Page 154 of Injustice and Absolution

The promise of death opens his eyes, his unfocused gaze seeking mine. His head falls to the side, his neck muscles weak. We’ve got him restrained to the blood throne again, his limbs bending in ways that caused his broken bones to crack further.

“K-kill me. P-please...”

Pulling the trigger of my drill, it roars to life. Drew’s eyes finally lock onto the hollow, round bit used to cut holes into wood and other materials, and he struggles weakly against his binds.

“N-no … n-o!” A scream bellows from his lips when I place the circular bit against his upper leg.

Putting my full strength behind the drill, I press it farther into him, shredding his skin and the muscle beneath it. Blood sprays us both before he passes out from the pain. Slapping his cheek to reawaken him, I move the drill to his other leg.

Once I’ve torn two holes in each leg, I move to his arms. After drilling a hole in each bicep, I stand back and watch as Drew’s blood spills from his body, further staining the wood he’s sitting on.

He’s the perfect addition to this throne, but of everyone who has died here before him, his blood will have meant the most.

I can’t wait to be fully rid of him. His presence is no longer welcome here. No longer welcome in my mind or in Delilah’s nightmares.

Pinching his cheeks between my fingers and thumb, I demand his rapt attention as I deliver my final words to him. His body trembles in pain beneath me, his face pale, almost gray from blood loss.

“I’m going to enjoy watching you take your last breath more than anything. Well, anything except waking up next to the woman I love for the rest of my life. The woman you tried to destroy? She’s fucking stronger than ever. So you can die knowing that in addition to being a worthless human being, you’re also the failure your parents know you to be.”

Pressing the drill over his heart, my finger flirts with the trigger when I hear the door open behind me. Letting go of Drew, my attention quickly snaps to the noise. All of my men are in this room which means whoever is at the door shouldn’t be here.

When my eyes land on Delilah’s small, innocent form, the drill falls from my hand. Her eyes meet mine before they rake down my blood-splattered clothing, causing panic to thrum through me.

I don’t want her to see me like this. I don’t want her to visualize the depths of my violence by seeing what I’ve done to Drew. It will only scare her away. Without thinking, I run to her, to keep her as far away from the throne as I can.

“Kitten, you shouldn’t be here. I-I don’t want you to see this.”

Closer to her now, she’s able to fully appreciate the horror of my appearance. When she doesn’t speak, I worry the damage is done. She may be able to handle hearing about my exploits, butknowingandseeingare two different things entirely.

“I... I had to see you.” Her eyes move to Drew behind me. “I can’t explain it, but it was like I could feel you pulling me here.”

I shake my head.

“No, this is no place for you. Horrific, terrifying things happen here. I don’t want you to see me like this. I don’t want you to fear me.”

“I’m not scared of you, Royce. I don’t fear you, and I don’t fear this.” She nods behind me toward the throne. “I think I had to come here to see for myself that he’s gone.”

I move to place my hand against her warm cheek but pull away just before touching her. I don’t want his blood on her skin.

Acknowledging my intent, she smiles warmly.

“I’ll let you finish. Come home to me when you’re done?”

This is the moment, the one I’ve been waiting for, questioning whether or not I’ll ever be worthy of it. The moment when I realize, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this woman will love me, unconditionally, for the rest of my life.

“Always, kitten. I’ll always come home to you.”

I turn from her first, marching back to the chair in the center of the room. Resuming my place in front of Drew, I pull the trigger before the drill even touches his chest. I’m beyond ready to wash my hands of him and return to the woman I love.

I committed a great injustice when I pushed Delilah away.

Through her trials, I felt her pain.

Through her strength, I saw hope for our future together.

With this final act, I will gain my absolution.

And so will he.

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