Page 72 of Thorned Vengeance

“Are we done here?” Delaney asks impatiently. “Nothing he says is going to make sins go away, it’s not gonna bring Tamara, Daphne, and the others back.”

I stare at the man who tainted my life for so long, the prick who sent me down a dark path. I wouldn’t change the last ten years for anything because it all led me to Delaney, but if I could, I’d go back and stay to help Tamara clean up after the party.

“Thorn?” Delaney prods.

Ignoring the sinner in the chair, I yank Delaney toward me, careful of the knife she’s still holding, and fuse my lips to hers. The kiss is passionate, heated, and full of promise.

“I love you,” I say when I break contact. “I’m so sorry about your sister, but I can’t be sorry that it brought us together. Does that make you hate me?”

“Hate you?” She shakes her head. “I could never hate you.”

“Isn’t that sweet?” Shawn teases, far too happy for a man in his position.

“Please let me purge him,” Delaney begs.

I’ve wanted a piece of the Phantom for years, and I’m finally in a position to get what I want. Problem is, I can’t get the words out of my mouth to deny Delaney a damn thing.

“Go for it.”

She grins before spinning on her heel and moving closer to the chair. “Any last words? Deathbed confessions?”

“And give you the satisfaction of not having to always wonder what, or who, you may have missed?” Shawn snorts. “No.”

I fully expect Delaney to thrust the knife into his chest, but she surprises me when she tosses the weapon to the floor and takes a step forward. Rage rolls off her in waves, adrenaline fueling her every move. Shawn kicks at her, but she endures every blow as she lifts him with one arm and wraps the chain around his neck with the other.

Damn, she’s impressive.

Delaney takes a step back, admiring her work. Shawn struggles, but it only tightens the chain. The life drains from his body slowly, and I savor every second.

“Sweetheart, there’s one last thing,” I tell Delaney, grabbing her hand and threading my fingers through hers.

“Okay.”

“Repeat after me,” I instruct, and she nods. “Go forth sinners’ souls, from this world.”

“Go forth sinners’ souls, from this world.”

“May you suffer in darkness.”

“May you suffer in darkness.”

“May your home be in Hell.”

“May your home be in Hell.

“And may the Devil fuck you with his horns.”

“And may the Devil fuck you with his horns.”

Shawn takes his last breath as we finish the purge prayer, and Delaney releases a loud sigh.

“It’s over, right?” she asks.

“It’s over, sweetheart.”

She turns in my arms and presses her cheek to my chest. “Thorn?”

“Yeah?”

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