Page 263 of Quinlan

“I would’ve spit on her repulsive face.” Rome grunts his agreement, answering my unspoken hatred. “Except it would put some of the fire out. And fuck that.”

We keep watching.

Her hair and face are black and garbled and deformed. Nothing, really.

“She doesn’t deserve your spit.” Liam isn’t finished with her.

Even when the psycho bitch is clearly dead, he picks up another gasoline tank. Raises it. Tips the heavy container over Aria’s chest.

His eyes are unfocused. His jaw tics.

“L.” Quinlan. Sweet, murderous, and beautiful Quinlan. She sees him. Truly sees him.

This isn’t surface-level bullshit. She can tell, much like I do—and I bet Rome as well—that he’s struggling. Floating somewhere, same as Quinlan does after we’re rough on her.

Liam’s up there, high on revenge. On justice.

I wouldn’t have the first clue on how to help him down. I mean, sure, I’d let him empty the gasoline tank on Aria. Let him set fire to every inch of her body. It’s his revenge. I’d never take it from him.

Advice, warmth, a show of compassion, though? I don’t have it in me. Rome doesn’t either. Not now with thoughts of Liam burning in that damned closet.

Quinlan does. No matter what her current state is, she has it in her to find him. Bring him home.

Her fingers are delicate around his forearm. Her gaze soft.

His eyes come to focus the longer he looks at Quinlan.

With this simple touch and few words, Quinlan helps him navigate through the bad stuff. She reaches inside him and hugs the terrified boy he was. She pulls out the man he’s become and shows him that he’s made it. He’s slayed the wicked witch. He can burn her all he wants, and after that, he can rest.

When Quinlan was born, I thought she was brought to this earth to save me. Me and Jagger and Laurel.

A foolish notion, really.

I’ve always been bound to my two best friends. It only makes sense that she’d be their savior too.

“Liam.” Her full lips move to the shape of his name.

“Little flame.” He gulps, his shoulders relaxing.

“You did it.”

I’m anything but jealous as her fingers roam over his arm. I feel it as though they’re on me.

Rex groans and rocks on the chair we nailed to the floor behind us.

Finally, the smile is back on my face, my eyes locked on my friends. This moment is ours.

One deep inhale, and Liam’s smiling too. “Yes. We did it. Together.”

Rome places his hand on my shoulder, both of us silent spectators as Liam leans in to Quinlan. The tank remains in his grip.

He’ll go through with it. Will spill that gasoline on Aria. Though it won’t be the same. It won’t come from a place of despair. She won’t have the upper hand.

Before he destroys what’s left of Aria, he kisses Quinlan. He groans at the touch of her hand on the side of his neck.

When he pulls back, he’s back to being himself.

There’s not a drop left in the second tank by the time he’s done dousing the rest of Aria’s body.

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