↳ 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹: 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

𝙆𝙖𝙧𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙜 - 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨

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[ female reader ]

"Karl."

"Yeah, just give me a minute, love. I'm onto something here." He twists the wrench until three clicks can be heard.

"Karl." This time, you can't prevent your voice from wobbling. He drops the tool onto the workbench with a resounding clang, facing you with a dangerous look in his piercing eyes.

"No sudden movements."

"Really, Ethan?"

"Not another step." He warns.

"So this is what it's come to." Karl rests his hands on the table. "This is how desperate you've become?"

"I just want to get my daughter back. You assholes keep getting in my way."

"You're talking to the wrong guy," he holds up his arms. "You think I have a baby lying around here? I'm not standing in your way. Miranda has her, not me. Go pester her instead."

"You're the only Lord left standing." His voice raises by your ear, causing you to squint. "I can't be certain you won't stab me in the back the second I walk out of here. Unless I kill you too."

"No," you murmur and he tightens his arm around your shoulders. The pockets of his coat pressing against your back.

"She's done nothing wrong, let her go." Karl begs with his face but his voice remains stern. "Let her go, Ethan."

"I can't do that."

"You don't want me in your way, correct?" He rounds the table. "You don't want me to hunt you down because you know damn well you wouldn't be able to take me out like the others. I get that. But holding a pregnant woman at gunpoint?" He scowls and Ethan's face drops. "My woman to be precise."

"You're pregnant?" He whispers.

"I tried to tell you." You whisper back, weary of the gun still pressed to the side of your head.

He curses under his breath and Karl raises his chin. "You." He then aims the weapon at your man. "You won't come after me? You won't try to get in my way?"

"If I wanted to, you'd be dead already."

After a moment spent by him deliberating, you feel his arm begin to loosen, until it returns to his side. You quickly cross the gap, comforted by Karl's outstretched one curling around you.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were... I wouldn't have gone through with that if I'd have known. For what it's worth I wasn't going to pull the trigger. On either of you."

"Is that thing loaded?" Karl rasps.

"Always is."

Karl nods to himself. Without warning, the gun is torn from his grasp and with a sweep of his arm, a plank of metal knocks Ethan on his backside. Feeling his head thump against the ground, he clutches the side of it with a scrunched face.

"Don't ever point a gun at her again."

"Noted," he gasps, still winded from the impact.

You sigh and lean into Karl, hooking an arm under his to hold onto his shoulder. Your other hand curls against his chest which he envelopes in his larger one, habitually tracing his thumb over your knuckles because he knows it soothes you.

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