Page 55 of Acts of Contrition

“Please—” Mike gasps.

That's what I want to hear.

“What was it you told me when I begged you to stop raping me when I was thirteen? Oh yeah,if you are good and be quiet, it’ll all be over soon.”

He raises his hand, maybe to swipe at me, and I slash with the dagger, hitting his palm, and he screams.

Thomas’ heavy boot comes down on the appendage, and I hear the bones break as he digs his heel down. “You willneverget to touch my wife again, demon.”

Oh, that’s hot. That’s very hot. Being actively protected, something I never thought I deserved since I never had it, it activates something inside me.

I’m not alone anymore.

“You isolated me.”

Slash to the stomach.

“You raped me.”

Another.

“You let everyone pay to hurt me!”

I kneel down to nearly straddle him, so I can reach higher on his chest, stabbing near his heart.

Blood soaks my hoodie and jeans now. It foams at his mouth, but I’m not quite done.

“Mom just wanted a job! She wanted to take care of me! And you destroyed her! But you couldn’t get me. No matter how hard you tried,you didn’t destroy me!”

Finally, I cut his throat from end to end, the blade going so fast it winds up embedded into the scuffed linoleum floor. The arterial spray hits my face and hair and I wipe it away, staggering backwards as a sob tears from me. Somehow, I remember to take the dagger with me; I can’t leave it here.

But I’m not sad, despite the sobs.

Not even close.

I’mfree.

Thomas grabs me from behind, steadying me, holding me tightly to him.

“Shh shh shh,” he whispers, moving my bloody hair away from my face. “You did so good, my dove. So good.” He kisses my temple. “It’s over now. You won.”

I turn and face him, the blood on my clothes getting onto his, making the leather look slick. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

He wipes blood from my face, leans down, and kisses me. I cling to him, needing this closeness. What did I ever do without this my whole life?

His body is hard against mine, and as adrenaline runs through my veins, all I can think about is the final act to perform to leave my old life behind and bind my soul to my new husband’s.

To willingly give myself to someone in a way I never did before.

The blade is still in my hands, now heavier than it had been moments ago. The part of the old me that remains whispers,You could kill him now and run. Be truly free.

I glance down at it, clutched in my hand between us, and Thomas’ eyes follow.

He smirks and takes my wrist in his strong hand, bringing my blade to his throat. He discarded his gloves at some point, so his calloused palm is rough against my skin. “Go on. Do it, Diana. If you really wish to kill me, I won’t stop you. If that’s the fate God sent you to me to fulfill, you won’t hesitate.” His hand loosens its grip, and for a moment I picture him bleeding out on the floor, dead by my hand, and I close my eyes to savor that for just a moment before I move.

The knife knicks his skin before I put my hand down and kiss over the wound I made, tasting his blood on my lips.

Thomas groans and wrenches me away from him, kissing me again, practically plundering my mouth with his tongue. It’s all I can do to keep up, but I need more.

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