Page 156 of Moth to a Flame

“Good girl,” I praise as she frees herself on her own. “Such a good girl, love.”

It must hurt, having the nerves on her fingernails exposed. The slightest touch, the briefest breath of air, any of it wouldhave pain shooting through her. Sheisin pain, right this minute, but she hides it so well.

“You’ll pay for this!” Lester wriggles and thrashes and screams beneath me. With his throat crushed beneath my weight, he’s not going anywhere. “For all of it! I’ll burn you too!”

“Highly unlikely.” My entire focus is on her. Only ever her. “How’s my good girl been?”

The zip tie snaps, and her round brown eyes shoot up to me.

She blinks, and I want to break Lester’s neck. Take Regan in my arms and love her so fucking hard that she forgets any of this ever happened.

That would be a huge disservice to her.

She won’t be getting her well-deserved revenge.

“You’re really here,” she says, holding her breath and gripping the handle of the hacksaw. “You’re here. I’m not imagining this.”

“I should’ve found you sooner.” It takes everything in me not to annihilate Lester with my boot as soft emotions like love rise to the surface. I bury them. “I’ve failed you. I am so sorry, Regan. I am so sorry.”

“No.” Her chin wobbles and I feel sick to my stomach. She’s letting her guard down. The pain and terror she must’ve kept inside her for days are breaking through the dam. “You’re right on time. You’ve always been right on time.”

I’m going to bludgeon him for this. Piece by piece.

She shouldn’t have been here to witness this. She isn’t squeamish or anything. The woman has been consuming gore and horror and monsters from the womb.

What I refused to allow was her being in the same room as him.

But since he had to go and fuck it all up, he’s getting the full package.

Regan and me.

“You’re going to help me.” Not a question. An order. She will not cower from him or break down. She’ll fight. “Use the saw to cut through his clothes.”

“That’s what he was about to do to me.” Her knees nearly buckle as she stands up. She catches herself at the last minute and wobbles over to me on bare feet.

My hand stretches out to her, and I grab her arm and yank her to my chest. Bring her close. I stare at her for the first time in the longest week of my life. Really stare at her.

“Baby.” I scan every inch of her face.

Her bottom lip is completely busted, more swollen than I initially thought and her face is blue. Fuck, she’s freezing.

“Fuck, I love you,” I tell her as I shrug my coat off, taking her hacksaw in one hand so I can help her into the coat. “I love you. I. Love. You.”

I’m being sweet and caring and kind as I cover her in my coat and rub her arms. As gentle as humanly possible. Only when the shivering subsides and her face isn’t as blue do I give her the hacksaw back.

That’s not to say I’m at peace. I’m anything but motherfucking calm.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins. Murderous intents surge through my blood.

The hate inside me is ever strong.

First things first. Hands on her cheeks. Telling her to her gorgeous, determined face what she means to me. How I almost died without her.

“To the ends of the fucking world, Regan. To hell and back. That’s how much I love you.” She opens her mouth to return the sentiment. No. This is about her. This is so she knows I never stopped searching. Never would’ve stopped. “God. Fuck. I’ve missed you. My lungs burned for you. My soul. I was dying.”

I put another ounce of my weight on Lester.

“Owwww!”

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