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It doesn’t give me the peace I’d always hoped for.
It doesn’t make me any less sad.
It doesn’t fill the gaping hole in my heart.
But it does make me realize what I have…and what I came so close to losing today.
It makes me feel less broken, more hopeful, and grateful for a life I have yet to live.
Bittersweet. It’s the perfect description.
I step closer to Remy as he gasps and gurgles, flopping around like a fish out of water on the cold, hard floor. I make sure to fire a couple of bullets into his throat before I finish my assault, my shoulders heaving. I know his lungs are filling with blood, and that in minutes, he’s going to drown in it.
It will be torture of the worst kind.
I kneel down next to him and whisper into his ear as he struggles to breathe. “’I’ve always wanted to look into the eyes of the person who murdered Mom and Lili and watch them die a horrible death that they suffered at my hand. I waited so long for this moment. I’ve planned it, obsessed about it, prayed for the opportunity. You think you took everything from me, but you didn’t. Thank you for making me realize that I have more to live for. Thank you for giving me my life back.” My voice cracks and I grab him by the chin to make sure he sees my lips form the next words. “Burn in hell, you motherfucker,” I seethe as he spasms against the wall.
I leave him there, sputtering and gargling as death consumes him, and drop next to Rocco. I stroke the side of his pale face, gently tapping his cheek. His eyes flutter open after a minute or two. “You shot me,” he mumbles.
I nod. “Yes. But I apologized to you before I did it.”
“Was that supposed to make it more tolerable? Are you fucking crazy?”
“Some might say. But I knew that where I hit you wouldn’t be fatal. I needed you out of the way so I could get to Remy. He was using you as a shield, and I needed him to let you go before I could take him out.”
“What if I moved?”
I shrug. “You didn’t.”
“But I could have.”
“Remy also could have shot me in the head once I pulled the trigger. He didn’t.”
“That was a pretty big risk.”
“Luckily, it worked out in our favor, huh?”
“Guys! We need to get out of here! Did you off that sonofabitch yet or what, Kat?” Max comes running over, dropping to his knees next to us. “Jesus Christ, he shot Rocco?”
I shake my head. “No.”
Max looks at me, a look of confusion shadowing his face. “Then who did?”
“She did,” Rocco grunts, gritting his teeth as he shifts on the ground.
“Wow. That’s some pretty fucked-up shit. Kat, you’ve got a lot of rage inside you, you know that?”
“I did what I needed to do.” I lace my fingers with Rocco’s. “Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine.”
“I’m tired of playing target practice with you people. Why am I always the one getting shot?” Rocco grumbles.
“Because you’re the one who always takes one for the team.” I smile, tracing the outline of his lips with my finger.
“Great,” he groans as Max loops an arm around him and slowly helps him to his feet. With a lot of effort, swearing, and panting, he finally straightens up enough to walk. Max and I hang on to either side of Rocco and lead him toward the back entrance through the room of death where, for a few minutes, I really thought we were going to lose this battle.
“Watch your step,” Max grunts., shifting Rocco. “We’ve got a lot of brains and testicles decorating the floor in here, thanks to Kat. You do know one shot to the head would have done the trick, right?”
I snicker. “When do I ever do things the neat and clean way?”