Chapter 12 - THE NIGHT MY FATHER DIED
Luka didn't deny it.
That terrified me more than Victor's accusation.
I looked at him.
“Tell me he's lying.”
Luka remained silent.
“Luka.”
“I was there.”
My chest tightened.
Victor smiled.
“Now we're getting somewhere.”
Luka looked at me.
“I was sixteen.”
He swallowed.
“Victor discovered Samuel was hiding the M-17 research.”
“They fought.”
“I tried to help Samuel escape.”
Victor laughed.
“You shot your own father that night.”
Luka's eyes went cold.
“My father was trying to kill Samuel.”
Victor looked at me.
“Luka fired the shot that started everything.”
Luka continued.
“Your father got you into a car.”
“He told me to drive.”
“But Victor's men followed us.”
My hands trembled.
“The accident.”
Luka nodded.
“A truck hit Samuel's car.”
“I pulled you out.”
“Samuel was trapped.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You left him.”
“I tried to go back.”
His voice broke for the first time.
“He made me take you.”
I remembered something.
Smoke.
A teenage boy carrying me.
Blood on his face.
My father's voice.
Run.
The memory hit so hard my knees buckled.
Luka caught me.
I didn't push him away.
Victor's smile vanished.
He was losing control of the story.
Then Daniel moved.
Fast.
He threw himself at Victor.
The gun fired.
Vanessa screamed.
Price tackled Victor.
Luka dragged me behind the SUV.
Daniel collapsed.
Blood spread across his shirt.
This time the bullet had hit his chest.
I crawled toward him.
“Daniel.”
He looked at me.
“I'm sorry.”
I pressed my hands against the wound.
“Don't talk.”
“I knew.”
“Knew what?”
“The DNA.”
His breathing became shallow.
“I knew before Emma was born.”
Anger burned through me.
“Then why stay?”
“Victor promised me more money if I waited.”
I closed my eyes.
Even dying, Daniel was giving me another reason to hate him.
“I was supposed to take Emma after delivery.”
“Then why didn't you?”
Daniel cried.
“Because I saw her.”
He looked toward the baby in Luka's arms.
“And I couldn't.”
“So you walked away instead?”
“I thought Victor would leave you alone if I made it look like I hated you.”
I stared at him.
“You coward.”
“Yes.”
His eyes closed.
“Yes.”
Then he whispered.
“M-01.”
I leaned closer.
“What about it?”
“Victor lied.”
“About what?”
Daniel struggled for breath.
“M-01 isn't another child.”
May you like
His eyes found mine.
“It’s you.”
