Page 93 of Beautiful Revenge

“Ma.”

“And I know he cares for you,” she continues. “I know. Convince him to make peace. Please. I don’t want to see my son in a body bag. As his mom, I deserve to go first.”

“I’ll try.” That’s all I can promise her. Finn is an unmovable force and a tough nut to crack.

With another hug and a smile, Fiona leaves.

“So, I just met your mom.”

Finn sighs as he slumps onto the couch. “She insisted.”

“She has a point, you know. You’re going to die soon if you keep this up.”

“I can’t make peace with Dante and Erik. Viktor wants them dead and I’m still inclined to agree with him.”

“So, we’ll just spend the rest of our lives on the run? Is that it?”

“You don’t sound happy about it.”

“Of course I’m not happy about it!” I stand up with a huff. “I miss my dad, Finn. I miss Dante. I miss my friends. I miss my old life.”

“Your dad was going to marry you off eventually and then you would have had a husband you didn’t love. You wouldn’t be in any different position than you are in now.”

“Maybe so. But at least I wouldn’t have been kidnapped. I’m not happy, Finn.”

“Thanks,” he mutters, clear sarcasm in his voice.

“You excite me. You’re thrilling. But I deserve a home. Stability. And you’ll never be able to give me that. Not unless you try to make peace with Dante and Erik.”

“They’ll never listen and you know it. So, it’s a moot point. I might as well kill them and go on with my life.”

“But what about my life? What happens to me if you kill Dante and Erik? Am I forced to never see my dad again?”

“It’s better than him being dead.”

I flinch. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I could have killed him and I didn’t.”

“So… what? I shouldthank youfor not murdering my dad?”

Anger flashes in his eyes as he stands up and towers over me. “In fact, you should thank me. I’m a killer, Aria. It’s what I do. And the fact that I didn’t kill your dad when I had the chance says something.”

“It says that you’re not completely psychotic but you’re almost there.”

“I can never make you happy. I know that.”

“Why do you even want to make me happy?” I ask. “I’m your prisoner.”

“You’re my wife!” he shouts.

I hold my ground. “I am. And you should want to make me happy. Go to Dante and Erik and make peace with them.”

“The second they see me, I’m dead.” He eyes me over. “I’m sure that will make you happy. Then I’ll be out of your life for good.”

“Yeah. It would make me happy. Because then I wouldn’t have to deal with some annoying, crazy, insane asshole like you.”

“Thanks for that, princess.”

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