Page 63 of Twisted Thorns

But Avalina is not just a helpless damsel. In a sudden blur of motion, she shatters the stillness, driving a shard of glass deep into Sean's leg. His howl pierces the night, and the gun spins away from her head as he turns on her with venomous fury.

"Stupid girl!" he roars, fingers clawing to pull the trigger.

Then, a shot rings out—not from Sean's gun but from above, where smoke billows around the shadowy figure of Sloane. The firearm explodes from Sean's grasp, skittering across the lawn, leaving him weaponless and writhing.

"Run, Avalina!" I shout, my heart hammering with adrenaline and hope.

For a moment, time stands still—the flames' dance, the distant cries of combat, even the stench of betrayal—all fade into the background as Avalina scrambles toward me, her survival instinct taking over.

"Kieran," she breathes, her hands reaching for mine.

"Go," I urge, my voice laced with both command and concern, as I shove her away from the fire and carnage, towards where I see Cass against the treeline.

The world slows to a crawl as I lunge toward the earth, fingers scrabbling against the cool grass, desperately seeking my discarded weapon. It's a lifeline—my only chance to end this madness once and for all. The metallic coldness of the gun handle presses into my palm, and it's like a jolt of electricity through my veins, a spark of hope in the engulfing darkness.

But Sean is a shadow slipping away, his figure blurry through the haze of smoke and flames. He stumbles toward the sleek black car parked haphazardly on the driveway. My breath catches as he dives inside, engine roaring to life, tires screeching against the gravel with a sense of urgency that matches the pounding of my heart.

My gaze follows the taillights disappearing into the night, a red beacon of the endgame. There's a part of me that wants to chase, to hunt him down like the predator I am. But I know Sean’s time is quickly running out.

Sean's car hits a sharp turn, but because of the brake lines I cut a few hours ago, he can’t slow down. It's a violent ballet of metal and momentum as the vehicle flips, once, twice—time seems to stretch, dragging out the moment into an eternity until, with a sound like the world itself splitting open, it explodes. Fire blooms against the night sky, a deadly flower of retribution, and with it, the last remnants of Sean O'Neil vanish into nothingness.

For a heartbeat, there's silence—a void where even the crackling flames dare not whisper. Then reality rushes back in like a tidal wave, and with it comes the clamor of surrender. Sean's men drop their weapons, hands raised, their spirits broken by the spectacle of their leader's downfall.

"Kieran!" Avalina's cry is raw, desperate.

Our eyes lock across the smoldering battlefield, twin storms of emotion colliding in a single glance. Her green eyes are oceans of turmoil, but beneath the fear and the shock, there's something else—relief, love, a connection that burns brighter than any flame.

We run to each other, heedless of the danger, the debris, the world falling apart around us. The distance closes, each step pounding a rhythm of longing into the earth until, finally, we collide. Her arms wrap around me, fierce and unyielding, and I pull her close, burying my face in the softness of her hair. Our lips meet in a kiss that is both a promise and a prayer.

"Kieran," she whispers against my mouth, and the sound is more intoxicating than any liquor, any drug. "You're here."

A shuddering sigh rolls out of me, and I clutch her tight to my chest, my chin resting on the top of her head.

"Never again," I whisper, my voice raw with emotion. "I'm never walking away from you again."

Chapter 35

Avalina

I gaze out at the hospital window, eyes cast to the light fading over the horizon, the setting sun making the city glow.

I haven't been awake long, and I need more sleep, but my mind keeps replaying the events of the past couple of days over and over, a loop I can't escape. My chest tightens at the memory of Sean and the gun pressed against me, fear leaving a cold trail down my spine that has my breaths coming in soft gasps.

The sound of a blanket moving has me turning to see a tousled Kieran sit up in the chair next to me, running a hand through his hair.

"Kieran," I whisper, my voice barely audible above the sound of my own ragged breaths as he moves to sit next to me on the hospital bed. I look into his eyes, torn between the love that swells within me and the knowledge of the darkness that lurks in his life.

Before me is the man who had captivated me with his charm, his intellect, and his undeniable passion. But beneath that tantalizing façade, I now understand the truth of the sinister world he inhabits. The truth of why he tried to push me away.

"Lina, are you—" he begins, but I hold up a hand to silence him.

"Please, don't say anything just yet." My fingers tremble as my mind tries to spin a web with my conflicting emotions, putting the pieces together of everything I have learned. Some pieces are sharp with jagged edges and looking at them too long makes my heart bleed.

I am pulled to Kieran like the moon to the earth. Even with most of our relationship in memories locked away, I can’t escape his orbit, a force so powerful it threatens to consume me entirely.

But even with that magnetic pull of my connection to Kieran, I realize I can no longer turn a blind eye to the sins committed by those whose blood runs through his veins.

Kieran's gaze bares into mine, seeking any sign of forgiveness or understanding, but all he finds is a storm of emotion swirling in the depths of my emerald eyes. In that moment, I wish I can erase everything I have learned about this town and all the dark deeds that run beneath the surface.

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