A Flame Divine ♕

XXXVIII. R E T R I B U T I O N

c a r m e n

As if I would, Carmen thought, yanking the door open and chasing him down the hallway toward the elevator. There was no way she could let him ruin their lives over Frank.

"Merrik! Stop!" she hissed, trying not to call attention to them. She reached him just before he stepped into the elevator and she stuck her arm in between the doors, forcing her way in. "Merrik. Please do not do this."

"I'm starting to think you prefer him alive," Merrik said, hitting the elevator button for the garage. "There's no stopping me, love. When I want something, it gets done."

Carmen exhaled heavily. "I don't prefer him at all! I just don't want you committing murder over this," she breathed, her voice barely over a whisper.

Merrik leveled her with a hot gaze. "I would gladly commit murder for you."

Carmen cocked her head to the side. "And I appreciate that." The elevator doors opened and she clammed up as a woman and her child entered the elevator as they exited. As Merrik stalked toward the BMW, she attempted to keep up, her long legs no match for his. "But I do not want to visit you in prison and hope for conjugal visits!" she hissed as she grabbed the passenger door handle.

Merrik slid in the driver's seat and waited for Carmen to slip in beside him before starting the car.

"I won't go to jail, love," Merrik intoned. "They will never find his body."

Carmen rolled her eyes and shook her head. She had to cool him off before they got there, but she figured she'd just try to distract him for the moment.

She bit her lip and put her hand on his knee, squeezing gently. "Merrik. I love you, you know that, right? More than anything."

"I love you, Carmen. And I will protect you for as long as I live." Merrik placed his hand over hers and brought it to his lips, his eyes never leaving the road. "You have to know that there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

Carmen couldn't help but smile. "I know. You're on your way to kill a man for me," she pointed out.

For a moment, she considered turning a blind eye and letting Merrik indulge his anger. Frank was a horrible, wretched man who had almost killed her more than once. When she had the miscarriage, she'd very nearly bled out on the table. He'd beat her up more times than she could ever begin to count, pushed her away from her family, and completely ruined her self-esteem. Why shouldn't he die?

As they neared the apartment building she never thought she'd see again, she felt her heart constrict. Her breaths got harder and harder to pull in, and she looked to Merrik in a panic as he parked the BMW along the curb.

"Car..." Merrik cooed. "It's okay," he soothed as he reached over the center console to stroke her cheek. When her breaths were normal again, Merrik exited the car and pulled the gun out of his waistband.

"You should probably stay here love," he said, kissing the top of her head.

Carmen scoffed. "I don't think so!" Despite her nerves, she jumped out of the car and hooked her arm through his. "If you're going to do this, I'm going to be there to see it," she said, scrambling for something to say. She had no intention of letting Merrik go through with this, but she'd never be able to stop him from the car.

Merrik pursed his lips, clearly not liking her idea of tagging along. "I don't want you to get hurt," he confirmed.

Carmen just shook her head, not budging.

When they got to the front door, Merrik slipped his arm out of hers and placed her behind him, his body a barrier for whatever was on the other side of that door.