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This Ends Tonight

Hypothetical Question: Would you rather have a permanent smile on your face that never fades, or a silent, untraceable laugh that haunts every room you walk into?

Carina

I slip around the corner, darting to my left to stay out of sight of my father’s security cameras.

Unless you’d actually lived in this house, you’d never be able to find the weak spots.

But I do.

My father still lives in my childhood home. Even as a child, I snuck out enough times to know exactly where not to go.

The loose, black clothing clings awkwardly to my too-thin frame—a constant, silent reminder of how far I’ve fallen.

But no more.

I won’t let him shatter me again.

Every fractured piece of my soul I’ve painstakingly rebuilt is mine, and I won’t let him rip them apart again.

Nate trails just a step behind me, his presence like a shield I didn’t know I needed. Ever since we found our way back to each other, he refuses to let me out of his sight for more than a few minutes. Not that I’d want him to.

“You’ve got this,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my temple as his solid frame presses against my back.

I don’t respond, just nod tightly, my focus ahead as we inch closer to the house. Harsh, bright lights flood the grounds, illuminating every shadow and making it nearly impossible to stay concealed. My pulse quickens, but I push the fear down, replacing it with icy determination.

At the back door, I ease it open, the faint creak loud enough to make my heart stutter.

Nate’s hand briefly touches my waist, grounding me as we slip inside.

Voices float down the hallway from my father’s office, and I freeze, straining to hear every word.

“I haven’t heard from Lucian in days. No updates, nothing,” my father says, his tone clipped, the irritation unmistakable.

“He’s probably just busy getting his dick wet,” another voice responds with a chuckle, the sound making bile rise in my throat.

“She better not have done anything stupid,” my father snaps, venom dripping from each word.

“Do you still have the evidence?”

“Evidence?” My father barks out a laugh, the sound cruel and mocking. “There was never any evidence. The two of them are far too careful about that. I just had to hope she’d believe my bluff. And she did. Like the scared little girl she is.”

My chest tightens, white-hot rage rushing through me in a wave so powerful it’s dizzying. Nate was right. I endured his abuse—Lucian’s abuse—because I thought he had evidence. I thought he could send Nate and me to prison with a snap of his fingers. I believed every word, every threat, and I bent under the weight of it.

But it was a lie.

A bluff.

And I fell for it like a frightened child.

Nate’s hand finds mine, his grip firm and reassuring, but when I turn to meet his gaze, I see the same fury burning in his eyes.

“Let’s fucking end this,” I whisper, my voice low and venomous.

He nods, his jaw clenched so tight it looks like it might snap.

Together, we step forward.

We move as one.

No hesitation.

No fear.

Because this ends tonight.

Nate

This is it. The feeling. That intoxicating hum of anticipation coursing through me before a kill. The electric thrill that surges in my veins, every nerve alive as I stalk my prey.

It buzzes in my veins, sharp and undeniable. My entire body is wired, alive, and hungry.

When Carina was gone, it felt like part of me had been ripped away, leaving a hollow, fractured shell behind.

But now?

Now, I feel whole again.

A grin unfurls across my face—sharp, wicked, feral.

I’m back.

My hand brushes against the hilt of my knife, fingers tracing the curved edge. It’s a familiar comfort, a deadly promise. The cool metal feels like an extension of me, eager and hungry for what’s to come.

Enzo and Kai are in position, stationed at the front door, ready to execute their distraction. Right on cue, the buzz of someone at the gate echoes through the mansion, followed by the telltale creak of footsteps. Dominic’s on the move.

Carina and I glide silently through the vast expanse of the house, shadows slipping into shadows. My heart pounds hard against my ribs—not from nerves, but from the pure exhilaration coursing through me. This is where I belong.

Voices drift from the entrance hall. We move closer, stopping just out of sight, hidden in the dark.

“I’m so sorry. We’re lost, you see…” Kai’s voice is smooth and charming, carrying just the right amount of desperation as he begins his elaborate tale. His lover—Enzo—is quick to chime in, adding depth to the story. They play their parts flawlessly.

Kai might not be the most skilled in a fight, but he more than makes up for it in cunning. And tonight? He’s a master performer. His exaggerated distress is so convincing I almost believe it myself.

Carina shifts beside me, her gaze steady and lethal as she watches our prey. Her presence is a storm barely contained, and I can feel the raw energy rolling off her in waves.

This isn’t just vengeance.

It’s a reckoning.

Kai’s voice continues to flow smoothly, weaving a story of panic and confusion, drawing the target in like a moth to a flame. Enzo’s silent, but his presence is like an anchor, grounding Kai’s performance with his quiet intensity. Their roles are flawless, the deception flawless. I can hear the hesitation in Dominic’s voice now as he questions the story. He's buying it.

I nod to Carina, signalling that it’s time.

We move with deadly grace, ghosting through the dark, our footsteps as silent as shadows. The hallway stretches ahead of us, and with each step, I feel closer to the moment when I can let the knife do what it does best.

Dominic enters the hallway, his posture slightly relaxed, still intrigued by the performance at the door. His back is turned, unaware of the storm that’s about to strike.

I step out, a predator in full control, and Carina follows in my wake, a lethal shadow. The knife feels right in my hand, heavy with purpose. I know every inch of it, from the curve of the hilt to the blade’s sharp edge.

We move in perfect synchrony.

Dominic doesn’t hear us coming. By the time he turns, it’s already too late. Carina’s swift, but I’m faster. I step into the path of his escape, blocking it effortlessly. His eyes widen in realisation, but it’s already too late for him to speak.

I advance on him, my gaze cold, unblinking. I see the fear flash in his eyes. It's a sweet, familiar sight.

With a swift motion, I draw my knife and close the distance between us, Carina’s silent presence behind me like a dark omen. The thrill is building in my chest, that intoxicating buzz as I watch the colour drain from his face.

“We thought this would be harder… needing to destroy the evidence you had against us… but now we know it’s not real…” I trail off, a grin stretching across my face, sharp and feral. It’s a smile that makes him shudder, and I relish it.

Dominic’s friend tries to back away. I see it in my peripherals, but Enzo steps forward, his presence overwhelming, the glint of his knife flashing as he closes the gap. The man freezes, his body stiffening in terror.

“It’s showtime,” I beam, and Carina’s laugh curls around me like a dangerous melody, adding to the thrill in the air.

I glance at Carina. The fire in her eyes makes my blood sing.

She's been waiting for this moment just as much as I have.

I roll my shoulders, loosening the tension, feeding off the energy crackling between us.

Dominic tries to run.

I don't even let him take a full step before I grab him by the collar, dragging him effortlessly down the hallway.

He thrashes, hands clawing at my wrist.

Pathetic.

His friend isn't much better. Enzo shoves him forward, not unkindly, but not gently, either.

They stumble into the chairs.

We tie them down.

The fun hasn't even started yet.

The sound of footsteps interrupts the silence.

A petite older woman wanders into the room, her eyes widening in horror as she takes in the scene before her.

Carina’s reflexes are lightning fast. In a flash, she’s on the woman, her fist slamming into the side of the woman’s face. The woman stumbles back, her head snapping to the side, and Carina moves in on her like a predator closing in on prey.

“You’re going to die alongside him,” Carina spits at her, hatred lacing every syllable, grabbing a fistful of her hair and dragging her over to the others. We tie her down too.

I step back, surveying the room. The three of them, bound and helpless. Perfect.

My gaze flicks to Carina.

“Who is she?”

She doesn’t hesitate.

“Martha,” Carina hisses the name like venom, her eyes narrowed in seething hatred. “She watched. She let it happen. Every time he hit me. Every time he locked me away without food.”

My pulse pounds.

Watched. Let it happen.

My fingers twitch against my knife.

She stood there while Carina suffered. Did nothing.

I step forward, slow and deliberate, until I stand directly before her.

She smells like fear.

“Then she dies too,” I growl.

Martha shudders.

Dominic’s friend—whose name I don’t know—shakes his head rapidly, panic flooding his face.

“I—I wasn’t even here!” he stammers. “I had nothing to do with it!”

I hum, tilting my head, considering.

“Perhaps not.”

He exhales, hopes flickering across his face.

Then I grin.

Sharp. Cruel.

“But I don’t like your face.”

His expression crumbles.

I lean in just enough to let my words slither into his ears. “That’s enough of a reason for me.”

I watch as his face pales, his throat bobbing as he swallows hard.

Dominic chuckles.

Even now—bound, bleeding, a dead man breathing—he still smirks.

Fucking arrogant.

“Is there anyone else here tonight?” I ask, my voice sharp, my patience wearing thin.

He smirks even wider, clearly enjoying the game. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Obviously,” I snap, frustrated with his bravado. “That’s why I asked.”

“Enzo, Kai—go search the grounds,” I command, and without a word, they move off to do as I’ve instructed.

Carina and I exchange a look, a silent conversation passing between us.

If I had to guess, it goes something like this:

“I’ll deal with the friend. You go get your revenge on the others.”

“Ah, my brave and fearless knight, thank you for being both ridiculously sexy and the world’s most efficient torturer.”

“You’re welcome, my stunningly beautiful queen. Now, let’s go make them regret every life decision they’ve ever made.”

She nods, a dark gleam in her eyes.

Then we move.