Page 128 of Cassio

Hunter’s hand took my face into his palms and he pressed his lips on mine. “I love you too, Butterfly.” My eyes stung and I blinked hard. “You are not broken. And if we had time, I would have helped you skin Marco alive. Made him suffer for days.”

My lips curved into a smile. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“Do you know how many people I’ve killed?” he asked me. I shook my head. “Neither do I. Do you still love me?”

“I do,” I vowed.

“As I love you.” He pressed a kiss on the tip of my nose. “But from now on, we will do everything together.”

I nodded. “Are you okay to walk?”

His eyes roamed my body, the worry in them. But I was more than fine. “Yes, he didn’t do anything to me,” I told him. “He laid on top of me and I kicked him, then I-” There was no need to explain what I did after that. The picture was painted perfectly around us with his body parts scattered around us and blood pooling all around.

“Let’s go save other women and get the fuck out of here.” My husband’s suggestion sounded like heaven to me.

It took about ten steps out of the cell and the explosion shook the ground, making both of us fall to our knees. The ground was hard against my knees but I ignored the pain. Sharing a glance, we stood up and continued running, my feet bare against the dirt floors. None of it mattered though. I knew without a doubt we would get out of here.

Because my husband was here.

We rushed towards the cell, closest to us and fumbled with the door lock. The second we opened the door, cries and whimpers echoed. There were four women, cuddled together. The fear on their face hit me right in the gut.

I looked like shit, blood on my hands, all over me, including my pajamas. But it was better I approached them than Hunter, considering what they probably went through.

I rushed to them. “It’s okay. We are here to help.” They eyed me warily but we had no time. “Please, we have to hurry.”

I nudged them all towards the door while Hunter kept watch with a handgun in his hand. Rounded up, we continued to the next cell. And the next. There were twenty of us at the end of the section of the compound when Hunter nudged us outside.

“Hold on,” I stopped him. “There are probably more women on the other two sides.”

“Others are taking care of it,” he assured me.

“Others?”

“Your men, Luca, and Alessio.”

“They won’t leave anyone behind?” I questioned him.

The way the sun hit his dark eyes and they glistened as they watched me like I was the most important thing in this world.

“I promise, Butterfly,” he murmured softly. “No troll left behind.”

My heart tripped. Those were the same words I told Margaret the night I ran into him. The night that kick-started this journey to him. The love I had for him swelled, and I was sure it glowed right through me. It fucking shone bright, and it felt right.

“I love you so fucking much,” I told him, pressing my lips to his.

“Love you more,” he murmured against my lips.

Without another word, we continued out of the compound. I could see in the distance a group of women. It must be where we were going. Twenty minutes later, we loaded the last girl from the compound into the large van, and all the while Cassio, John, Alessio, and Luca stood behind us, watching our backs.

“Five minutes before this place blows to shit,” Alessio warned and we all loaded into the van.

Right on the dot, five minutes later the ground shook with the loud explosion and I watched in the passenger mirror as flames engulfed high up into the sky and over the desert.

The past burned right alongside it.

ChapterForty-Three

CASSIO