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Not only for my own sake, but for Honey. For Knight.
For the women he'd hurt in the past, and all the future women he would hurt.
"I've been taking deathstalker poison. In small amounts. Just enough to become immune to it."
"Then why let me torture you?"
"Unfortunately, it takes a minute to release its hold over me." I took another determined step towards him, though pain shot through my system with every step. I would die before I went back to that life.
"And the tattoo? Why not kill me then?"
"Honey," I said simply. I would do whatever it took to save her. "I needed to know where she was, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find her if I killed you first."
He ... laughed. The sound loud and boisterous in the room, filling the space around and inside me. Growling, I stumbled towards him.
"You think you could ever kill me? You can barely even move." His laughter grew louder. "Don't you know, Tatiana? I'mel diablo.The devil. And the devil can't be killed, not by someone so small and insignificant as you."
His rancor and disgust filled me, starting with my legs and up to my knees, giving them strength to straighten. Up my thighs and chest, filling my rage and indignation. It flushed my face with anger, sizzling into my arms and fingers.
I hated him I hated him I hated him.
"I hate you!" It bellowed from my mouth in a loud roar. I jumped through the air, my body moving automatically in a motion I'd practiced a thousand times.
I landed perfectly in front of him, my arm already swinging before his face could finish switching from laughter to surprise.
I aimed for the temporal lobe, the softest part of his head. The sickening sound of the letter opener sliding through the softest part of his skull made a satisfaction fill me.
His eyes widened in surprise, his gaze meeting mine. For a brief moment, our gazes locked, and the sounds of fighting outside stilled.
It was silent, frozen in time.
And it felt...peaceful.
Then, the edges of his lips trickled upward. One last smile before he fell to the floor, dead.
I stared down at the crumpled body in disbelief, heaving. In shock. A tremor climbed up my spine and then my whole body was shaking. I couldn't step away, only stare down at him, afraid that he would move at any moment.
Afraid to believe that he wasactuallydead this time.
And then the door sprang open and Antonio stood in the doorway, his gun held outward. He stared at me in surprise as he took in the sight.
The gun swung upwards and towards me. I threw my hands in the air. "No, Antonio, please."
His finger was on the trigger, but...he hesitated.
A shot rang out and I jumped, my shoulders hunching to my ears. I blinked in disbelief as he fell to the floor, blood pouring from a hole in his head, his dead eyes staring at the wall.
Oh my god.
Then, in the silence, Knight appeared. My heart leaped in my throat,pounding, pounding, my eyes filling.Knight! Love swelled through my chest, a tidal wave of warmth washing over me.
He stood over Antonio's body, then swung his gaze towards the room, his own gun following his line of sight. It landed on Manuel's dead form at my feet, settling there for a brief moment, then...up towards me. His eyes lit up, happiness radiating from them. "Tatiana."
"Knight." I was lightheaded, relief pouring over me. Then, my knees grew weak, my whole body shook, and darkness claimed my vision.
I blacked out, unconscious.
FORTY-THREE