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I was the worst person.
I shouldn't exist on this earth.
I should've never come to Vegas.
Never should've tried to be better than what I really was.
I was just a poor, terrible Russian immigrant that was worth nothing to no one.
I didn't belong in this world, where people smiled and laughed. Where they had money for food and clothes and even extra stuff. Where they were surrounded by people they loved and who loved them, and they didn't worry about people disappearing in the middle of the night or dead bodies littered in their past.
I belonged with the trash, just as my parents always told me. Into little bits of fire and ash, swept across the world by the wind because I was so small and insignificant that no one ever thought or cared about me.
I needed to figure out a way to set this right, and then leave them forever, to their joy and happiness.
I crumpled the paper in my fist one last time, great big heaving sobs wrenching from my chest and throat, as guilt pounded to the rhythm of my heart, loud and overwhelming all thought.
I had to fix this.
To find out if it was true, if Manuel was still alive and he'd been the one tormenting me this whole time.
If so, and if he had Honey,Iwas going to make sure he was dead this time.
All the men in my life had failed me.
My father, for letting those men fuck me in exchange for money.
Pablo, for selling me to Manuel.
And then, even now, Rook, for selling me to Knight.
I was just a game piece in their lives, to be exchanged across the board for power or money or status.
I didn't actually mean anything to them, except for what I could give them.
And even here, now, in Las Vegas.
Knight had never come for me.
I'dcome tohim, like a star to her black hole, unable to stray far from the gravity of his pull to me.
Not once had I stood on my own, taken care of myself.
For once in my life, I had to do this on my own - to stand on my own two feet and possess the strength to confront life head-on.
My goal was clear: I was going to eliminate this bastard.
He abducted Honey, believing he could use her to manipulate me. To bring me back under his power.
He had no idea who he was dealing with now.
I might not mean much to this world, but I wasn't the same little girl he manipulated and controlled all those years ago.
This time, I would be the one doling out justice, not him.
With anger and determination making my tears run dry, I stood. Moving silently through the room, I dressed while keeping a keen eye on Knight to make sure he really was asleep.
I had to do this, and I had to do this alone. Because, as time had proven, Knight would never come for me.