Page 115 of Burning Your Lies

“And you’ll have to kill me if you want to get rid of me.”

I run my fingers down his face. “What do you think this is, Mr Rivers? It is not only me that will die here tonight. Why do you think I called our story a tragedy? After all the lives we have taken, we deserve to die.”

His blue irises latch onto mine. “This was never about justice.”

“There is no outsmarting a man like you. There is only killing you. This was always aboutrevenge.”

Xavier startles me when his head falls back with laughter. It fills the room alongside his applause. “What are you going to do, Savannah?”

“I’ve already told you. I said it right at the beginning. I am going to set your empire on fire. I’m going toburnyou. Welcome toourdeath, Xavier. After today, Savannah and Xavier will only be a tragic story.”

The fear and panic I expected on his face doesn’t appear. If anything, Xavier looks at me in awe. The light in his eyes only intensifies the longer he studies me. For just a split second, I see the Xavier that led the last game. He looks at me like I am truly the only thing worthy of his attention and love. “You love me enough to die with me.”

I shake my head. “No. I hate you enough to kill myself.”

He holds my face in his hands. His heavy gaze lands on my lips and just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he strangles me. For the first time tonight, I see his rage at losing. The life in his eyes is terrifying. “You would have made a mighty queen if you reigned alongside me. But you chose wrong.”

My knee comes up and jams into his crotch. In my new freedom, I run out of the room in a coughing fit. My heart pounds in my chest as I try to get to my hoodie. I scream when he drags me back by my hair. “I never loved you!”

My back is pressed against him. His lips are at my ears and he lets out a soft sigh. “It’s quite poetic that you and Ray are going to die on the same day.Thatis the real tragedy.”

I struggle against his hold, but he’s too strong for me to break free. My hoodie is just steps away. Tears threaten to fall at my desperation.

Emery is sitting next to my hoodie with a look of determination. She’s telling me to think faster and harder. But my arms are trapped, stopping me from retaliating.If I don’t do something, I’m going to die.

My head slams back into his face and I use that split second to reach for my hoodie and run out of the room. Xavier’s shouts fade as I go wherever my legs take me. I’m in the kitchen and I eye the knife block. I can barely breathe. His footsteps are getting closer and I know the time to grab a weapon has slipped away. I dig into my hoodie pocket and grip my only defence behind my back.

“You can run, but you can’t hide, Savannah!” He shouts, slowly getting closer to me. “We’re playing on my turf. I have cameras watching your every move.”

Keeping my voice calm, I ask, “What cameras?” I press against the counter as he joins me. “I jammed the signal the second after I entered. All the police will see is me entering. And then, nothing. Maybe they’ll think the fire destroyed the evidence. Or that you turned it off to cover your crime; a crime that cost you your life.”

With a laugh, he pulls a gun out of the draw. “I would have preferred to kill you the gentleman way, but this will have to do.” He lifts the gun and aims it at me.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I walk towards him until we’re standing chest to chest. “Look me in the eye and kill me.”

He presses the barrel against my forehead. “With pleasure.”

“You don’t get to win,” I seethe. My arm swings forward and I jab the needle into his neck and push the fluid in faster than Brynn advised.

Xavier grabs my top, but nothing can keep him upright. He falls to the ground with a muffle grumble. His eyes widen with panic as he tries to speak, but his mouth fails to open. His eyes dart down to his legs. The will is clear in his eyes, yet he cannot move.

I crouch down and force him to look at me. “I would save yourself the trouble. Your mind is awake, but the rest of your body is asleep. How does it feel to have your voice ripped away, Xavier? How does it feel to be silenced? How does it feel being a prisoner in your own body?”

Grabbing him by his legs, I drag the dead weight back to the dining room. A sheen of sweat covets my skin and trickles down my back as I pull him back into his seat. His body keeps slumping forward, so I tuck him in so he is wedged between the table and backrest.

Leaving the house, I pick up the final pieces of my plan from my car. As I enter, I pour the gasoline onto the floors. When I take a seat at the table, I smile at Xavier. I place the bottle of fuel and the matches between us. His mouth looks full with words, but nothing fills the silence except the ticking of the clock.

No matter how hard I try to force my tears back, they fall. “How many lives have you taken? How many lives have you ruined? All in the name of what? You once said it was for love, but you stole so much love in this world. All because you are impossible to love. There is nothing but darkness in you. Butdon’t worry, I’m about the fill you with light until you fall into eternal darkness.”

Emery stands behind me with a proud look on her face. She gives a slight nod of her head.

“When the police investigate how tonight happened, they will find all my evidence against you in my home. Every family who lost a loved one will finally have closure. Except Emery. But do not worry, Xavier. The best revenge I can exact on her behalf is to raise her daughter free of you. In killing you, Elise has the chance of being happy and loved. No more games. No more lies.” I wipe my tears. “The police will think you killed me to stop me from exposing you. The final nail in your coffin.”

His gaze is fixed on the table. A single tear streaks down his cheek. I can’t help but wonder what thoughts are swarming his mind.

I gather all the cards and shuffle the deck. “All you had to do was let me leave with Elise. That is all I wanted. But the great Xavier Rivers had to win it all. But youlose. Xavier Rivers will no longer be a mystery tale of awe. He will be known for what you truly are; a serial killer. A cold-hearted murderer. The poker face has faded. The games are over.”

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