FRISKY FRIDAY FLASH FICTION!

It’s time for the final installment in Savage Charm! A full-length novel is in the works for November 2019.

Savage Charm

(Part 20)

—Peyton—

After making sure Dash’s friend was stable, it was time to have that heart to heart with my cousin. My biggest concern was her thinking it was okay to kidnap me.

Margaux, now tied to a chair, stared at me. “Have something to say?”

Even when caught the brat always tried to flip the script, making it appear that everyone else was wrong. Not this time.

“What did you hope to gain? Money?” She was a fool if she thought Father would part with his hard-earned cash.

“Think back to your mother’s funeral. Remember how dear old Uncle Aldrich treated us?”

Was she serious? I barely remembered anything about that day. Now if Margaux had asked about how I felt, I could have talked about that for hours. There were plenty of shrinks who’d heard the story—the devastation and the depression. They’d heard about how Father ignored me, pushed me aside and wallowed in his own grief. Remembering Margaux? I remembered she was there. Did that count?

“Just what I figured,” she shot back. “Neither of you considered our feelings. Did you ever stop and think what Genevieve’s death meant to my father?”

Honestly? No. Like I said, I was a little preoccupied. “Get to the point.”

She held her chin higher. “Dad never got over it. He lost his job. We lost everything. I called Uncle Aldrich. Want to know what he said?”

I shrugged. Father and I didn’t speak much other than to confirm appointments.

“I’ll tell you what the great Aldrich Daniels said. He said that Dad should grow a pair and snap out of it.”

Even I’d admit to that being a bit harsh, but she still lost me. “That doesn’t explain why you acted the way you did.”

Tears came to Margaux’s eyes. “A month ago today Dad killed himself. He blew his brains out after pleading to your father one more time. They had words and then Dad put a gun in his mouth. And…”

As usual when shit happened around me, it involved my father. “I’m sorry, Margaux. I didn’t know.”

“I don’t want your damned pity. I want what we should have had. Give me the fucking codes. Let me take from Uncle Aldrich. Maybe after he’s experienced lost… Got a taste of someone else’s misery…”

I lowered my weapon. Shooting her wouldn’t solve anything. Just like playing Margaux’s game wouldn’t help. My father didn’t care about anyone else. The bastards who killed Mom made sure of that.

Headlights lit up the living room. Dash ran to the front door. An attractive blonde entered the house. She rushed toward us.

“Where’s Deidrick?” she asked, her gaze bouncing around the space.

Dash came up beside her. “Come on. He’s back here.”

I waited for them to leave before addressing Margaux. “Sorry to disappoint you, but my father won’t help you. He doesn’t even help his own flesh and blood.”

“You’re both wrong,” Dash said returning to the room.

“Huh?” I asked.

“I did some investigating before I left the country. It was part of why I had to leave.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Aldrich Daniels had a government contract for some new security devices. Margaux injected me with one.”

My gaze whipped over to her. “What did it do?”

“It was lethal, Peyton. The one she used was primed to inject a nerve toxin. She let me think it was a bomb.”

“Seriously?” I yelled and aimed my gun at Margaux. “Maybe I should hollow out a space between your eyes? Help you think better.”

Dash placed a hand on the muzzle and forced the gun down. “No need. She’s gonna pay for her crime and her father’s.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your wonderful uncle was behind his own sister’s death. The man wanted to get Aldrich’s attention, so he planned to kidnap Genevieve. Instead of asking for money—”

“They were going to ask for the security codes,” I surmised. “Did Father know?”

“Not at first. But then I found out.” Dash gazed at me. “I had a choice to make. Go to the authorities and reveal what I knew or walk away. Telling meant exposing your father. He’s not innocent in this scenario.”

My hands shook. “What did he do?”

Dash looked at Margaux. “Tell her the truth.”

My cousin pressed her lips together.

“Aldrich boarded a plane and finished the job himself.”

I muttered, “Finished?”

“He killed your uncle. Margaux witnessed it. Richard was her boyfriend and accomplice. Your cousin wanted payback.”

“How did you find out?” I asked.

Dash took the gun from me as sirens wailed in the distance. “I found the files.”

“Where are they now?”

“My copy?” he asked. “They’re safe. I’ll leave it up to you what happens next. For now, Margaux goes to jail.”

“Good. As far as I’m concerned, she’s dead to me.”

#

Minutes later, I was on the back of Dash’s bike where I belonged. The female who showed up at the house was a doctor. She left with Deidrick and his bike in her van. As far as Margaux, she should be explaining why there was a dead body in a house she didn’t own.

Instead of heading back to town, Dash drove further down the coast. We stopped hours later at a quaint bed-and-breakfast. He parked out front.

Taking the helmet from me, he cupped my face in his strong hands. “You’re safe. The choice is yours. Go back to your father’s house or stay with me.”

“And where is that exactly?”

“Anywhere you want. If I go back, however, I have to come clean. Your father won’t stop looking for me if he knows I’m alive.”

I understood. Staying with Dash meant life on the run. Going back meant more of the same for me. More parties. More nameless men. More of my father ignoring me. I didn’t want that.

“Then we head out in the morning. We keep going and never look back.” We’d need to cash to make it. I had a fully funded account and credit cards. I’d drain it all and leave word for my father. Let him know not to look for me.

Not that he’d care.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure about you.”

He smiled. “Good. Because I’m finally sure about something too.”

“Oh?”

“I’m in love with you, Peyton. Always have been. Probably always will.  I took the chance and came back. For you. Always for you.”

Dash leaned in and finally claimed my lips. A moment I didn’t think would ever happen.