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That was it. I lost control. Any restraint I had been gently coddling, quickly dissolved.

Punch after punch landed on his face. I could feel his bones as they crunched beneath my knuckles, and his skin as it grew warm from fresh blood. Virgo's body went limp as I repeatedly hit him.

Dropping him to the ground, he flopped over into a bloody pile. He was groaning, rolling around slightly as he held his face.

Turning to Berlin, I dropped to her side. “I'm sorry, Berlin. I really had no idea, not until today. I should have told you, but I wasn't sure how you would react. You already had a reason to hate me, I didn't want to give you another one.” Filling her in on some of the details, I watched her face as it transformed. It was as if I had filled in some of the blanks, pieces of that day that she was missing.

Helping her up, she looked at me, her expression sad, but holding understanding. “It's not your fault, I can't blame you for something you didn't have any control of. That's not right or fair to you.”

“I really am sorry, I was still just a kid, barely a man. There was nothing I could do to help you.”

“Stop,” she said, holding up her hand and touching my cheek. “Stop apologizing for something that's not your fault.” Her eyes fell on Virgo, lids lowering as her lip curled. “Fucking piece of shit.” Walking over to him, she gave him a quick kick to the ribs.

I watched as her body began to shake and her tears came pouring down her cheeks. “I fucking hate you! I fucking hate you! You stole my family! You stole my life!”

Berlin stomped on his head, kicking him in the face and any other open area she could find.

Stepping to her side, I grabbed her arm. “Here,” I said, pulling the hidden gun from my waist.

“What am I going to do with this?” she asked as she took it in her hand.

“Whatever you see fit.” Taking a step back, I lifted my chin and straightened my back. “It's your choice to kill him and it's your choice to let him live.”

Her eyes instantly went back to Virgo. He was laying on his back, hands out to the side. “Should I kill you?” she asked him, tipping her head into her shoulder. “You made my life living hell. You deserve to die.”

“You won't kill me, you don't have it in you.” His bloody smirk widened, exposing more red teeth. “You're weak, just like your father. He ran because he couldn't face me, he couldn't face his punishment like a real man. No one steals from me, he got what he deserved.”

Pursing her lips, Berlin pointed the gun in his face as she peered down at him. “Did you ever think that maybe he saved your life because he ran? Maybe my father could have killed you, but instead he let you live. I just don't think he would have made that choice if he knew my mother would lose her life.”

“Your father didn't do me any favors. He deserved everything he got, right down to your fucking mother.”

Pulling back the hammer, Berlin pressed the gun to his temple. “I want to hear you beg. Beg me to kill you, beg me like you made me beg you.”

His lips thinned as his eyes crinkled. “I'll never beg you, I won't beg someone I don't respect.”

Pushing the gun harder against his skin, she screamed. “Beg me to fucking kill you!”

“Just fucking do it! Stop drawing it out! Fucking kill me!”

Berlin smiled, a genuine, satisfied smile. “I am going to kill you, but it won't be like this. You're going to spend every fucking day wishing I pulled the trigger.” In one quick snap, she cracked the butt of the gun against his head, knocking him out cold.

Dropping to her haunches, she dug around in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. The screen lit up and I watched her as she dialed some numbers. “Hi, I'd like to report a place called the Canary. The owner is keeping girls hostage and selling them to men. He also murdered a woman named Tabitha. . .” Berlin listed a few more names quickly, hanging up the phone, and dropping it on his chest.

“We should probably go now,” I said, taking the gun from her and tucking it back into place.

“Follow me, I know where to go.” Grabbing my wrist, she tugged me along. “There's a back exit, we can go out there.”

Following her through the halls, we took a few turns and exited a hidden door in the back. Berlin kept her eyes open, her senses on high alert as she lead us back to my car.

No one even noticed us.

Not Vin, not any of the other guards, we slipped out as if we hadn't even been there.

Jumping into my car, I started it up and got us out of there as quickly as I could. Berlin was smiling as she rolled down the window and let the wind blow through her hair.

This woman was amazing. She was glowing, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink as her smile grew.

And as we passed a cluster of cop cars, driving in the direction we had just come from, Berlin let out a sigh.