Page 110 of Burning Your Lies

And then it all goes black.

49

Huxley

I watch from afaras the police arrest Cam for the murder of Mia and Jordan. He resists against the handcuffs and goes down screaming that he’s innocent. But the police were handed a perfect trail to his guilt. I curated fake threatening messages between him and them, with the last message being a location to meet. I would feel remorseful, but while he hasn’t taken their lives, he has taken others and ruined more than I can count. And at least, Mia's and Jordan’s bodies can be given back to their families and they can be laid to rest.

I only look away when my phone lights up with a message that only reads an address. With Cam in the back of a police car, I reverse out of the road and drive straight to Rowan’s open trap.

When I get there, I am alone. I was expecting at least two of his men stationed at the front, but the abandoned building is barren and cold. My footsteps echo as I walk deeper into his trap.

“I know you’re here. You can stop with the theatrics,” I call out.

“Would you rather I just put this bullet in the back of your head?”

I look towards the voice. “If you’re going to kill me, at least have the guts to do it while looking at me.”

Rowan laughs and tucks the gun back into his waistband. “Huxley Ray. I never thought it would be so easy to kill you.”

I unbutton my suit jacket and toss it to the ground. My fingers work quickly to undo my tie before I pop open the top button of my shirt and the cuffs. “Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes.”

He stands there with an arrogant smirk plastered on his face. “You won’t even blink before a bullet is between your eyes.”

My chuckle echoes in the space. “Only acowardmurders using a gun. Come and fight me like a real man.”

Copying me, he unbuttons his suit and chucks it to the side before doing the same with his gun. “I don’t like getting my hands dirty, but this will be worth it.” He stalks towards me.

“I’ll let you throw the first punch,” I goad. “After all, I stole a quarter of your fortune.”

Rowan takes my offer and his fist lands on my cheek. “You did more than that.”

I laugh at him. “Still crying over a woman who used you?”

His lips curl into a snarl. “You turned her against me.” He lunges for me again, but I’m quick to lock him into a headlock.

With a firm grip, my bicep encircles his neck, causing his breathing to become laboured. “I did more than that. She really was just aslapperwho would give it up for anyone. There she was, stealing from you, running away with your brother, and still she gave it up for me.”

The impact of his head against my nose makes me release him. “You’re fucking lying.”

I grit my teeth as the sharp pain radiates across my skull. “I thought that heart-shaped birthmark on the inside of her thigh was really adorable.”

His eyes narrow into fiery slits, his jaw clenches tightly, as he visualises me and her tangled in the sheets. And then his fistslay into me and he knocks me to the ground. I can feel the sting of his assault as he delivers one punch after another to my face. “You’re a fucking liar.”

“She asked if she could fuck us both.” I push him off me and stand up. Dragging him up with me, I knee him in his stomach. “She couldn’t handle the both of us.”

Grabbing his collar, I throw my first punch and find peace in the sharp cracking of his bone. I don’t stop there. My fists lay one punch after another and when he almost falls to the ground, I pick him up, throw him across the room before starting the cycle again. I don’t register the skin splitting on my knuckles. I can barely feel the brunt of his assaults in my frenzied attack.

I have to remind myself to not kill him. He still has one purpose to fulfil. And my call back to reality comes when the cold metal is pressed against the back of my head.

“Get off him.” She cocks the gun. “Don’t make me shoot.”

I close my eyes and let go of Rowan. Climbing off him, I hold my hands up and back away. I stare at Brynn. “What are you doing here?”Where is Savannah?

Rowan lies on the floor, laughing through his spluttering. “She never told you the deal she made with me?”

It takes everything in me to not kill her. “Her life for Savannah’s.”

“That was the original plan.” He falls into a coughing fit.

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