Chapter 29
It wasn't long before Maddie came to, her eyes fluttering open to be greeted with darkness. Something was over her eyes, she'd been blindfolded-
He's gonna kidnapp me!
At that relization, her heart began to beat faster as a horrible feeling washed over her at. It only took a moment to confirm her suspicion too with a quick inventory of the situation. She'd been tied hand and foot, blindfolded and gagged.
Her mind began to play scenarios, outcomes that didn't end well- No, no…. She swallowed hard, trying to calm the rising panic within herself. You cannot panic in a situation like this. Think Maddie. You've got to think of a way out of this…
Playing that over and over in her mind, she kept still, forcing her breathing to remain regular as her ears strained to catch any sound. It wasn't long before she heard footsteps approaching and the heavy sound of something being dragged. A moment later, a heavy object was thrown down beside her and the movement caused the ground to shift beneath her. That, combined with the slam of a vehicle door told her she was in the back of a truck. Stan's truck.
The footsteps receded again and she took the opportunity after a moment to attempt getting herself out of her bonds. A moment later she gave up. She'd been tied with thick rope and unlike duct tape or zip ties, she knew there wasn't a way of getting out of it. She needed to wait and try to figure out another way of getting herself out of this situation.
Byron was dead, she knew that. She also knew she had seen him be killed, she was a witness to murder. Another murder... Don't think about Dad, you need to focus here. She reminded herself, taking a deep breath. Even if Stan said it had been an accident, that was manslaughter. Kidnapping though, that was intentional and with another realization coming to mind, she knew the chances of her getting out of this were slim. Would Stan be desperate enough to commit another murder to cover up the first?
Something inside her told her the likelihood was very high.
He was running for D.A. He didn't want to mess that up. She was excess baggage. She had seen too much. Knew too much. She would need to be disposed of by him to cover up what he had done. Tomorrow, he could become the D.A. for Travis County and yet he was just as much a criminal as the ones he'd be prosecuting.
Think Maddie… Think girl!
There had to be a way out of this or it would be the end of the road for her and she wasn't particularly fond of dying.
'Are you on dish duty?' Abeline questioned, seeing Stan at the sink as she returned to clean up after lunch.
Stan chuckled nervously, wiping his hands on a towel beside the sink. 'Anything to win your vote, ma'am.'
She laughed, carrying the dishes over to the island bench.
'Who's it going to be Abbs?' He took the dishes to the sink. 'Come on, I promise I won't tell Liam.'
'I don't love you that much, Stan.' Returning to the table she began gathering the rest of the things together. 'You see Maddie while you were outside? I went down to the barn to see if she was still with Skylar but she wasn't there.'
'Ah, yeah, yeah I did see her. She said something about picking some flowers for you, or something like that.'
Abeline smiled. 'We've had fresh wildflowers on the table almost everyday since she came here, she's always bringing me flowers.'
'She's a nice kid, I'm surprised that Cordell took her on though, seeing what she's been through and everything.'
'Bon and I originally intended to obtain her guardianship, when we were refused, that's when he put his hand up.'
'You don't say. Toughened Ranger has a soft spot for strays. Must get that from his mom.'
She chuckled, bringing another stack of dishes into the kitchen.
'I saw him take a pill earlier,' He continued, motioning towards Bonham who was sitting in a chair in the front room. 'he's sick, isn't he?' She made no comment as she turned to go back to the table. 'I won't say anything. But you're gonna get through this. You Walkers, you have this natural born survival instinct. I swear, from the prarie to the courtroom, y'all always find a way.'
Abeline turned back to him. 'You know, whatever happens, with this election, I want you to know you still have a place here.'
'I'm gonna insist on that.'
'Is there… anything else on your mind?' She questioned, feeling something wasn't quite right...
'Nope. Just trying to get this mess cleaned up.' He picked up a cloth and started to the table then stopped. 'Actually, Maddie was saying that you and Bonham were talking about renewing vows. You got a venue?'
'Oh, we don't need that-'
'No, listen. Go all out on this. Use my place. Throw a party that you don't have to clean up after.'
'You would do that?' He nodded and she thought about it for a moment. 'Well… it might be fun.'
'Well then, let's have some fun.' He tossed the cloth back to her. 'Might even see if Maddie wants to head out early with me, she can pick all the flowers she wants in my garden. I've got no use for them anyhow-'
Abeline chuckled as Stan's voice trailed off into the living room then her expression sobered again. Maybe in accepting his offer they would have a chance to make some happy memories for a change…
When Maddie heard footsteps, Stan's voice and the sound of the truck door opening, she still hadn't come up with a plan yet. He was talking on the phone to someone and he didn't sound happy.
'I don't care how you do it! Just get that Ranger off my back.'
Cordell.
He was talking about Cordell.
This was going from bad to worse.
Stan was going to have Cordell killed too, for God only knew why.
He's gone crazy… The thought was the least bit comforting as the engine started, Maddie bracing herself with her hands as the vehicle started forward. Stan was shouting instructions into the phone, arranging to meet with someone near Marshel's Ford. He was obviously planning to bury Byron, herself and Cordell there.
She knew where that place was. It was miles from anywhere. No one would think to look there until it was too late. As the truck gained speed she tried to reach her phone then realized her pocket was empty. He'd taken her phone.
She was running out of options and running out of time.
After a long while, the truck finally came to a stop again and she laid limply in the back when the door was opened once more. The object that had been thrown in beside her was removed before the door slammed shut again.
They must have arrived at the field.
With that knowledge in mind, Maddie began to fight the ropes holding her again in earnest. Her skin began to burn as she tried to free her hands but she ignored it, trying as hard as she could. She was no stranger to pain.
It was no use.
She couldn't get free.
As she struggled to breath, her ears caught the sound of another vehicle approaching and pulling up beside Stan's truck. She heard a couple new voices but didn't recognise them. They weren't Cordell's which either meant he wasn't with them or that he already had been killed…
These people weren't to be messed with.
And her father had been a part of this.
'I paid you to deal with this, not to watch me take care of it myself.' She heard Stan say, his voice closer to the truck again.
'Hey, you're involved in this whether you like it or not. And I think we should be on the same page so that the cover story sticks.' The other voice replied.
'You paid to think?'
'What do you want to do with this guy?'
'I don't know, I just cannot deal with another mess right now.'
Stan was beginning to get agitated again, she could hear it in his voice.
'Hey, you know what, why don't you go ahead and handle this yourself? Go ahead-'
His sentence was abruptly cut off by the sound of two gunshots in rapid succession, Maddie flinching at the sound. They were followed quickly by a third-
'Woah! Woah, woah, woah!' Stan shouted.
'Don't move!'
At the sound of Cordell's voice, Maddie was relieved. He hadn't been killed, maybe there was a way out for both of them after all…
'Don't move. You move… I shoot.' Cordell threatened.
He sounded angry and she shuddered. She had never seen him lose his temper but under these circumstances, it was no surprise. If Stan thought he was angry now, he'd be furious when he found out he'd kidnapped her too.
'Won't this be…' Stan started nervously. 'Won't this be an interesting headline, huh? DPS chair arrested on eve of election.'
'Oh, I'm not arresting you.'
'Come on. You've worked really hard this past year to reform yourself.'
'With your encouragement.' Cordell yelled. 'After you ruined my family!'
'Cordell, this isn't you.'
'Don't be too sure.'
'This isn't you. You aren't this guy anymore.'
'Shut up!'
'Will you just think? Think about what you're doing?'
'What I'm doing? They're dead because of you-'
Catching her breath again, she started once more to try and free herself while Cordell and Stan argued.
'My wife is dead because of you.'
Maddie froze, straining to hear their conversation. Stan had killed Emily?
'So don't tell me to think about what I'm doing.'
'Uh, well, I-I don't know what Carlos told you here-' Stan started.
'No, he told me enough. He told me you were there at the hospital with Cali and Bruce.'
Oh God no…
'Contract killers. He told me you forced him to confess to Emily's murder.'
'Now, that's not… that's not what happened.'
Her father had a hand in the murder of Emily Walker? Maddie's stomach was in knots and with it came the overwhelming urge to throw up. Her father had a part in the murder of the man's wife who was now looking after her… Oh God, what would Cordell think of her now?
'You talked him through it, didn't you?' Cordell questioned.
'No.'
'Told him what to say? Because Stan Morrison, DPS commissioner would know exactly what would hold up in court. You forced us to live a lie. That ends today.'
'Okay, I-I was there.' Stan admitted. 'All right? I was there. All right? But it was Bruce and Cali who forced me to coach him how to take the fall. All right? He was dying. It was my idea to pay him.'
'Oh look at you. Quite a saint. Yeah.'
'No-'
'You are involved in a cover up with Northside Nation. How deep do they have their hooks in you?' He glanced down at the body on the ground. 'Santos. He had something on you, didn't he? No gunshot wound, they didn't do this. You did this.'
'You don't even know what you're looking at.'
'I never figured you for a killer, Stan.'
Silence followed.
Maddie gave up fighting her bonds again, once more out of breath and still unable to get her hands free or the gag out of her mouth.
'Did you kill my wife?' Cordell asked after a pause.
'Cordi. No. It was Bruce-'
'You're lying.'
'So what, you're gonna take me in now? Or what-what happens?'
'You said that like you were hoping I would say yes. Like someone who still has people on the inside. Give me your phone. Then get in the truck. Drop it.'
As she heard their footsteps coming closer Maddie knew she needed to somehow make Cordell aware she was in the back of the vehicle. Bringing her knees up to her chest she extended her legs, banging her feet into the door.
Cordell stopped at the sound. 'What was that?'
'No, don't look in there-' Stan protested weakly, the Ranger shooting him a look before opening the back door.
His heart skipped a beat. 'Maddie, my God…'
A moment later both the blindfold and gag were removed from her face, the teen winching in the bright light. 'Cordell...'
He helped her sit up, quickly untying the ropes from around her wrists and ankles. 'What happened Maddie?'
'Stan…' She was fighting to keep her emotions under control, the stress of the situation finally catching up with her. 'I saw him kill Mr. Santos. He spotted me and caught me, he was going to kill me-'
Maddie broke down, Cordell taking the teen in his arms and held her tight. 'Hey hey, it's okay now. It's okay...' He pressed a kiss to her head, the teen holding onto him like her life depended on it. 'Sssh... it's okay...' He rubbed her back, breathing her in. God, he could have lost her too... 'I've got you. I've got you baby girl, you're safe now.'
'I was... so... scared...' She sobbed, just holding onto him. 'He-he was... gonna... h-have you killed too...'
'Ssshhh... It's alright. Your safe now.' He promised while giving Stan a death stare. No one, no one, laid a hand on any of his family and got away with it. 'You're okay...'
'Am I free to go or-' Stan said but was abruptly cut off.
'You move... and that is all the reason I need to put a bullet through your brain.' Cordell growled at him, still keeping the pistol on him despite holding Maddie at the same time. 'No one, no one, touches one of my kids!'
Stan threw his hands up in surrender.
The Ranger looked back at Maddie while still keeping one eye on the man in case he attempted something stupid. She had marks around her throat and bloody wounds around her wrists from fighting to get free. She had started to calm down, the girl trying to catch her breath as he stroked her hair, kissing her head again. 'You're safe now Maddie, it's okay. You're okay.'
Maddie nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat, looking up at him as she wrestled her emotions back under control. 'He-he wanted u-us both dead... I-I heard him give the order for you to be killed.' She glared over at Stan from where she sat in the safety of Cordell's embrace. When she looked back at the Ranger, her expression changed to one of concern. 'You're hurt...'
'I-I'm okay. Just a few cuts and scratches.' He drew back from her, looking her over closely again. 'Are you okay?'
'I'll be alright, I'm okay.'
'I hate to break up this touching moment-' Stan started sarcasticly. 'But there'll be more guys coming looking for you if we don't get a move on.'
Cordell looked back down at Maddie, trying to think of what to do with her. She had to stay with him, at least he could keep her safe… 'Get in the truck.' He motioned to Stan with his gun as he helped Maddie get out of the truck and closed the door behind her. Stan did as he was told, getting in the driver seat as he opened the back passenger door for Maddie. 'You'll be okay now...' He promised, helping her up. He squeezed her hand gently after she had climbed in. 'I won't let anything happen to you. This'll all be over soon.'
Maddie nodded and wiped her cheeks dry as he closed the door, Cordell then getting in the front seat in front of her.
'Where we going?' Stan questioned as the Ranger closed the door, starting the engine.
Cordell glared at him. 'Drive.'
They stopped for gas, Maddie staying quiet as a mouse in the backseat the whole time. She was angry, furious. If looks could kill, Stan would have been dead ages ago from the daggers she was glaring at the back of his head.
'Maddie-'
'Don't you dare talk to me, you bastard.' She spat angrily at him as Cordell filled the truck with gas. 'I hate you.'
He obvioisly took the hint she wasn't in the mood since he made no further attempt at conversation and she turned to stare out the window. Her father was involved in all this. Her father had played a part in the murder of Emily Walker. If Stan wanted both her and Cordell dead, could he have also been behind her father's murder?
With everything she had just witnessed take place, she wouldn't put it past him.
Cordell angrily opened the front passenger door. 'What did you do?'
'I did what I had to do.' Stan replied. 'Maybe even saved you from yourself.'
He saw the phone, the two of them struggling for it for a moment. 'Emergency services. Are you kidding me? You're trying to get ahead of this? Shift the narrative. You know all the angles in the courtroom, right, Stan? So what is it here? Huh?'
Stan shrugged. 'Ranger with a checkered past still grieving the loss of his wife forces a confession from a trusted family friend.'
Trusted family friend. She snorted at that. Yeah, you snake…
'Thing is, none of that's a lie now, is it? There's no evidence, son. And you know why? Because I didn't kill your wife. I'm another crooked politician. Yeah. Yeah, bring me in. But going all lone Wolf on this isn't gonna help anybody. Least of all Maddie.'
'Don't you bring her into this.' Cordell growled. 'Start the truck. Go.' As they pulled back out onto the road, his phone began to ring again. 'Micki.'
'Walker, what the hell is going on?' Micki asked.
'Stan…' He replied, glaring at him. 'He killed Emily.'
'Oh come on…' Stan remarked.
'Walker-'
'I went to talk to Carlos.' He continued. 'He told me Stan was with Cali and Bruce at the hospital. He's been working with Northside Nation all along. They tried to kill me.'
She gasped. 'What? When?'
'Couple hours ago, in a field outside Marshal's Ford. There are bodies there. Stan also killed Byron Santos, he must have been on the same track. Maddie saw it happen, he kidnapped her at the same time.'
'Is she okay?'
'She's okay, she's safer staying with me until we get this mess sorted out.'
'Walker, Captain James called.' Micki continued after a short pause. 'Everyone is looking for you. If you have Stan, you got to bring him in now.'
'No, I can't. I can't. Micki, not right now. There… There was McLawson, Campbell. There are others. Micki, you are the only person I can trust right now.'
'What do you need?'
'Stan knew I was going to see Carlos. His guys were probably gonna take care of him after they killed me and Maddie.'
'Oh my God…' Micki breathed out. 'I-I told him. This is all my fault. I'm leaving to get Carlos now, okay?'
'Be careful.'
'I will. And Walker… I'm sorry.'
After the call had ended, Cordell slipped his phone back into his pocket then glanced into the back seat. Maddie was staring out the window, the marks on her throat starting to bruise. Keeping an eye on Stan and the pistol pointed at him, he reached a hand back and placed it on her knee. Maddie jumped but calmed quickly. 'You doing alright?' He asked, his voice taking a different tone then the one he'd been using with Stan and Micki.
Maddie nodded. 'I'm okay-' Her eyes landed on Stan. 'What about him though? What are you going to do?'
'I'm gonna take care of things, don't you worry, okay?'
She nodded again. 'I just… I just want to go home-' Before she could finish the sentence, the sound of sirens could be heard as a police car came onto the road behind them with another one stopping in front. 'Cordell?'
'Get down Maddie.' He said as Stan brought the car to a stand still. 'Down on the floor, quickly.'
Without hesitation she unclipped her seatbelt, slipping down into the space between his seat and hers.
'Please step out of the car and place your hands above your head.'
'Stay in the car.' Cordell instructed Stan as he held up his badge through the window. 'He murdered my wife! He's not a hostage, he's in my custody.'
'You didn't call it Ranger.'
'Yeah, 'cause I didn't know who to trust. 'Guess I still don't. You're awfully far south of Travis County, Sheriff. I'm betting you didn't call it in either-'
Cordell dived for cover as the man reached for his gun. 'Get down!'
As the sound of gunfire rang out, Maddie laid down on the floor, covering her head with her arms. Bullets peppered the windscreen, The back window shattering a moment later.
'They're shooting at us!' Stan yelled.
'Yeah, I know Stan.' That much was blatantly obvious. The shooting stopped for a moment while they reloaded their weapons and he took advantage of the opportunity. Shooting at the car in front first he turned to the one behind them, the front tire going down as it was hit. 'Go-' He got back in his seat, slamming the door shut. 'Start the truck! Drive through it.'
'What?'
'Drive! Go!' Cordell shouted.
'They tried to kill us!' Stan exclaimed as he drove forward, pushing the Sheriff's car off the road during their escape.
'Yeah, you're expendable now, Stan.'
'I know too much, Northside Nation, my cops on the inside. They don't want me to talk.'
'Turn south.'
'Where we going?'
He looked back to see if they were being followed. 'We're going to the border.'
'Where are we going? Wait a minute. I've been here. Wait, this is where…'
'Pull over.' The truck came to a stop in front of the other vehicle parked beside the road. 'I brought you to the last place anyone would look for us. To face the people who deserve to know about what happened that night. Get out of the truck.'
Maddie was the first one out of the vehicle as the Walker family gathered in front of their truck. Without a second thought she ran to Abeline, both of them throwing their arms around the other.
'Thank God you are safe…' Abeline murmured softly, holding the teen tight. Bonham had his hand on her shoulder, the other on Maddie's as Cordell and Stan approached the group. 'You okay?'
She nodded. 'I'm fine.' She closed her eyes, breathing in the comfort her embrace gave her. 'Just hold me…'
'I've got you honey…' Abeline held her tighter. 'I've got you. It's okay...'
'No more lies, Stan.' Cordell said. 'No more games. You're gonna tell us the truth. You're gonna confess. All of this; this ends tonight. So, tell me. Tell me how it went. Tell my family. No. You know what? Tell Emily's family.'
Stan turned to the Ranger. 'Why would you want to do this?'
'You ever lost someone, Stan? You ever had someone taken from you like this?'
He shook his head, trying to think of where to start. 'So, uh… Northside Nation, uh, they control… Oh they control everything.'
'You were with them?' Stella asked with disbelief.
'So that's why my Mom is dead?' August questioned angrily.
'No. No, no, I'm not with them.' He paused. 'I-I wanted to save her.'
'Tell me how I'm supposed to believe a single word you say.' Abeline spoke up, still holding onto Maddie. 'After everything.' God, he could have had both Cordell and Maddie killed too. 'Tell me how I'm not supposed to kill you right now.'
August stepped forward when Stan didn't reply, holding up the poker chips he had found at his house then tossed them at his feet. 'I found these at your house.'
Stan looked at them for a moment then bent to pick them up.
'Well,' Bonham spoke up. 'you'd better start talking, you son of a bitch.'
He sighed heavily. 'Uh… We were making a drop, down by the border. We knew where the surveillance drones would have eyes so we stuck to the roads that no one would be looking at. Anyway, we hit a pothole and part of the shipment spilt out.' He stood, turning the chips over in his hand. 'So, you know, I asked Bruce what the damage was and uh, we heard something. We looked up, and we saw her there. Emily.'
Stan paused for a moment, unable to look at them. 'Cali saw that we knew each other and that was trouble. So, she took a shot and she missed. But when Emily started running, she saw that Emily was on the phone. She, uh, took another shot.'
'There were two gunshot wounds, Stan.' Cordell said, his voice on the verge of breaking. 'She wasn't dead… when you found her, was she?'
Stan shook his head. 'They owned me. They still own me. It's… I just felt like I couldn't take the risk.'
'Take a risk? Take what kind of risk? A risk on my wife, on my wife's life?'
'I know what I've done.'
'Well… I need to hear you say it.'
'I took the shot, I had no choice. I killed her.' He finally admitted.
'Why did you take the poker chips?' Liam questioned.
'I don't know. I mean, maybe I didn't want to forget what I'd done. But I think a part of me wanted to get caught.'
'So, when did you decide to start lying to us?' Bonham asked. 'Was it right away?'
'What about the, uh, first time you looked in my eyes. Was it then?' Cordell added. 'Or-or was it at Emily's funeral?'
'What about the intervention?' Abeline interjected. 'You sat on my couch and watched my son tell his children he was leaving them.'
'When you called me 'sweetpea' or Augie 'sport' Stella started. 'did you even think for a second about what you had taken from us?'
'I…' Stan shrugged, at a loss for words. 'I'm a selfish bastard. I couldn't admit what I'd done. Every day I tried… to forget it. When I was at your house, around your table, I-I… I just hated myself. I was trying to make it up to you every second, but what makes up for that? So, yeah, I pushed you out of town, undercover, 'cause I knew you'd never stop looking into what happened to Emily. I knew you'd never quit. Hell, I thought the Rodeo Kings might even end you. I'd throw the book at me if I could…'
'What about my father?' Maddie questioned as his voice trailed off, Abeline's arms still around her. 'He was there. He saw it. He knew what you had done. Did you have a part in his murder too?'
Stan nodded and sighed heavily before turning back to the teen. 'Your father… Your father and I worked together for years, before you were even born. Hell, I never knew you existed before he moved you to Austin, why on earth he did that's beyond me.'
She stepped away from Abeline and started towards him, glaring at him. 'I know now my father was part of Northside, that he was a contract killer. What was his business with you though?'
'He ah… He was part of Northside back when I first got into this mess. He and his wife Cali-'
'Woah, woah, woah.' She interrupted. 'Wait, what? Dad was married?'
'There's a lot about your daddy you don't know, little lady.'
'Her father-' Cordell started, trying to put the pieces together. 'Her father was married to Cali?'
Stan nodded. 'For six years.'
'Now it makes sense why he abandoned me all those times.' Maddie said, a thousand emotions flooding over her. He had a second family, he had a whole other life. Without me! She paused for a moment, swallowing. 'Is there any more family I don't know about? Do I have any step-siblings you might wish to tell me about?'
'Cali… Cali was pregnant with their second child before she was killed.'
'And the first?' She questioned.
'Died three years ago, got hit by a car. Your father never got over that-'
'Never got over it?' She shouted, not caring what he or anyone else thought of her behavior. 'My father was a selfish bastard who beat the crap out of me for the smallest things, who would leave me for months at a time in a hotel room! Why on earth would he care about another child when he treated me worse then dirt?'
Stan shrugged. 'Your father never wanted you in the first place but your mother wouldn't go through with an abortion.'
'But he wanted that child.' She scoffed. It made sense now. It all made sense now. 'That's why he moved me to Austin. To be closer to his wife.'
Stan nodded. 'I didn't know you existed until the day I met you for the first time. You are the spitting image of your fath-'
'Don't you even finish that sentence!'
'Maddie, Maddie-' Cordell started.
'Don't touch me.' Maddie hissed as he tried to move her back from Stan. 'I have the right to know what this bastard knows. Don't interfere.' Their eyes met and he backed off though he still stayed close to her side. She turned back to the Stan, her tone laced with hate. 'Start talking.'
Stan looked at her, seeing in her eyes the same wild look her father used to get. 'Your father was the hit man in the business. He'd do other odd jobs here and there for others but mainly, working for Northside was his business. He got sloppy though, got himself caught by Cordell when he was out on a job. While I couldn't bail him out, it'd have been too noticeable, I got his sentence reduced and for years made sure that his record was clear.'
'So that's why nothing came up on him.' Cordell remarked.
'Cali was killed during his stay in prison, he wanted my help to get the person who killed her-'
Geri.
'But I couldn't do it. I drew the line there-'
'Nice to know you drew the line somewhere, Stan.' Liam said with distaste.
'Then what?' Maddie prompted.
'Well, he started to get difficult. Started saying he'd rat out on me if I didn't tell him who killed Cali. It wasn't a chance I wanted to take-'
'So you had him killed?'
Stan nodded. 'Organized the whole thing. Only problem was, you weren't supposed to have gotten away.'
Maddie clenched her fists together, breathing heavily. He had ordered her father killed, just like she had thought. He had ordered her killed- 'And today? Today when you kidnapped me huh? You were going to finish off the job? Huh? How were you going to do it? Bash my head in with a pipe or go the easy way, couple of bullets?'
'Maddie, I didn't want-'
'It's a slippery slope, ain't it?' She was standing right in front of him now, glaring up at him. 'One wrong deed gives birth to another. Always got to cover up the lies with something else.' She paused, her voice lowering to a menacing growl. 'I loved my father, despite everything he had done to me. You took him from me like you took Emily from Stella and Augie and their family. You almost had Cordell killed, you would have murdered me-' Her palms were becoming sweaty as she flexed her hands. 'You sick, deranged bastard.'
Before anyone could react, she slammed her fist into his Solar Plexus, the man gasping for air as he collapsed to the ground. Not satisfied with just a punch alone, she brought her boot into his ribs again and again. She was so angry that all she saw was red. She wanted to make him pay-
It took all three of them, Bonham, Cordell and Liam to drag Maddie away from Stan, the teen struggling against them for a moment but started to calm down as Stan caught his breath. 'Consider that payment for kidnapping me you son of a bitch. I hope you rot in hell.'
