Page 144 of Watch Me Burn
She spins to face me, eyes flashing with that fire I love so much. “I did it to protect you.”
“Is that the only reason?”
“What other reason would I have?”
“Revenge.”
Her whole body stills at that one word. She’s fighting it. She wants to believe she’s incapable of it, that darkness I can see lurking beneath all that light.
“I’m not a vengeful person, Damien.”
“No, you’re not. You’re a light in a world that’s mostly shadows. But there are some in you, too, Luna. That doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you human.”
Her spine stiffens. Her hands curl into fists at her sides. “I’m tired of people telling me I’m human. That isn’t an excuse for being reckless or oblivious or violent.”
My fingers itch to reach for her, to pull her against my chest and prove with touch what words can’t capture. The urge to show her what human really means. Messy and perfect and worth protecting at any cost.
“So, why did you help us cover up Caleb’s death and go along with framing him for my murders?”
“I toldyou—”
“Yes, you wanted to protect me. And I appreciate that, sweetheart.” Her eyes find mine, and for a heartbeat, the wall between us crumbles. “I didn’t expect it. And I fully intended to take responsibility for what happened because he hurt you. But I feel no remorse for killing him. I’ll kill anyone who hurts you.”
“Damien, you have to stop saying things like that.”
“Why? It’s the truth.” I’m crossing the distance between us before the thought forms. “You want honesty from me? Here it is, Luna. No more secrets. No more walls.” My voice drops lower. “You want to see who I really am? The parts I show the world and the parts I keep hidden? I’m stripping myself bare in front of you. As bare as I strip you every night.”
Heat flashes in her eyes, and I take another step closer.
“So, I’ll ask you again. Why did you agree to frame Caleb for my murders?”
“Because I can’t bear to think about you going to prison.” The admission tears from her throat. “And because he tried to kill me. He shot Shadow. He threatened my sanctuary, all my animals!”
There it is.
“And if he’d succeeded? What would you have done then, Luna?”
“I don’t know.”
Her face betrays everything. The way her eyebrows draw together, the slight downward pull of her mouth, and the rapid pulse visible at her throat. She’s staring into an abyss that stares back. The same abyss I’ve been walking the edge of for years.
“Yes, you do.” I close what’s left of the distance between us, cupping her face in my hands, careful of her bruises. She’s trembling, but she doesn’t pull away. Her eyes stay locked on mine. She doesn’t flee from the darkness she sees there or the matching darkness she’s discovering in herself. “That’s what terrifies you. Not me or what I’ve done, but recognizing pieces of me in yourself.”
Her lips part as if she wants to deny it, but no sound comes. The truth sits between us like a living thing, breathing and growing and demanding acknowledgment.
“Show me.”
My brow furrows. “Show you what?”
“The rest.” Her chin lifts. A gesture that is so brave it carries more courage than most people possess in their entire bodies. “You said you’re giving me all of you. I want to see it.”
Understanding dawns, and with it, a mixture of terror and anticipation.
“You want to see my trophies?”
She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t hesitate. Just nods with the certainty of someone who’s already made peace with whatever comes next.
I cross to the far wall, where leather-bound volumes create a perfect facade. My fingers find the hidden panel, the keypad glowing to life under my touch. Eight digits. The date everything changed. The bookshelf whispers open on silent hinges, revealing blackness beyond.
