Page 101

CHARLOTTE

Song- Just Pretend, Bad Omens

A s a red faced Conan rushes over to me, a mixture of relief and disappointment washes over me.

“Where is he?” I ask, desperately needing the answer.

“Dealing with Vlad. Let me get you out.”

He jogs over to the shelving and starts throwing objects across the floor, returning with a machete.

“Careful with that,” I warn him and he frowns.

He gets to work on the other side of the beam, cutting at the ropes until I finally feel relief.

I look down at the burns all over my skin through the open cuts of my jacket.

“Help Drago. Please.”

Conan’s eyes go wide as he really takes in the scene before us.

“Is he?”

I shake my head. Drago can’t be, I won’t believe it.

“Save him, Conan,” I almost sob, my legs trembling beneath me.

Conan thrusts a pistol into my numb hands.

“Go to my brother. Finn will be here any minute, he will fix him up good.” His deep voice is full of sincerity and I almost believe him.

But as I glance over and see the blood and the color draining from Drago by the minute, I don’t know.

My eyes snap to Conan as a gunshot rings out from the other room.

“Go!” he bellows, and I run through the pain.

Even on weak legs, I run to him as blind panic consumes me.

As I hear the cries of Vlad, I come to a halt at the door, and a smile creeps up on my lips when Declan twists his head.

Those eyes.

Nothing else matters.

They tell me everything I’ll ever need to know.

I am safe. I am loved. I am worthy.

“Declan,” I breathe out.

“Heartbreaker.” His voice breaks, and I run to him, wrapping my arms around him as we collide.

He pulls back and holds my cheek.

“Are you okay?” he whispers, and I nod. His gaze glances down my body and he hisses, shaking his head. The fury is evident as his jaw ticks, and he spins to face Vlad.

“You left marks on my girl, Vlad. You left fucking marks!” he shouts.

Before Vlad can respond, Declan fires another bullet into his good knee.

The screams of his agony are a sweet symphony to me.

“I’m going to let her bring hell down on you, Vlad. And I’m going to enjoy watching every fucking minute,” Declan grits out as Vlad rolls around the floor.

Declan slams his boot on Vlad’s throat.

“Come here, baby.” Declan motions to me and I step forward.

He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me snug against his side. My breath hitches as he tips my chin up with his hand, covered in brass.

“Remember how I told you if you burn, I’ll burn right beside you?”

I nod and slide my hands up his chest.

“Yes. How could I forget?”

He frowns, his head tipping to the side as he leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek.

“I was wrong. That isn’t love. What I should have said is that I will push you out of the way of the flames and burn for you. Because I fucking love you, heartbreaker. So goddamn much. And that’s what I realized. Love is burning for the other person. Not with them.”

Tears well in my eyes as he strokes my cheek.

“Before we end this, once and for all, I need you to know that. I need you to know how much I adore you, just as you are. I’m going to tell you every single day for the rest of my life. My heart beats for you.”

I grab his throat and drag his lips down to mine, pouring every ounce of me that I have left to give.

“I’m not sure how much of my heart I have left, but you and Isabella, you two own all of it. You saved me, Declan Quinn. Without even realizing it, you brought me back to life; you allowed me to survive. You gave me hope. I love you, Declan, and I will until the day I finally lose the fight. I will love you with everything I am and everything that I am yet to become.”

Vlad’s groans cause Declan to growl, so he stamps his boot down harder.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole. Don’t ruin this beautiful moment,” he spits out, and I can’t help but giggle.

“This is exactly how our story should go,” I whisper, and Declan shakes his head.

“I’ll take any plot twist that means I get the woman of my dreams and our little girl. It doesn’t matter how we got here, all that matters is the Queen is safe, and the bad man is about to lose his life in the most excruciating way to pay for his sins.”

I nod, my hands beginning to tremble as I glance down at my tormentor.

Helpless and weak on the floor.

My eyes go wide and my heart stops as a swarm of men enter the door. It’s soon replaced by relief as I recognize Finn, holding a black duffle bag in one hand and a fucking automatic rifle in the other.

“Where do you need me?” he asks.

A lightbulb goes off in my head.

“In the barn, Finn. Go help Drago. Please.”

My body freezes, and I fight back the emotions threatening to spill out.

“Finn, in there, help Conan get Drago out. The rest of you, secure the area and wait. We need some time here,” Declan commands his men.

Finn rushes off and the rest retreat, leaving just us three in the room.

“Drago?”

I look down, not even wanting to think about it.

“It’s not good, Declan. I don’t know if he will make it out of this one.” I hiccup on a sob, and he nuzzles me against his chest.

“Finn is the best of the best. We will do everything we can, Charlotte. I promise you.”

He pulls back and tips my chin up to him.

“He would want you to end this, right? He did everything to help you get to this moment.”

I nod, a new burning rage taking over as I glance at Vlad on the floor.

“It’s time for the Queen to take her revenge, heartbreaker. Let this motherfucker feel your agony, let it all out and leave it to burn with him in this barn.”

A smile creeps up on my lips as he leans in for another kiss.

“Could you be any more perfect, Declan Quinn?” I say against his lips.

“Trust me, I’m nowhere near perfect. But for you, I’m going to try my damn hardest to be. Get ready to be worshipped, exactly how you should be.”

He brings my hand up to his lips and presses a soft kiss, his blue eyes piercing into mine.

“Now how do you want this to go, baby? I’m just here to help, this is your kill. You earned this one.” He winks, nodding down to my husband on the floor.

I pout. I’ve dreamed about this for ten years.

This is for my parents. For my years of suffering at his hand.

For every time he’s hit me.

For every time he’s chained me up.

For every time he’s fucked me.

This is for the innocent eighteen-year old Charlotte, who lost her life to this man.

For the evil he created.

I want to torture him in every possible way just as he has done to me.

He made me a monster, and I will be that woman for one last time; only then can I evolve into the woman I truly want to be.