Page 21 of Beautiful Revenge

He tries to kick at Devon, but I move and sit on his other leg, causing him to stop.

The nausea that runs through me at being this close to him in such a way is almost too much, until I hear a snap followed by his muffled screams of pain. They wash over me like a warm breeze, and I stand to give him access to the other leg.

“Feel better?” Dylan asks from behind me, and I take a deep breath.

“That was fast,” I say instead, not wanting to answer his question.

He shrugs. “They’re placed where they need to be to make it look like they succumbed to the smoke before they had the chance to get away,” he states, like it’s not a big deal, but it is.

Dylan is my sweet one, and I don’t want this night to scar him, so I say the only thing I can think of. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, getting emotional again before Devon snaps my father’s other leg.

“Never be sorry,” he says, grabbing on to my shoulders and giving me a shake. “This is your show, Briar. I fell in love with a cute little eight-year-old kid, and I love the woman she’s becoming. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever change that. You fucking need this, babe, and I won’t stand in your way.” He pulls me into a tight hug and kisses my head. “If killing assholes who have wronged women and children is what you need to do in order to live with the hell they’ve caused you, I’ll hand you the damn knife.”

I cry into his chest as his words calm me more than anything else he could have said. Knowing that even my sweet and gentle man loves me for the monster I’ve become… it’s everything.

“Damn, man. You have arthritis or something? Your bones snapped awfully easy,” Devon states, bringing Dylan and me back to the moment.

“It’s time to end this. I’ve had enough,” I say, taking a deep breath and preparing myself to finish this.

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