Page 124 of F*ckboys

“As for Kent and Isabella, they betrayed you because you trusted them, and now you want revenge.” Her gaze sharpens. “I won’t tell you not to go after them. But remember who you are. Don’t lose yourself in the darkness. Let Grandmother take care of it like she offered to. She's reached out to me and I've told her everything I've been able to dig up.”

“How can I not be more involved in taking them down?” The words scrape from my chest. “They tried to destroy everything. We would have had nothing left. They almost obliterated us from the inside out. I feel like I'm not doing enough."

“Just remember, you're not alone. You have me.” Raine squeezes my wrist. “And you have Roxy, Carson and Grandmother. Don’t forget that. Don't feel like you need to carrythe weight of the world on your shoulders all by yourself either, okay?”

I drag in a shaky breath and clasp her hand, clinging to the anchor she offers.

She’s right. They may have almost taken everything else, including my ability to trust, but they can’t have us. As long as we have each other, there’s still light to be found. Even in the darkest of nights.

As Raine's words linger in the room, a renewed sense of purpose rises within me. Our bond has always been a source of strength. Raine has walked through her own storms, emerging with wisdom and scars in equal measure, and she uses both to guide me through mine.

I rise from the armchair, movements slow but steady. The path ahead is uncertain, the future unclear, but I have my compass in hand, and I know what I need to do.

Raine studies me, her gaze sharp yet soft with understanding. She knows I've found my footing again, at least for now. The demons will return to haunt my dreams, but I'll have her voice to echo in my mind. A light in the darkness. A star to navigate by.

I pull her into a fierce hug, hoping it conveys what words can't. She returns it without hesitation, a silent promise that she'll be there whenever I falter. We have each other. They can't take that away.

When I step outside, the night air is cool against my skin. The storm has passed, leaving a clear sky in its wake. The stars shine bright, illumination to guide my path.

I roll my shoulders back and stride into the night, purpose in my step. The heart may not always lead me on a straight path, but it will guide me to where I need to be.

To Fallon.

Always to Fallon.

Chapter 71

Fallon

Istalk down the stairs, my footsteps echoing. The man I've trapped in this confined space shrinks at my approach, rattling his chains. The dim light in my basement casts long shadows, creating an eerie atmosphere as I stand before him. The air is thick with tension, and the only sound is the distant hum of the ventilation.

"Please," he whispers hoarsely. "No more."

My lips curl into a sneer. "You don't get to plead for mercy, Harvey Maxwell. Not after everything you've done."

My stoic expression gives nothing away as I slam a tray of food onto the floor, just out of his reach—another simple meal and a glass of water. He lunges for it, starving and desperate, but the chains hold him back.

"Filthy animal," I spit. "Although that's an insult to animals."

He glares up at me, defiance flickering in his eyes. "You're the monster here, not me."

Rage bubbles up inside me, hot and caustic. I backhand him across the face, splitting his lip. "Don't you dare speak to me like that. I'm not the villain inthisstory."

"Aren't you?" he rasps, blood dripping down his chin. "Look at what you're doing to me. How long are you going to keep me here like this?"

I slap him again, harder this time. He collapses onto his side with a pained groan, too weak to fight back.

"You've had it easy, considering what you did," I declare, my voice devoid of any warmth. "Basic meals and a toilet—that's more than scum like you deserve."

The man, a representation of all the men who have wronged others, looks up at me with a mix of fear and defiance. He's become a canvas onto which I project my anger and frustrations, and every interaction with him fuels the resentment that simmers within me.

"You thought you could control someone's life," I continue, my words cutting through the stagnant air. "Tell them what to wear, what to eat. Keeping them locked inside a cage and fucking with their mind. But here, you get the bare fucking minimum. Just like you did to all those women you hurt. Especially Claudia."

He opens his mouth, but I cut him off with a glare. "Don't you dare speak. You have no right to utter a single goddamn word."

I take a step closer, relishing the panic that flickers in his eyes. He tries to shrink away, but the chains keep him bound in place. In this moment, his fear is intoxicating.

Good. Let the fear sink in, you pathetic waste of space. Let it crawl into your veins the way you crept into the lives of your victims. My hands curl into fists, every muscle in my body tense with rage. Rage at the injustice of it all. Rage at a system thatfailed to protect the vulnerable. But most of all, rage at the fact that men like him always get away with it.

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