Page 67 of The Shadow

“Not this time,” I say as I finally stand up from the chair and start to make my way toward him. “There’s no deal to be made with me, Connor.” I crouch down in front of him, pulling my eight-inch tactical blade from my waistband and pointing it right in his face. “By the time someone like me finds you, you’re already dead.”

He opens his mouth to scream but before he can emit a sound, I shove the blade deep into his throat, severing his voice box. His hands are on his throat immediately, his tongue shooting outward as he tries to scream.

“Do you remember the promise I made to you?” I say, grabbing him by the hair so that he’s staring at me as his life begins to slowly fade from his eyes. “Because I do and it’s time to collect on it.”

He doesn’t fight me when I pull his tongue from his mouth and cut it off. Blood sputters from his mouth and throat as his hands continue to grasp at it. He gurgles a few more times and then his hands slowly slide to the floor with a thunk, his head lulling to the side as his eyes stare forward.

The room is finally silent.

I wipe the blood from my knife and toss his tongue on his lifeless body before standing up and leaving the same undetected way I came in, letting the night envelop me.

There is no guilt or shame, just like there wasn’t when I walked away from my dad’s lifeless body. I’m not a monster, but I feel justice. I feel a weight lifting from my shoulders, a relief knowing that this monster, this evil piece of shit will never be a threat to Aspen or anyone else again.

And when it’s all done and over and I slip back between the sheets with her and feel her warm body pressed against mine, I’ll know that I did what I promised I would do, what I’ll promise to do for the rest of our lives.

Protect her.

Epilogue

Aspen

It’s been six months since the night Connor Blake vanished from our lives. I don’t ask questions, I don’t seek answers, and life moves on as if he never existed.

But I know the truth.

Harvey ended it, stopping Connor’s reign of terror over my life. It’s an unspoken understanding between us, a silent bond that connects us through the darkness of that night.

I still wake up in a cold sweat some nights, my heart pounding as if Connor’s ghost is lurking in the shadows, ready to reach out and wrap his icy fingers around my neck. But Harvey is always there, enveloping me in his strong arms, whispering assurances that no one will ever hurt me again.

“Baby,” he nuzzles my neck, “it’s just a dream.” His soft breath comes in puffs against my sweaty skin. “I’m here; nobody can get you.”

He becomes my anchor in those moments—the rock that keeps me grounded when the nightmares threaten to pull me under.

“Just think about tomorrow. Just the two of us, far away from the city.”

I let out a soft sigh, the warmth of his arms around me reminding me that I’m safe, and within a few moments, I slip back beneath the waves of sleep as he continues to hold me.

Harvey and I walk along the winding trails of our favorite park, the summer evening air warm and sweet with the scent of blooming flowers. The sun is setting, casting a golden glow over the landscape, making everything look like it’s been touched by magic. I feel his hand squeeze mine gently, grounding me in this perfect moment.

We reach a secluded spot by the lake, a place we’ve visited countless times, but tonight it feels different, special. Harvey stops and turns to face me, his eyes reflecting the golden hues of the sunset. There’s a softness in his expression—an emotion I can’t quite place—but it tugs at my heart.

“Are you okay?”

“I am now,” he smiles, reaching his hand out to brush my hair away from my face. His palm settles against my cheek and I briefly nuzzle against it.

“Now?”

“Now that you’re safe.” He plants a tender kiss on the tip of my nose. “Now that you’re mine.”

Mine.

The word never fails to send a shiver of excitement through my body.

“I’ve been yours,” I whisper, both of us leaning in until our lips connect. The kiss is tender, soft, but within seconds, it turns, the heat that always stirs between us instantly igniting. I drag my hands down his chest, his tongue sliding past my lips to tangle with mine. He moves his hands down to my neck, his fingers clasping around it.

“Aspen,” he begins after pulling back, his voice soft but filled with a depth of emotion that makes my breath catch.

“Yes?” My eyes search his.

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