Page 64 of Beautiful Vengeance

He’d faced plenty of goodbyes in his life, but this one was the most painful yet.

Marcus had lost both his parents young. Later, he’d lost men he’d served with, men who’d been like brothers to him. Last night he’d said goodbye to Megan. But knowing that in the next minute or so Kiyomi was about to walk out his back door and out of his life forever was more than he could bear.

Karas sat at his feet as he said his goodbyes to Trinity and Brody. He shut the door behind them, giving him and Kiyomi one final bit of privacy.

They stared at each other in wordless silence. Marcus’s heart pounded so hard against his ribs it felt bruised. It hurt to breathe. So many thoughts crowded his mind, begging to come out.

“So this is it,” she said with a wistful smile.

He wanted to pick her up, carry her back upstairs to his room and lock her in it with him. Refuse to let her go. Force her to stay. Take her somewhere they could never find her.

But none of that was possible, and she’d hate him for it anyway. “Aye.”

She fidgeted with her hands. “I wanted to thank you, for every—”

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her in a fierce embrace, his face pressed to the side of her neck. “Don’t.” He couldn’t bear it. He was barely hanging on to his last shred of control as it was. Hearing her thank him for letting her stay here, or for their time together, or whatever she’d been about to say, diminished everything they’d shared.

She clung to him in turn, holding on tight. “I never meant for this to happen,” she whispered in a rough voice.

He nodded, understanding what she meant. She hadn’t expected to develop feelings for anyone, least of all him, and she wouldn’t promise a chance at a future together. Not until this was all over. Maybe never.

Much as he hated it, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change that. “I’m glad it did.” As much as this hurt, he wouldn’t have traded a moment he’d shared with her to spare himself the pain of losing her.

Finally, she eased back, took his face in her hands and kissed him. Hard. Then softer. Slower. Full of so much tenderness and longing that his throat tightened.

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she gave him a heartbroken smile. “I’d better go.”

He cradled her head in his hands, rubbing her hair in his fingers. The urge to tell her he loved her was so powerful it was burning a hole in his chest. But he couldn’t say it. Wouldn’t do that to her when she had no choice but to leave, and he to let her go.

“You be careful. And when you can…if you can, at least tell me you’re okay.” He desperately wanted her to come back to him. Prayed that she would one day. It was all that was keeping his heart beating.

She nodded once. “I will.”

He lowered his hands, fighting the urge to grab her again. This was wrong. All wrong. He’d only just found her, he’d barely had any time with her, and now she was being torn from his life. “Take care of yourself.”

“You too.” She sniffed, ran a hand over her wet cheek. “Well. Bye.”

I love you. Don’t go.“Tarra, love.” It took an act of will to make himself turn and open the door for her. An aberration, him aiding in her leaving.

She hurried down the gravel path running along the rear of the house and got into the back of the vehicle with Brody and Trinity without looking back. But as it drove away, she turned to look back at him through the rear window and lifted a hand.

Marcus did the same, his whole chest being crushed in an invisible vise. Somehow he managed to remain standing there until the vehicle disappeared from view.

Quiet settled around him. A quiet he’d once craved with every cell of his being. Now, it was oppressive and suffocating.

He walked back through the door on autopilot, numb all the way through. Karas followed him into the study where he lowered himself into the chair at his desk to stare into the cold, dark fireplace.

He couldn’t bring himself to light a fire. He’d never look at one again and not think of Kiyomi. The way the light danced over her features, and shone on her inky black hair.

He dropped his head into his hands and sucked in breath after breath, struggling to hold on. He didn’t know how long he sat there fighting to overcome the tidal wave of grief, but eventually it registered that his mobile was buzzing in his pocket.

He pulled it out, hope leaping inside him for a moment, then he saw it was Megan and frowned in concern. “All right?” he answered.

“No. Marcus—”

“What’s wrong?” The fear in her voice had him shooting up from his chair. Megan didn’t get scared.

“The Architect is our aunt. She’s coming for Kiyomi, will be there any minute with her team.”

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