Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 83100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
She listens for a little, then she trembles like a child in the cold. I stroke her cheek with my tiny fingers to make her feel warmer like she does to me.
Mammy is too focused on the phone as she whispers, “He knows. It won’t be long before he kills us.”
Her lips pale as she listens a wee more. I hate the one she’s speaking to because he’s making Mammy unhappy. I’m gonna punch him.
“What do you mean you’re attacking? That’s not what you promised. You said ye’ll help me get out of here. I need to leave. Ireland and the States aren’t safe for us anymore, and…”
She trails off when loud bangs erupt in the house.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
I flinch in her arms and Mammy holds me close, tears streaming down her cheeks as she speaks to the bad man on the phone. “I trusted ye, a Russian, over my own countrymen—how can ye do this to me?”
She doesn’t wait for a response as she shoves the phone in her pocket and runs. The pops are getting closer, like in the stories she told me while doing the sound effects.
Even though she’s trembling, she doesn’t stop until she reaches a small wall with no wires on top. She grabs my hands and winds them around her neck. “Hold on tight and don’t let go, Kyle.”
“Okay.”
She pushes my hair out of my face and smiles, but it’s filled with tears. “Ye’re such a good boy, sweetheart. Ye shouldn’t have been born into this world. I shouldn’t have brought ye into this chaos. Mammy is so sorry, but I’ll make it better.”
Mammy starts to climb the wall while I’m wrapped around her.
“Where do ye think ye’re going, Amy?”
Mammy gasps.
My head slowly follows the voice to stare at Daddy. His dark eyes shine in the night and blood trails down his knuckles ’cause he likes to punch people.
He looks like one of the angry men in that painting with angels.
Mammy hops down and holds me hard as she faces him. “Just let us go, Niall.”
“Let ya go where?”
I try to look at him, but she wraps a hand around my head to stop me, pushing my nose and mouth against her shoulder.
“Ye already know.”
“Already know what?”
“I just want to leave. We’re not safe!”
“Not safe? I gave ye everything. Everything. Ye were a nobody and I made something out of ye, and this is how ye repay me? Guess no one can change a whore, can they?”
“Don’t say those words in front of Kyle,” she whispers. “At least respect me in front of him.”
“Did ye respect me? Did ye fucking think of me?” he roars. “Take him, Luke.”
“Nooo,” Mammy shrieks as Luke snatches me from her.
I try to hold on to her with all my might, but Luke wrenches me with steel-like arms. Her hits and shrieks fall on deaf ears. I try to bite him, but he doesn’t even wince in pain.
“Mammy!” Tears fall down my cheeks and I wipe them with the back of my hand ’cause Daddy doesn’t like it when I cry.
She stares at me for a second, not bothering to wipe her face, then turns to Daddy. “Don’t hurt him. Please.”
“Ye are the one who hurt him when ye betrayed me, Amy. Once wasn’t enough, so ye stabbed me in the back two times. Now, ye will have to pay.” He stares at his other man in black, Patrick. “Take her away.”
“Please…please, Niall. I promise I’ll be good. I p-promise.”
“Ye made that same promise the other time as well, but did ye keep it? Did ye honor me like I honored ye? I should’ve listened when they said a whore will always be a whore.” He motions at Patrick with his head. “Lock her up.”
The man in black grabs her by the arm so hard that she winces.
My lips tremble and I twist against Luke’s hold. “Mammy! Mammy, don’t leave! Ye said ye’ll always be with me!”
“Shut it, Kyle,” Dad scolds.
Usually, I would listen, but I can’t tonight. Tonight, I want Mammy to hold me and put me back to sleep, even if it’s not in our new home. We can just stay with Daddy so he doesn’t get mad.
“Sweetheart.” She smiles at me through the tears. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Really?”
“Really.” She faces Daddy again. “I will tell ye.”
“Ye will tell me what?”
“All I know about the Russians’ attack. Also, ye should know there’s a traitor by yer side.”
He narrows his eyes. “Why should I believe ye?”
“Because I wouldn’t have wanted to leave if he weren’t a threat.”
“Ye will truly tell me everything?”
“Aye, but ye have to let me be with Kyle.”
“Ye will never escape again?” He doesn’t seem mad anymore, just…sad. But why? Daddy is never sad.
Mammy shakes her head once. “I won’t.”
“How do I know ye’re not bluffing?”