Brandon Stevens' Pauper Princess | Book I |

Chapter 32

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Brandon's POV

I had never been scared in my whole life, but when I saw Hannah bled and passed out I feared to lose the woman who's been the reason I wanted to live a longer life. . .

The reason why I breathed, why I woke up each morning, why I went home at night, why I chose to lead a better life. . .

The woman who made me smile, who believed that I was a good man and most of all . . .

The woman who taught me how to love. . .

If I lost her, I would choose to die with her. But if she lived, I promised to let her go, to let her find the man she deserved, the man unlike me who could give her the love, the comfort, joy, and safety I failed to give her.

I wished for her happiness. . .

And I was ready to give her the happiness left in me. . .

"Son! My God!" Rebecca's frantic voice came as she rushed toward me with Johnson and Gina. She pulled me to her bosom and I felt her trembling nerves as she inspected my maimed physique.

"You ought to be treated now! You have bruises!!"

But I was deaf of her worries, in my head there's only Hannah.

"Where's my princess?!" Johnson shook me sharply as he grabbed my collar, shaking me to sanity but I couldn't bring myself to speak, there's a lump in my throat that prevented me from giving an answer, my eyes distant, my head fogged and wandered somewhere else.

I glanced about, staring at their faces in haze. There's a wild ringing in my ears, a maddening pain in my heart that I felt like dying.

"Get your hand off my son!" Rebecca demanded shoving Johnson aside and talked to me instead.

"W—where's Hannah? Is she alright?"

I shook my head, and I felt a lone tear trickled down my cheek. I sank down the immaculate floor of the hallway of the hospital, and pulled my knees to my aching ribs. I propped my arms in either bent knees and succumbed in a sudden rush of agony. I raked my fingers through my hair in desperation.

"She's..she's being treated. . . She's bleeding mother. . . I—I can't lose her," I stuttered and Rebecca knelt beside me and comforted me around her arms.

"Hush now, honey, she'll be alright, you did everything. ." She pulled my head to her chest and soothingly stroked my back. Then there was Jeremy bolting toward us.

"Are you alright cousin?" Jeremy crouched beside me. "Those bastards will pay for this!"

"They already did, I killed them." I breathed and there was silence from all of them. The cops arrived too late, I already drew my gun after I laid Hannah on the ground and like a lunatic I shot the Collins brothers in the head.

Suddenly the silence turned into a ruckus when the doctor stepped out of the room. My knees turned into a jelly as I dreaded what I was about to hear. My stomach churned, twisted into knots, anticipating.

I was on my feet, fighting against the trembling knees, and I shouldered my way to the doctor who's forehead was beaded with perspiration, his face lined with anxiety. It shouldn't be bad news. Please.

"Mr. Stevens?"

"Yes," My pulses began to race, I felt Rebecca's hand over my shoulder and it somehow strengthened me.

He hesitated for a moment and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry but we were able to save only one life. . your wife had lost a lot of blood making it impossible to save the child,"