Page 46 of And Back

For a moment, everything else fades away—the noise, the chaos—it's just him and me.

"You won't hurt anyone ever again," I say through gritted teeth.

Benedetto's sneer falters for the first time as he realizes he's lost control. His eyes flicker with fear—a sight I've never seen before.

"You don't have the guts," he spits out, but his voice wavers.

I press the barrel harder against his chest, my grip steady and unyielding. "Watch me."

My finger tightens on the trigger, and the gunshot echoes through the room.

Benedetto's scream of pain fills my ears as the bullet tears through him. He clutches at the wound, his face contorted in agony.

I step back, watching him writhe on the floor.

The power I feel is intoxicating, but it’s tempered by years of pain and anger that bubble to the surface. I aim lower and fire twice more, each shot hitting his legs. His cries grow louder, but I don't flinch.

"Do you feel that?" I shout over his groans. "That's just a fraction of what you've put me through."

He growls in pain, trying to pull himself up, but his legs give out beneath him. The sight of him—weak and vulnerable—stirs a twisted satisfaction within me. For once, he’s the one who’s powerless.

"You took everything from me," I continue, my voice shaking. "Every goddamn thing! My childhood was nothing but a nightmare because of you."

I take a step closer, my gun still trained on him. "I used to lie awake at night, terrified of what you might do next. Every time you raised your hand, every time you shouted—I was just a kid! You were supposed to protect me, not destroy me."

Benedetto's eyes flicker with fear, but I don’t let it sway me.

"And it wasn't just me," I say, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You did the same to Dante. You nearly killed him! We all had to escape and hide because of you."

He tries to speak, but all that comes out is a strangled gasp.

"You thought you could control us with fear," I ask bitterly. "You thought you could break us. But guess what? I'm still here. Dante's still here. And we’re stronger than you'll ever be."

The room falls silent except for Benedetto’s labored breathing and occasional whimpers of pain.

"I had dreams," I say quietly. "I wanted a normal life—a life without looking over my shoulder every second. But you ripped that away from me."

He tries to sit up again, and I press my foot against his chest, forcing him back down.

"You turned me into someone I hate, someone like you," I admit softly. "But no more."

Benedetto looks up at me with those cold eyes that used to haunt my nightmares. Now they look empty, defeated.

"I used to think about this moment every day," I confess. "I thought it would bring me peace—closure." I shake my head slowly. "But there’s no peace here. I’ll never forgive you," I say finally. "But I'm done letting you control my life."

I drop the gun. A quick death would be a mercy for Benedetto.

No, he deserves to feel every bit of pain he's caused. I step closer and grab him by the collar, pulling him up slightly. My fist slams into his face, punctuating my words with each punch.

"This is for my mother!" I shout, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone under my knuckles.

Benedetto's head snaps back, blood spraying from his nose. He tries to shield himself, but I knock his hands away and hit him again.

"This is for Dante!" Another punch lands, splitting his lip wide open.

He groans, but I don't stop. I can't stop. The rage inside me burns too hot.

"This is for Zoe!" I scream, my fist connecting with his cheekbone. Blood splashes onto my face and clothes, but I don't care. He deserves this. "And this is for me."

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