Page 107 of Redemption

He nods. “I know where she is. She is safe. I promise you.”

His lips touch my forehead and I can’t help but grip him tighter.

“Isn’t this a nice reunion,” Alistair says as he pushes himself up against the wall. His breathing labored.

I spin around, Kilian gripping my hip hard and I’m not sure if it’s because he needs me to help him stand or if it’s fear.

“This isn’t over.” He struggles to get the words out. “My men will kill you both.”

Kilian chuckles over my shoulder. “Father, you really think you will survive this?”

Alistair grips the handle of the knife, his weak arms struggling to pull it out.

“I wouldn’t do that,” I tell him. “That blade is serrated, the second you pull it out, you’ll die.”

“Finish him,” Kilian whispers to me over my shoulder.

I turn to look at him. “You do it. This is your father, your redemption.”

He shakes his head. “No, my redemption is taking the seat he never thought I deserved.”

I turn back toward Alistair as Kilian struggles to walk. He pulls me with him until we reach his father. Kilian collapses on the floor and grips his father’s hair. “Do it.” He pushes a gun toward me from a fallen guard.

“The Partners will have your head for this, boy.” His voice strained from the position Kilian is holding him.

“No, they won’t.”

I ignore the gun on the floor and squat before Alistair. “You killed Magda and Salvatore. You killed my parents. You kidnapped my daughter. You are no leader, no man of power, but a despicable masochist.”

He grins at me, blood coating his lips.

“You told me earlier that you win everything.” I rip the serrated blade from his chest. “Not anymore.”

Before I can tell myself not to do it, not to kill him, I swipe the blade across his throat. Blood spilling from the deep wound. I watch as he gurgles, his lungs trying to get air. I watch until the life drifts from his eyes.

Kilian lets go of his hair and pushes him aside when he knows he’s dead. He struggles to stand up. It takes all my strength to lift him to his feet.

He takes the knife from my hand and tosses it to the side. He grips my face again as he captures my lips. I want to kiss him back. I want to forget about everything that happened. But too many truths were revealed today and I need time to think, time to process.

“What’s wrong?” he asks me.

“I just want to find Aria.” It’s not a complete lie.

“We’ll get to her. We have to get upstairs.” He hesitates as he looks out the door. “It might be hard.”

I pick up two guns off the floor and hand one to Kilian.

“I’m not worried about them,” he says as he nods to the men waiting on the other side of the door. “They will answer to me.”

“Then what is it?”

“My father busted my kneecap. I shouldn’t even be standing.”

“Kilian!” I shout as I wrap my arm around his waist.

“It’s fine. I’ll have them get me out.”

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