Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 545

Nora's heart skipped a beat.

She immediately understood what he was offering.

Seeing the gun in Hudson's hand, Arnold's eyes widened to impossible proportions. "Mmmph! Mmmph!"

A cruel smirk touched Hudson's lips. He raised the fully assembled weapon, pressed the muzzle against Arnold's shoulder, and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The gunshot was deafening in the confined stone room. Arnold's body violently convulsed backward, only to be yanked forward by the heavy chains. A gargling wheeze tore from his throat. Bound tightly to the post, he twitched and thrashed like a pinned insect, unable to even scream through the gag. Blood poured down his arm, pooling into a dark crimson puddle on the floor.

Nora flinched at the sound, her pulse racing.

"Do you know how to shoot?" Hudson turned to her, offering the heavy weapon.

She reached out. The metal was heavy and freezing cold against her palm, yet the barrel still radiated the heat of the fired round. Her heart pounded like a war drum.

"Come here. I'll show you."

He stepped up close behind her, his broad chest pressing against her back. His large hand wrapped entirely around hers, guiding her fingers into position on the grip.

Enveloped in his warmth, she felt a shiver race down her spine as his low, husky breath brushed against her ear.

"Squeeze the trigger. Don't pull."

Her eyelashes fluttered, and her grip tightened instinctively.

He felt the nervous sweat on her palm but said nothing. Slowly, he helped her raise her arm, pointing the barrel directly at Arnold.

"Focus on your target."

He tilted his head slightly, adjusting her line of sight, his nose lightly grazing the shell of her ear.

"Don't look at me," he murmured, his voice rich with dark intent.

Nora took a deep breath, tearing her gaze away from him and locking her eyes on Arnold.

Hudson shifted her aim, pointing the gun squarely at Arnold's groin.

Arnold had regained consciousness. Seeing where the weapon was aimed, sheer panic consumed him. He fought the chains so violently they cut deeply into his flesh, leaving bloody gashes.

In his frenzy, he finally managed to spit out the gag.

"I'm your father... Nora... you can't do this to me! I know I was wrong! I shouldn't have treated you like that! Let me go! I swear you'll never see me again!"

His pathetic begging triggered a flood of memories she thought she had buried forever.

The nightmare of her past crashed over her, suffocating her in an instant.

Bang!

The bullet hit dead center.

A blood-curdling scream caught in Arnold's throat. His body jerked violently before going completely limp. He hung from the chains like a slaughtered animal, utterly motionless save for the erratic heaving of his chest.

Blood gushed from the catastrophic wound, running down the wooden post and soaking into the stone floor.

A single tear escaped Nora's eye, tracing the curve of her cheek before falling into the collar of her shirt.

She stood frozen in place, unsure of how much time had passed, until Hudson gently pried the gun from her trembling fingers.

"Let's go."

Nora wiped her face, clearing away the tears, and turned to follow him out.

The heavy stone door sealed shut behind them, locking the stench of blood and dim yellow light away forever.

The passageway was still dark, but for Nora, the path ahead had never felt so radiant.

For years, she had tried to ignore the festering wound he had left behind. But today, the poison had finally been purged.

With that single shot, she felt completely reborn.