Page 261 of Inferno

Shaking out my hand, I laugh to myself.

“Sorry, that felt good.”

Declan smiles and kicks the canister away from us.

“You do whatever you have to. Can I have a go?” he asks.

“Only if you put those brass knuckles back on. I wanna see how many teeth you can get out this time.”

I look up at Vlad’s already swollen and bleeding face as Declan releases a punch that resonates with a thud around the barn.

“Damn. Good hit,” I tell him, and he winks.

Vlad heaves for air, fresh blood dripping over his eyes as Declan removes the metal from his hands.

I pause, looking between the men.

The man who kept me caged, who abused me, and made me a monster.

And the other, the one who taught me how to live again, who opened my heart back up. He gave me light when no one else could. A daughter to protect and fight for.

Perhaps everything does happen for a reason.

And for us, it was to form a path that leads to each other.

“I’m ready,” I tell Declan firmly.

He slides his hand in mine and squeezes, slowly retreating us away from my flailing husband. Declan digs inside his jacket pocket and holds out the lighter in front of me.

“You do the honors, heartbreaker.”

Wiping my palms on my leggings, I take the cool metal in my palm. The same lighter he used to almost burn us in the library to prove a point, that I am his and we will burn together.

Flicking it open, I roll the flint wheel so the flame dances in front of my eyes.

It’s time to do what I need to.

Burn the old Charlotte. The evil and the trapped.

Maybe Vlad is right, and one day I will end up in hell with him. But until then, I’ll do my damn best to flip the script and redeem myself by being the best mom I can be to Isabella. And the best partner to Declan I can be.

For the first time in ten years, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But now, I need to burn down the fucking tunnel and make a new path.

Squeezing Declan’s hand, I launch the lighter at Vlad’s chest. It quickly consumes him, a blaze engulfing him.

His terrified and agonizing cries make me smile. I watch as he struggles, tugging frantically at the ropes as his skin is melted from his body.

Declan keeps walking us back towards the exit. With each step, Vlad gets weaker and weaker, and we wait in silence by the door for his body to go limp.

I need to know that asshole is dead so he can’t haunt me any longer.

Turning to Declan, he studies me, and tears fill my eyes.

“Take me back to our baby, Declan,” I whisper.

“Home, heartbreaker. We’re all going home.”

Chapter 102

---