Page 133 of The Devil's Chaos

Archer looked up with a smile, went to her, and pulled her into his arms. I knew he was just as thankful as I was that Theo and Damion arrived when they did. So, when Archer lined herup beside Haven, I knew this was the most critical moment of their lives.

The moment they set themselves free.

Something they had to choose for themselves.

Archer dragged Mila’s father, Winston Grey, into the room and forced him to his knees next to Alexander Benson, and he, too, was doused in gasoline.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Winston yelled as he struggled against his restraints. “Do you know who I am?”

Mila stared at him impassively. Her eyes were cold and unforgiving. “I know exactly who you are,” she said. “You’re the man who was supposed to protect me, but instead, you hurt me in ways no father should.”

Winston’s eyes widened in shock as his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. “Mila, please,” he begged. “I’m your father. You can’t do this to me.”

But she just shook her head, a disappointed smile on her lips. “You stopped being my father the moment you made a deal with the devil,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You don’t get to call yourself that anymore. I’m just glad Mom isn’t alive to see the man you truly are.”

“Everything I did, I did for you, for our family.”

Mila let out a humorless laugh. “For me? For our family? No, Father, everything you did, you did for yourself and your own selfish desires.”

Beside her, my queen stood tall and proud, her eyes never left the face of the man she thought was her brother. “You thought you could break me,” she told him. Her voice rang out clear and strong. “You sold me off like a piece of property to the highest bidder. You never once showed me an ounce of love or compassion. You thought you could control me, make me into something I’m not. But you were wrong.”

The hate and disgust in his eyes made me want to go over there and rip his head off his neck. But I couldn’t. This was her moment.

“You’re nothing but a weak little girl,” he sneered. “You’ll never be free of me. I’ll always be a part of you.”

But Haven just smiled. “That’s where you’re wrong,” she said. “I’m stronger than you ever gave me credit for. And with Kai by my side, I’m invincible. You no longer have any power over me.”

I handed her a box of matches and stepped back. She stared at the container in her hand.

This was it.

This was the final act of defiance against the man pretending to be her brother while he raped and tortured her for years. With a deep breath, she struck a match and held it up, the flickering flame casted an eerie glow across her face. She passed the box to Mila, who followed suit.

She approached him. “This is for every time you made me feel worthless. For every bruise, every scar, every nightmare you inflicted on me. I am done being your victim. I am taking back my life, and you will never hurt me or anyone else ever again.”

Alex’s eyes widened in fear as he realized what was about to happen. “Haven, please,” he begged. “We’re family. You can’t do this.”

“You are nothing to me. Not anymore.”

She tossed the match onto the puddle of gasoline at Alex’s feet. The flames roared to life and quickly spread to engulf him in a fiery inferno. His screams pierced the air as the fire consumed him.

“Goodbye, Alexander,” Haven said coldly. “Burn in Hell where you belong. I hope the devil shows you the same mercy you showed me.”

Winston began to sob and plead next to him. “Mila, have mercy! I’m sorry for everything! Please! I’ll do better. I’ll do anything!”

Mila’s eyes were as hard as flint as she lit a match. “It’s too late for that. You made your choice. Now you pay the price.”

She flicked the match onto him and watched stoically as her father writhed and shrieked as the flames hungrily devoured him.

Haven reached over, took her hand, and intertwined her fingers with Mila’s as they watched their demons burn before them. They shared a meaningful look, years of pain and trauma passed between them—an unspoken understanding as they watched the men who had caused them so much suffering burn alive.

The putrid smell of burning flesh filled the air, but Haven and Mila stood resolutely as they watched the monsters who had tormented them for so long become reduced to nothing but ash and charred bone.

Once the flames started spreading to the men beside them, we moved outside to watch the place that had been her prison crumble to ash, cleansed by the purifying fire at last.

I came up behind Haven and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back against my chest. She melted into me as she finally allowed herself a moment of vulnerability.

“It's over, little lamb,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You're free.”

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