CHAPTER THIRTY

“Liar! You not my daddy!” Sammy screamed.

It wasn’t possible… he couldn’t be related to this horrible man!

“Sammy, Sammy – don’t you remember me? Your old pa? We were buddies, remember? When you were a baby?” Pete said, drawing closer to Sammy.

Sammy felt the tears in his eyes. He looked at Brian lying crumpled on the floor. Brian was hid daddy, NOT Pete! But he recognised him from somewhere…

“Y – you were t – the one in the shop t – that time,” he stammered, remembering him as the man who had tried to talk to him.

Pete smiled and Sammy cringed away. “Yes, that was me. Why did you run away? You could have been safe with me, your father, but you had to go running to that fucking wimp over there!” Pete was getting angrier. “You wouldn’t even let me take you when I fired the gun!”

“T – that w – was you?” Sammy whimpered.

“I aimed for HIM!” Pete said, pointing at Brian. “He had no right to foster you! You should be with me, not him!”

Tears began to dribble down Sammy’s cheeks.

“Why are you crying? You do remember me, don’t you?” Pete still came closer and Sammy backed away even further until he felt his back hit the wall. Pete’s face was beginning to get redder with fury. “You must remember me!”

“N – no.”

“That bitch! That bitch, Chloe! She made you forget about me! I knew she wouldn’t have told you about me!”

Sammy could feel his body trembling. Why was Pete so angry with him? Real fathers weren’t like this, were they?

“I’ll make you remember me!” Pete snarled. He raised a fist above Sammy and Sammy squealed and covered his head with his hands.

“Don’t hurt him!” Brian screamed, his voice hoarse.

Sammy looked up to see his daddy propped up on his knees. His eyes were red and full of tears and Sammy wanted to run over and hug him. His face was covered in bruises and blood trickled from his mouth.

Pete froze a few inches from Sammy’s face. He glared at Brian and Sammy was terrified that he would hit him again, but he didn’t. He dropped his fist away from him. Sammy couldn’t help himself anymore. He whimpered and then ran over to Brian. His daddy scooped him up into his arms and Sammy cried at the damage Pete had inflicted upon him.

Pete’s eyes flashed angrily.

“My own son,” he spat. “Why do you run to him when you’re scared, huh? What’s wrong with your own father? Not fucking good enough for you!” he yelled.

Sammy shook with fear as he clasped Brian close. He pressed his wet face close to Brian’s. he heard the thumping as Pete drew closer, a dangerous light in his eyes. Sammy watched him come closer wishing he could wake up from this nightmare.

‘Don’t let it come true,’ he prayed. ‘Don’t let my dream about my daddy come true!’

“Get away from him, Sammy,” Pete said, his voice so quiet it was dangerous. “I said get away from him!”

Sammy gave a cry of fear. He couldn’t move he was so scared. He didn’t want to let Brian go. Somehow, he felt as if he could protect him if he was with him. He was too terrified to let him go.

Pete reached out, grabbed Sammy’s arm and yanked him away from Brian. Sammy whimpered as he hit the floor. Pete Punched Brian in the stomach and Sammy screamed as Brian wailed in pain.

“You filthy fucker!” Pete yelled, hatefully. “You made my son turn away from me! He should love me! Not you! Me!” He punched Brian again.

Sammy saw Brian’s eyes meet his own for a second. Suddenly, Brian kicked Pete’s legs out from beneath him. The older man cried out with rage. Brian tried to stand but Pete pulled his gun from his pocket and pointed it at Brian. Sammy felt his blood freeze. His heart hammered in his chest. His tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

“I’ll teach you to mess with me. I’ll teach you not to play around with my son!” Pete said.

Sammy could see fear in Brian’s eyes. It had been there since they’d been kidnapped. Brian had tried to hide it from him but Sammy had known it was there. He loved him so much for how brave he was being and how he had tried to protect him. Now it was Sammy’s turn to save him.

“Don’t!” Sammy sobbed. He stared at Pete and forced himself to say it. Say the one thing he couldn’t believe. “Please don’t… d – daddy…”

Pete’s face crumpled. His arm wavered.

“D – daddy, don’t hurt Bri Bri!” Sammy begged.

Pete replaced the gun and then walked over towards him. Sammy had to fight not to squirm as Pete picked him up.

“My son,” Pete said. “I won’t let anyone take you away from me again.”

Sammy was trembling. He saw Brian, his real daddy, trying to sit up. he had to protect him… he had to stop his nightmare from coming true.

“Let Bri Bri go,” Sammy said.

He saw Brian staring at him.

“I’m sorry, Sammy, I can’t do that. He has to be taught a lesson,” Pete said.

“Please, let him go.”

“I can’t. I have to deal with him. I’ll do it quickly and then we can go home.”

Pete put Sammy down and walked towards the helpless Brian. He pulled his gun out.

“NO! NO!” Sammy screamed. He ran over and grabbed Pete’s leg, desperately trying to stop him. “Don’t kill him!”

“It has to be done, Sammy!”

Pete tried to push Sammy away. Sammy bit his hand as hard as he could.

“Aargh! You fucking, little bastard!” He reached out and smacked Sammy around the face. Sammy squealed at the blow. He felt the pain explode in his face.

“Don’t touch him!” Brian suddenly jumped up and tried to punch him but Pete grabbed his arm and threw him onto the floor.

“Bye bye Backstreet Boy,” Pete said.

He aimed his gun at Brian and fired.

“NOOOOOOOOO!”

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