Page 259 of Never Fall for an Angel

I reach up, despite the pain, and capture a tear that slips down her cheek.

“I told you if you wanted your freedom, I would give it to you,” I murmur quietly, running my fingertips over her wet cheek.

“You already did. In return, I want to give you everything.”

“So, where do we go from here?” I repeat the same words to her she used when I came back from hunting whoever tried to hurt her. Back when I didn’t know Sebastian was still alive, and before I knew, the people responsible were right here under my nose.

Mila smiles softly, leaning in until her lips hover over mine.

“To bed.”

“Fucking finally.”

“To recover, Mr. Cross.”

I slip a hand up her thigh, and she shivers at the contact.

“We’ll see about that,Mrs.Cross.”

LEVI

Three Weeks Later

The mansion my family lives in is quiet when I step through the back door. It’s three in the morning, so I know they’re all asleep, as I quietly pad down the hall towards the staircase.

It’s been three weeks since I left, and every day, I’ve been quietly plotting. Stewing.

Making my way upstairs, I pass my sister’s room, thenhers. Finally, I pass Paulina’s, and the room at the end of the hall beckons to me like an old friend.

Like it knows why I’m here.

The machines around the four-post bed in the center of the room beep quietly in the night. It smells like a hospital past the door, and my chest fills with disgust. I’ve always hated the scent.

He’s asleep in his bed, but when I rip the cord keeping the machines on out of the wall, it only takes a moment before his eyes open. He reaches for the oxygen tube in his nose, confusion on his face.

“It won’t work,” I say from the shadows, and his eyes go wide as I step into the moonlight. He stares at me in shock, and I grin.

There’s nowhere to run, now.

I’ve been waiting for this day all my life. From the moment he put his hands on me, I’ve envisioned what it would be like to put a bullet in his head.

Now that we know he kept my brother locked away and alive, knowing that he murdered my mother, almost had my brother killedtwice,sent Sebastian to rape and torture his wife . . . fucked withher . . .there’s nothing that could stop me.

My family will never be free, so long as he’s alive.

He’s already dying. I’ll make sure the fucker makes it to hell a little early.

He opens his mouth to speak, but without his precious oxygen tube, nothing comes out but a raspy breath. Stepping forward, I grab a spare from the end of the bed, wrapping the tube around my hands while I approach.

“Christian wants you to suffer. Tomorrow, you would have been moved to a new facility where you’d probably be kept alive for another few months.” I shrug. “I think that’s too kind.”

And then I lunge for him. We struggle, but I’m bigger than him now. Stronger. Wrapping the tube around his throat, I pull it tight until it’s cutting off what little oxygen he can get.

“Le—”

“Shhh . . .” I tighten my hold on the tube, silencing the sound of his gurgling cough, begging for air.

It won’t come, though.

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