Page 81 of Finn

I turn to the door and take a breath, stepping through into the bright room. Orlando spots me but doesn’t say anything, looking defeated where he sits. It’s odd seeing him like that. All the bravado and self-confidence he possessed is now washed away. All that’s left is a sniveling, powerless man tied to a chair who’s about to die. I once loved him. Once thought I’d marry him, but he took that love and devotion and twisted it into something painful. Now, the only thing I want is to wipe his existence from this planet.

“Alessia,” Finn calls.

I walk to meet him as he stands in front of the table, the gun he took from me sitting right there.

“You don’t have to do this. I’d be more than happy to kill him for you,” he says softly.

I look my husband dead in the eye. “His death is mine.”

Finn nods and hands me the gun. He turns and faces Orlando, who is barely conscious at this point and stands with his legs spread and his arms crossed over his chest. Cillian and Eoghan mirror his stance, simply waiting in silent support for me to finish it.

Walking up to Orlando with the gun in my hand, I stand still for a few moments and study him. There are so many things I could say. I could tell him all the ways he hurt me, all the ways he nearly destroyed me before taking my brother’s life and nearly ending Enzo’s. But what would be the point? It’s not as though he would care. Monsters don’t care about the people they hurt. They only want to devour and destroy.

“I bet you never thought we’d be here, did you, Orlando?”

When his eyes meet mine, there’s no regret in them. Only anger because he knows this is the end and there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.

“Bet this really pisses you off. You couldn’t destroy me, and now you’re going to your death knowing no one will mourn you. You failed. You’re a weak piece of shit, and now you’ll die powerless in your own snot and tears. So, fuck you, Orlando.” I raise the gun. “This is for Gio and Enzo.” I pull the trigger, and brain matter splatters behind him, the bullet exploding the back of his skull.

Everyone in the room is silent. I stare at his lifeless body. I don’t know what I expected to feel after taking a man’s life, but it wasn’t the relief coursing through me. Finn is the first to move, coming to stand next to me. He takes the gun from my grip and puts his arm around my waist. “Come on, wife. Let’s go upstairs.”

I nod and allow him to lead me through the room where Sandra is smiling at me and back to the elevator to take us to the penthouse.

When we get upstairs, Finn walks to the kitchen and pours a glass of whiskey before handing it to me. I’ve come to appreciate his taste in alcohol during our time together. I sip from the glass and let the rich, smoky vanilla notes roll over my tongue before swallowing.

My husband lays the gun on the counter and looks at me. “You okay?”

I consider his question. For all intents and purposes, I should be anything but. I just took a man’s life and feel zero remorse. Just the opposite, actually. Then I remember what he did to me, the fact he killed my brother and nearly killed one of my oldest friends. He was going to take me and do God knows what to get to my husband and most likely kill him, too. So, no, there is no regret, only satisfaction that he’s finally burning in hell where he belongs.

“I’m fine. Honestly.” My hand covers Finn’s, and I catch the wince. I look down and see his knuckles bloody and torn apart.

“Jesus Christ, Finn. Why didn’t you use brass knuckles or something? Your hand is a mess.”

I move around him and start looking through the cupboards. “Where the hell is your first aid kit?”

He opens the cabinet door where he pulled the bottle of whiskey from earlier and grabs the blue box. Opening it, I find various wipes, gauze, and bandages, along with a small bottle of rubbing alcohol.

“That’s a stupid place for a first aid kit.”

Finn smirks as I start taking out what I need. “Actually, it’s the perfect place for it. If I’m bleeding and need the kit, I usually need a drink as well. Saves steps and all that.”

I roll my eyes and pour some alcohol on the gauze before pressing it to his knuckles. He lets out a hiss, and I shoot him a bland look.

“Really? I just watched you melt someone’s skin from their hand and a little alcohol on your cut hurts?”

“It fucking stings. I’m man enough to admit that.”

A smile plays on my lips as I shake my head a bit but continue to clean his hand.

“You were magnificent.” He says the words with a reverence I haven’t heard from him before.

I raise my eyes to Finn’s and meet his emotion-filled gaze. I’m not sure if he means when I killed Orlando, me not flinching at his rather creative torture techniques, or my impressive first aid skills. Knowing him, it could be any of them, so I simply say, “Thank you.”

I finish bandaging him and put the first aid kit back in its stupid storage place. “Do you think it’s over? That they won’t come after us again now that Orlando’s dead?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure what’s going to happen next, but no, I don’t think it’s over, baby. Not by a long shot.”

Epilogue

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