It All Started With Hate

lock | part 2 (e)

My dad took a step back, dragging me with him. "That was your first mistake, amongst many." His grip tightened around my neck, despite my nails digging into his skin. "You fell for her. You helped her. You nearly lost your life today for her—"

"And, I'd do it again, a million fucking times over," Luke stated, turning the safety of his gun off. When he saw my dad intentionally dig into my injured rib, his anger flared. "Let her go."

"I can't do that. Not after what she put me through. This is all I have left after what you did today. If you shoot me, then she goes right down with me," he hissed. I whimpered as he applied more pressure to his arm. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Luke. She was never going to make it out. Not with the debt she owes."

Luke clenched his jaw, muscle ticking. "Maggie, baby, look at me, okay?" His voice gentled, meant only for me. It drew me in before anything else, "I need you to look at me, yeah?"

I nodded, keeping my eyes locked on his, finding solace in them. They were the place I could always return to when I thought I was lost.

"It's gonna be okay." He nodded with reassuring sincerity, and despite the anger in his eyes, softness pushed all else aside for me. "I'm not gonna let shit happen to you, do you hear me?"

I nodded frantically, keeping our gazes locked together. His own gathered mine in a reassuring hug that I recognized as true.

"As sentimental as that was..." my father's voice sent a shiver down my spine. It was as haunting as it had been a decade ago, and it managed to waver my peace all over again. "I hope that you weren't stupid enough to believe him, Maggie."

Luke took another step closer, but it was the same one my dad took toward the door.

"How about this?" he continued, tightening his grip around my neck. "You stay here. You let her and I leave in peace. I take Maggie, and—"

"I'll empty a round into you before you even touch that front door with Maggie still in your arms, Owen," Luke bit out, anger seething in his voice. His grip remained unyielding. "Try it."

"Come on, damn it," my dad hissed, voice laced with plea and annoyance. "We can pretend that none of this shit even happened. You can be free. Doesn't that sound good?" I saw his grip tighten around the gun. "You'll—"

"Norris," I heard Luke call to me, ignoring my dad. "Let me see you again, beautiful."

My glistening eyes opened, finding his.

His eyes stayed locked on mine, determination blazing. "Do you remember our first fight here? How you knocked me back on my ass with that ice pack after I pissed you off?" His chuckle was small, and he nodded encouragingly with a smile that I knew, from one look, was much more. "I need you to think real hard about it for me, yeah? About what we fought about."

I stared at him, confusion knitting my brows. My head was too fucked to get it right away, but all of my memories with him never got too far.

It took only a second more before I made the realization.

Luke noticed the shift in my face and took a step closer. "That's my girl." Nodding in approval, he continued, "You remember it too, don't you, baby?"

I quickly nodded, recognizing the significance.

With a nod, Luke's eyes turned to me, then to my dad's side, and flicked his head. It was a swift, silent signal.

"This shit never had to be this big. It was never supposed to be this big, but it's over. I've won. I always win," my father sneered, completely oblivious to Luke and my side conversation. He jerked me again. "You know what? I'm done with the deals. I'm either taking her, or I'm taking her life. There is no in-between—"