Page 89 of The Pakhan's Arranged Bride

Then I slip my arm around Benedikt’s waist and lean into him.

I can’t believe it’s over.

I never thought it would be. I had hope, I wished for it, but it felt like one of those things that would never end.

My whole life has changed in the blink of an eye.

One man dies and I am suddenly free.

Free from fear. Free from the constant thoughts of revenge.

It’s all over.

And in the end—it was Benedikt who gave that to me. Who saved me. He was the one who was there for me, even after I pushed him away and said terrible things.

I love him.

I can’t wait to tell him.

Chapter 25 - Benedikt

All the way home, I keep looking across the car to see if she’s okay. If I don’t stop doing this, I’m going to crash the car, but I’m worried about her. She shouldn’t be smiling. She should be horrified after what just happened.

Every time I ask her, she tells me that she’s okay. But how can she be? I’m not okay. How can she be okay?

The image of Miron on top of her—how helpless she was to whatever he was going to do—it’s aching inside of me like poison.

I want to bring him back to life just so that I can kill him again.

I’ve never, in all my years, hated a man as strongly as I hate him.

I would kill him a thousand times and it wouldn’t be enough to appease the anger I have towards him.

He hurt her.

He took that peace from her.

My fingers tighten around the steering wheel and I pull my eyes back to the road. It’s dark and Las Vegas is alive with neon lights.

He’s dead. He’s gone. You can let it go.

But can she?

What scars is she going to carry from what he did today?

But as I glance at her again, she looks my way and smiles.

Not a sad or tight smile. It’s genuine. Its light and easy-going.

Her eyes are shining, reflecting the neon lights. Her face is happy, despite the red marks on her skin from where he was holding her down.Silencing her screams.

My stomach churns.

You got there in time, Benedikt. You stopped it. It didn’t happen. Stop thinking about it.

I reach out and place my hand on her leg.

She pulls my jacket tighter around her shoulders, snuggling into it, tilting her head to sniff the fabric she smiles again.