Page 134 of The Devil's Chaos

She twisted in my arms to face me, and her green eyes shone with unshed tears. “I’m free because of you, Kai. You saved me in every way a person can be saved.”

I cupped her face tenderly while I wiped away a stray tear with my thumb. “You saved yourself, baby. You stood up to him. You fought back. I was just there to love you through it all.”

She shook her head. “Don’t you see? That’s what saved me, Kai. Your love. It gave me the strength to face my demons, to stand up to Alex, and finally break free from his hold over me. Before you, I was just surviving, going through the motions. You believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. You are my reason, Kai. My reason to keep going—to want more out of this life than just surviving. You showed me what it means to truly live. To love with every fiber of my being.”

I leaned down and kissed her, hoping I was conveying all the love, passion, and devotion I felt for the most incredible woman I had ever known. When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers. “You and me, little lamb. That’s all that matters now. I love you, Haven. You are my beginning, my end, my everything in between. I will spend the rest of my days showing you just how much you mean to me.”

“I love you too, Kai Montgomery—more than I ever thought possible. You are my savior, my protector, my heart.”

She gazed up at me with those soulful emerald eyes that captivated me from the very first moment I saw her. “I like the sound of that. No more looking back, only forward.”

Hand in hand, we turned to face the smoldering ruins of the compound as we watched the last embers die out. It was a fitting end to a horrific chapter in her life. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, I knew she would emerge stronger, more resilient and radiant than ever before. And I would be right by her side, loving her, supporting her, and building a future together—a future where the shadows of the past held no power over us anymore.

As the smoke dissipated into the night sky, I squeezed her hand. “Let’s go home.”

Archer fell into step beside me, Mila tucked protectively under his arm, their own demons laid to rest.

“What now?” Mila asked.

I smiled as I glanced down at Haven. “Whatever our queens desire. The world is ours for the taking.”

54

FIFTY-FOUR

HAVEN

Calm.

Peace.

That’s what I felt.

I watched my fake brother burn alive. The fire consumed Alex’s body until nothing remained but charred bones and ash. I watched, mesmerized, as the last remnants of my past turned to dust before my eyes. A cool breeze ruffled my hair, carrying away the acrid smoke. I breathed deeply to fill my lungs with the crisp night air.

I turned away from the smoldering remains, a sense of finality settled over me.

It was done.

I was free.

Free from the torment, the abuse, the constant fear that plagued me for as long as I could remember.

I had taken back control of my life, and nothing would stop me now.

His death brought me a sense of calm I had never felt. He was the biggest tormenter in my life. While I knew my fake father was still out there, Alex’s death was a massive blow tohis operation. Theo had kept tabs on him, and so far, he was busy rebuilding—seemingly more concerned about the loss of revenue than the death of his only son.

There was a code amongst The Brotherhood—unlike The Collectors—and Kai promised me that if he made a move against us, we would end him. I would be lying to say it didn’t hurt me that I was stolen from my real parents as some fucked-up way to get revenge against Cassian King for turning Abel Benson’s business proposal down all those years ago.

Because it did.

All this lost time.

All the pain and suffering I experienced.

All because of revenge.

But now, he couldn’t touch me. He had no one to keep me in line for him now.

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