Page 24 of The Colour of Revenge

I break eye contact first.

Coward.

Glancing down at my food, I force myself to focus. I chew, swallow, and breathe. But my body betrays me. A flicker of warmth spreads through my chest, slow and insidious.

Because somewhere between the soft glow of the McDonald's lights and the low murmur of our conversation, something shifts.

Something dangerous.

And for the first time in a long time, I wonder if maybe…

I don't mind being this close to the edge.

6

Some Very Aggressive Kinks

Hypothetical Question: If your worst fear suddenly became your pet, how would you take care of it?

Nate

Daddy Death:I just walked past a dog wearing a jumper. Are we dressing animals now?

Queen Carina:Absolutely. Dogs deserve fashion, too.

Daddy Death:You are not putting a jumper on Cupcake!

Queen Carina:Cupcake?

Daddy Death:Yes. Our future fur child.

Queen Carina:You can't stop me.

AsIstepintothe office, I grin down at my phone like a madman, the ghost of Carina's laughter lingering in my mind. Our playful banter never gets old, no matter how much I tell myself to keep things casual.

My office isn't flashy like my father's—no grand boardrooms, no floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a city he thinks he owns. I rent a single floor in a modest building because I'd rather my money go toward helping victims than lining a property developer's pockets. Most of my team works remotely or in the field at our safe houses, but the space serves its purpose when I'm here.

I lean against the wall, rolling my phone between my fingers as my thoughts drift back to my father. The man has everything—a sprawling real estate empire, a name respected in all the right circles. And yet, he looks at me like I'm the family's disappointment.

I didn't stick to the plan because my empire was built on something different.

Haven.

A charity organisation dedicated to helping survivors of abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. A place where victims can reclaim their lives.

A front for something much darker.

I see the damage these monsters leave behind. I sit across from the women they've broken and watch them try to piece themselves back together. And I do what I can.

But some wounds don't heal with therapy and safe houses. Some demand retribution.

And that's where I come in.

Justice is a luxury most of these victims will never see. Not in the system. Not in a courtroom. The people who hurt them walk free daily, hiding behind wealth, power, or simple indifference. But I don't let those monsters escape.

I find them. I make them disappear.

It should bother me, the ease with which I kill. But it doesn't. Not anymore. In the beginning, building Haven consumed all my time—before I discovered my true talent.