Page 124 of Sardonic Burn

That’s not something I can forgive.

I’m in front of the door. Before I forcefully break it down, I try turning the knob. It’s unlocked, and I immediately push it open, rushing inside with my gun in my hand. I feel burning eyes on my body as I step in the living room, and my breath hitches.

My heart stops.

Noelle is on her knees with chains around her wrists, stomach, and ankles. Her clothes are wet, her hair messy andtangled. And the worst part? Her lips are split, bleeding. Her right eye is purple. Her cheek has a handprint on it. It has cuts, and her lip is split.

There is a bathtub filled with water and ice, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what he did to her.

All the anger I’ve been harboring unleashes, and I immediately fire. They’re all caught by surprise and by the time they withdraw their weapons, bullets rest between their fucking eyes. The three men I take down fall with a thud, leaving Noelle and Dylan in the room.

The motherfucker hides behind her with a sharp knife on her throat.

“Noelle.” My voice is as soft as humanly possible. “Baby, I’m getting you out of here. Just close your eyes, okay?”

A small chuckle slips her lips. “I’m not a kid, Hudson.”

My eyes move from her face, the swollen cheeks making me fume. Dylan is either surprised that I found him, or he didn’t expect me this early. He’s panicking, his eyes wide as he glances around, trying to find a way out.

There isn’t one.

He grabs a fistful of her hair and pulls it back, pressing the blade further into her skin. His expression changes from a panicked one to the worst case of insanity I’ve ever witnessed. His pupils dilate, and his body starts shaking.

“Let her go,” I command, the threat clear in my tone. “I will not ask again.”

A manic laugh comes from him, and he cocks his head to the side.

“I’ll give it to you. You found me quicker than I thought, but did you really think I didn’t expect you?”

My jaw clenches, and I step closer.

Little red lights fall on my clothes, and I close my eyes for a moment. The bastard has snipers prepared, and they’rewaiting for a signal. I know that sooner or later, Lyla will deal with them, but time is the only thing I don’t have right now.

“Oh, and by the way.” He grins. “You should probably know a thing or two. One, Noelle killed your brother in vain. It was me who killed her aunt.”

My heart sinks to my feet.

It’s like someone rips out my heart and starts smashing it with a hammer, then puts it back in my chest and closes the wound. My mind goes into overdrive as I process his words, which are like a punch to my gut.

Noelle’s eyes widen, surprise on her face. But I can recognize the hidden emotions like she’s an open book. She knew. She knew that she killed Franco for nothing, and she didn’t say anything.

“And the second thing, which in my opinion is far more fucked up than the first one—” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Your brother and I worked together. Then the motherfucker chickened out, so I had to get rid of him. Well, I just pointed Noelle in his direction and boom, the problem solved itself. That is, until she started fucking you like a pathetic whore.”

Something changes in Noelle’s expression.

“Now.” Dylan inches closer to her, his lips an inch from her ear. “You either walk away, or I’ll kill her. Then you’ll be dead, too.”

Her lips part, and the light vanishes from her eyes. It’s almost as if she’s dead. There’s not a single emotion on her face, only numbness and emptiness. Her body relaxes, her breathing evens. She’s blinking, staring at me, but she’s not seeing me. She’s no longer with me, and it terrifies me to my core.

“I’m sorry, Hudson,” she says.

It’s almost as if only I can hear her, because the motherfucker behind her doesn’t react. Time stops, and it’s justthe two of us. Her deep-brown eyes are dull, lifeless, and she’s not moving. She’s not struggling, she’s not fighting.

“Shoot him, Hudson.” She pauses briefly, snapping her eyes to the side where Dylan’s face is. “You seem to forget who I am. I am Noelle Campbell, and I will not be anyone’s weakness.”

Her eyes turn back to me.

And then everything happens in slow motion.

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