I
kissed the top of her head and led her to the house.
     

Chapter 15
Ava
     
    We were both laughing loudly as we fell through the front
door of the house, Mason attempting to cheer me up with small tickles and prods
on my backside. He slammed into my back when I came to an abrupt halt at the
sight before me.
    Nate stood silently with a forlorn expression on his face,
Liv beside him with her face downcast, staring at the pattern on the carpet but
it wasn’t them I couldn’t tear my eyes from. It was the three suitcases planted
on the floor beside George.
    I knew before he opened his mouth that he was leaving and
I whimpered as my soul ripped from inside me in preparation to leave with him.
    He looked at me, a haunted appearance marring his
handsome face. A tear slipped free and the sight of it finally broke me.
“George, please…”
    He shook his head angrily, but I knew it was his way of
coping; his father was the same. “I can’t do this anymore, Mom. He’s…” His
voice broke as he pointed at Mason, “He’s dangerous. Everything within range of
him shrivels and dies, you included.”
    “No, sweetheart,” I urged as I hurried towards him and
took his hands, gripping onto them too tightly but unable to let go. “No.”
    “Yes,” he hissed as his fury surfaced. He grabbed at my
arms and spun me around until I was facing the mirror, his dark eyes looking
back at mine in the reflection. “Look at you. Look what he does.”
    I tried to close my eyes but he shook me, “Mom, look at
yourself.”
    “This wasn’t him, George. This was…”
    “NO!” He bellowed in my ear, making me jump with the
severity of it. “This is the