Lady and the Hitman (fallen tales series)

Chapter 55

Chapter 55
Lilly
I sat at my desk, looking out my bedroom window. Pa had only just got home without Marcus. He said that Marcus had to check on something but didn't know what. I tried not to focus on it and decided just to focus on how happy I was.
The charges have been dropped. If that wasn't something to celebrate than what was.
Crash!
I jumped at the sound of the clatter from down stairs. My other senses were on alert and I swear I could hear muffled sounds. Like someone was trying to yell but their voice was cut off.
With shaky legs, I made my way out of my room. Everything looked the same. No photo frames out of place, no sign of human life.
Bang!
I jumped at the sound of pots hitting the ground. What was going on down there?
I was cautious as I slowly walked down the stairs, trying hard not to make a sound. My heart started to pound and I felt the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
As I got closer to the kitchen, I could hear the muffles of my parents and sister. Carefully, I nudge the door opened just a little. From where I stood, I could see that they were tied to chairs and had gags in their mouths and so were Bonnie and Giles. A dark figure came in front of my view and I had to cover my hand over my mouth to stop from yelping.
Isaac was here. He was here.
I needed to find Marcus.
Biting my lip, I backed away from the kitchen door and turned towards the front door. With my spend gaining, I had almost made it. I had turned my head back for a second to see if I was being followed when I ran into something.
It was harder than a wall and didn't feel like one either. I bit my lip even harder, taking a step back to look at the thing that I had ran into. A stern face stared back at me making my hands start to shake. Before I could even scream, he had his hand around me and the other on my mouth. I found myself screaming as I struggled against his grip, but there was no use. He was stronger than me and I believed that if he tried hard enough, I could break my bones. My screams grew louder as I realized where he was taking me to. The kitchen.
The door opened for him and I was shown the full scale of what had happened. One man, stood in the kitchen making a mess. Another two, stood around my family. My mouth was stolen from me when I spotted Isaac, sitting in a dinning chair by the window. I let out a cry when I spotted the axe that he held in his hands. He was sharpening it. The thought was enough to make me vomit.
"Now, now Curt, play nice."
Curt groaned behind me, before he dropped me to the ground. The sudden shock made my legs go weak and I found myself on the floor. I heard cries from my family knowing that they were probably more worried about me than themselves, but I knew that this was only that start of what Isaac had in plan for me.
I felt hands under my arms and before I realized I was on my feet again. I felt exposed as Isaac's eyes looked me up and down as a grin spread across his face.
"I can see why Marcus keeps you around," my eyes narrowed at him making his grin spread, "Oh yes, I see."
"If that's what you're here for, then you've waisted your time. Marcus isn't here, hasn't been since the day he was arrested," I lied.
"Oh Lilly, come on," he groaned, "I've been doing house calls for a while, the he's not here speech, gets a little old."
I swallowed, not knowing what else to do.
"He might not be here now, but he will be back. I thought we would play a little game while we wait."
My heart started to pound at the idea. I didn't want to play his games and I didn't want to be a part of his sick twisted mind.
"I'm not playing –."
"Oh Pigeon," he sighed, standing, "Can I call you Pigeon?"
My lips had sealed shut, I couldn't even speak. I hated this guy and knew how dangerous he was, but he was acting like he was meeting a friend's girlfriend.
He took my silence as a yes, and turned my body so that I faced my family instead of him. It was only then that I spotted the axes in the other men's hands. And they were pointed at my family.
"Do you want to do this the hard way?" he whisper in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
I felt tears come to my eyes feeling like I didn't have a choice.
Swallowing the fear, I asked, "What's the game?"
"Hide-and-go-seek."
Everything went black.

Marcus
When I got back, it was complete silent. There was no cries from Joseph, no complaining from Charlotte and no sound of Lilly's sweet voice.
I walked down the hall feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. My gut was tell me to go to the kitchen. Because the kitchen was also the dining room. With tight fists, I opened the door. I held a poker face, trying to not to make what I saw affect me. Five bodies were tied to chairs, but it was only the three of them that I really cared about. Jim's head hung low and his eyes were closed. I fought every urge in my body it check if he was breathing, but I didn't. Dara and Charlotte looked at me in hope knowing that they expecting me to save them. I hated disappointing people.
My eyes landed on the men that surrounded my family. Colin, Logan and Owen.
My jaw tighten and my fists harden as theirs did the same. I was out numbered but with the burning fire at the pit of my stomach, I believed that I could take them. Until I stopped what they held in their hands. Axes.
Oh the irony.
But then I froze.
My mouth tasted like copper.
My heart started to pound.
"Where's Lilly?" I asked not recognising my own voice.
"She's with Isaac," Curt told me.
The fire began to spread.
"Where?"
He shrugged, "that's not the point of the game, Marcus."
I swallowed as my hands started to shake. I had to find them.
Knowing that Lilly was in danger, I stormed out of the kitchen, ignoring the helpless cries from Dara and Charlotte.
I forced every horrible thought out of my brain and tried to focus. I tried to remember what I did to keep me focus before an attack.
Focus on your breathing I told myself as I went into my room.
Make your body go numb
I through all my clothes out of my bag trying to look for it.
Slow down your breathing
Where the hell was it! This was so frustrating. After the cops came, I had hidden it, but now I couldn't remember where it was.
Calm down
My hands started to shake with anger.
Remember where you put it.
If I couldn't find it, I maze well give up now.
Focus on your breathing.
Lilly was going to die.
I froze. It hit me like a lighten bolt. Of course, I had been wasting time but of course I had hidden it in there. Running out of my room, I quickly found my way into Lilly's. It took me ten seconds to put my hand under Lilly's pillow and pull out the Colt Anaconda that I had hidden there a couple of days ago.
Now I head a weapon. All I needed was a target.
I stormed out of the room, calmer than when I walked in. Cold air hit my face just as I hit the stairs making me stop. There were no windows around me and yet I could feel a cold breeze down the back of my shirt.
I frowned and lock up. A little door sat, slightly opened, on the roof allowing the late autumn breeze in. This house had an attic and by the looks of things, the door had been opened recently. Very recently.
I pulled down the latch and stepped back when a ladder folded out from it. Sticking the colt in the waistband of my jeans, I climbed the way to the top.
I heard a gasped before I heard, "Do you hear that Pigeon, I told you he would find us."
My jaw tighten at the sound of Isaac's voice but I forced myself to calm down as I climbed the last bit into the roof. If Lilly was going to get out of here alive, I needed to be smart. Isaac wasn't Jeremy Fisher. He was worse.
The roof was low so I couldn't straighten up fully without hitting my head and I had to watch my step as I walked so that I didn't trip over the unsteady floor. My heart caught into my throat when I saw the sight I saw.
Lilly's face was stained with tears and blood dripped from her hairline and already a bruise was starting to from. Curt held her to the ground with an axe to her throat but nothing was stopping her from screaming. Which meant that they were using her family as a way to make her behave.
Oh the irony.
Coming from behind the two of them, Isaac appeared. His eyes were darker than I had ever seen them and I knew that one of us would have to die tonight.
"Let her go, Isaac," I told him, keeping my distances.
"Oh Marcus," he sighed, "Aren't you getting tired of the same speech? Let her go, I'll go with you."
He chuckled at himself making my fists tighten.
"We've already done this and you couldn't play nice, could you?"
"I didn't want this!" I yelled feeling frustrated.
"But you got it!" he yelled back, "You knew what you were getting into, long before it hit you in the face. It is not my fault you didn't read the fine print."
He began to pace in front of me, making my eyes follow him.
"Fine, but this has nothing to do with her!"
"This has everything you do with her!" he yelled making his way over to Lilly.
I stepped forward when I watched him take a lock of hair in his fingertips, "from the moment you met her, it had involved her. every time you kissed her, every time you slept with her, every time you said I love. She was building a picture of a future with you in her head. So anything that happens here tonight affects her."
I let my eyes look into her eyes. I felt just as hopeless as she looked. Feeling like I couldn't do anything else, I just mouthed, "I love you."
A fresh bunch of tears fell from her eyes as she nodded. I never wanted this for her.
Isaac's sigh got my attention again, as he took the axe from Curt in his hands.
"But if it has really nothing to do with her, then..." my eyes widen as I saw him bring the axe back.
Ignoring my pounding heart, I took out the colt and aim it at Isaac. He froze at the click when I loaded it.
"Drop the axe," I ordered.
He chuckled as if he didn't believe me which made my anger for the man grow.
"Drop the axe, Isaac!" I ordered again, stepping forward.
He did as I told, knowing that I now meant business. He had threatened my little lady for the last time.
"Your right Isaac, it does involve her. But this is between you and me, and I want some answers."
He turned to face me finding this very amusing. He shrugged, gesturing for me to ask away.
"Tell, Curt to take Lilly to her family."
Isaac was still for a moment, seeing if I was being serious but did as I asked. Curt took Lilly's arm in his hand and pushed her towards the trap door. I waited till they had left before I started.
"So that kid, was he really your nephew?" I asked.
He shrugged, "A kid that I found off the streets. He did his duty well."
"He was just a kid!"
"He was nothing! But it shows just how much you've mellowed."
I swallowed. I suppose he was right.
"Why is this so important to you? Why not get on with your own life?" I asked.
"Because Marcus, I wasn't an Heir or an estate owner like the rest of you. Fisher found me in a puddle of my own vomit and made me everything that I was. He chose me and I own him more than any of you lot."
I tried not to feel sorry for him. That's what he wanted.
"Why keep me around?" I asked next, "Why was it so important for me to stay?"
"Because Marcus, you burnt off your tattoo! Do you have any idea what you could be capable off? How powerful you could be? I couldn't let you go without a fight."
"And this is what you're doing? This is you fighting for me?"
"I like to think of it as giving you one last chance before I kill everything that you love, starting with your lady."
My grip tightened around the gun.
"We both know that both of us aren't going to get out of here alive, Marcus."
I already knew that. That's why I never said anything about my safety.
"I know. But you will not threaten me, you will not threaten my family."
He stepped back, surprised, "your family, since when?"
"Since now."
In three simple steps, I tucked the gun into my jeans and, through my fist, hitting him in the face. Isaac fell to the ground, holding his cheek as I retreated for the ladder. Ignoring the pain in my hand, I scrambled down, almost tripping when I got to the stairs. The ladder started to shake and I knew that Isaac was coming down. Not looking back, I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Before I had even opened the door, I held the colt out, ready to fire. Charlotte and Dara gave a cry when they saw the gun bringing it to the attention of their captives. My eyes found Lilly who sat on the floor by her mother's feet. A smile appeared on her face when she saw me, but I knew she was frighten.
"Don't be stupid Marcus," Owen told me, stepping forward, bringing my attention to the four of them that stood around my family.
"Don't you dare tell me what to do," I warned, "Not when I'm not the only one that has a family to protect."
I saw the fear that had spread across his face. Thanks to Peg, I now held cards to scare them away.
Charlotte's screams made me flinch when it came out of nowhere. Everyone's gaze was to the door behind be but it wasn't till I saw the horror in Lilly's eyes that I turned around.
Isaac stood a couple of feet away from me. With Joseph in his arm. The way his eyes peered upon him made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Joseph looked around the room, obvious that he was being held by a monster.
"Put him down, Isaac," I ordered, aiming the gun at him.
"I always wanted a son, someone I can teach," he stated, still looking at Joseph.
"You had your son, but you blew up him."
Isaac lifted his head to meet my eyes, then tilted it, "Put the gun away, Marcus."
My grip tightened.
"Drop the gun, Marcus! Or baby Joseph gets it."
Charlotte screamed again and I knew just shooting Isaac wasn't an option.
"Give him to Lilly and then I'll drop the gun," I told me.
Isaac paused, thinking about my terms and conditions but finally held him out. I heard Lilly stand and run over to take him. My eyes were glued to hers as she gentle rocked him in her arms though he wasn't crying. Now it was my part. Keeping my eyes on Isaac's, I lower my body to the ground and gentle placed the colt down before returning to my feet.
"Your pathetic, Marcus," he told me, "The kid isn't even related to you and yet you throw away your only weapon."
"It wasn't my only weapon," I told him, making him frown.
I raised my fists in front of my face winning an evil chuckle from him.
"Come on Marcus, a fist fight, really?" he chuckled.
"You scared to get your face bruised?" I asked.
He chuckled again but sighed. He pulled out his fists like I had done and narrowed his eyes. I took a deep breath readying myself for him.
When he through the first punch, I ducked and ran at his stomach. I hit him three times there till I started getting blows to my head. My legs buckled beneath making me crumble to the ground. The hits to my jaw and cheek were like getting hit by lightning over and over. Lilly's screams were so loud that I could hear them over the ringing in my head.
"Stop! Stop, stop, stop!" she screamed, her voice cracking till it was unrecognisable.
The pain to my face stomach, and I felt the weight of Isaac leave my body. Finding the strength, I turned my head to where Lilly's screams were.
She stood, with Joseph still on her hip and the colt in her shaky hand.
"Pigeon," I said in a cautious tone, slowly moving to my feet.
When Isaac went to take a step forward, she screamed, "Don't move!"
Tears were streaming down her face and her whole body was shaking.
With my hands held high, I slowly took a step towards her.
"Lilly, don't do this," I told her.
"He deserves to die," she struggle to say through her tears, "He threaten my family, he blew up your home, he kidnapped me, tortured me, forced you to join the group again and forced you to stay away from me. He deserves to die."
"Yes he does," I was close enough to her that I could touch her.
Running my hand up her back to her neck, I brought my lips to the side of her head. Slowly with my other hand, I lower her arms and slipped the colt back into my hands and out of hers. She broke down in tears, and wrapped her free arm around me as I did the same. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to calm my thoughts.
As fast as lightening, my hand shot up, aiming the gun at Colin.
"Curt, you have ten seconds to get out of here or I'm shooting your brother," I warned.
"You have could to be –."
"9...8...7...6..."
I continued to count till I heard Curt walk out of the room and down the hall. My eyes turned to Colin and I tilted my head, suggesting that he should leave. He nodded and ran after his brother.
My aim turned to Owen and Logan, who were standing close together.
"You now have ten seconds to leave or I'm hunting down your so called secret families and show them the same treatment my family have reserved tonight."
They shared uneasy looks before running out the same way they came.
My aim turned to Isaac.
"Great friends you got there Isaac. You should be careful of who you can trust."
He scoffed, "Those idiots were nothing."
"I wasn't talking about them," his eyes narrowed, "A friend of yours was only too happy to tell about your groups weaknesses."
"You're lying –."
"I'm not. You have to be careful about the women you hirer, they don't always like to be messed around with. Especially the psychic ones."
Anger spread across his face like a wild fire. His eyes narrowed and grew darker than I had ever seen them. But I couldn't stop there.
"You see, I wasn't the only one in the group that had changed for someone and I wasn't the only one eager to leave. You've got no one, Isaac."
"I have everyone!" he yelled.
"No you don't! When you got us out of jail, everyone decided to turn their lives around and start again, you didn't. You stayed the same. You are nothing but a filthy street rat."
His eyes narrowed as he started to growl.
"I will kill you!" he yelled, but his threats were meaning less to me.
"You have threatened me for the last time!"
Sirens from outside echoed through the house making hope come to everyone. Isaac's eyes were filled with fear and anger as he looked back at me.
"Not anymore."
I thought he would run at me or at least try and take the gun. But instead, he bolted for the door.
The old me, would have gone after me him. The old me would have shot him where he stood. But I wasn't the man anymore.
Instead, I dropped to my knees and started to untie Charlotte. When I had finished, she stood and for a second I thought she would slap me. But she did something strange. Before I could even process what was happening, she had wrapped her arms around me.
"Thank you," her voice was almost a whisper.
She let go then turned toward Lilly and hugged her. I smiled and started to untie the rest of the family.
There were cheers of relief and laughter as everyone rejoiced. Jim took Dara in his arms as they shared a kiss or two. Charlotte hugged a crying Joseph as he swaying in her arms. Bonnie and Giles hugged each other to, probably regretting working here. Out of the commotion, Lilly found me.
I cupped her nap and forced her lips onto mine. Her fingers tugged at my hair as I held her in my arms. No way was I letting go.
"I love you," she whispered against my lips.
"I love you too."
"I'm going to have night terrors for weeks," she told me making me smile and she nuzzled her head in my chest.
"It's okay, I'm not going to leave you. Not ever."