Page 104 of Brutal Knight

I close the distance between us. It feels like a continent, like she drifted almost out of reach when her father spewed all those vile words, telling me that she was worthless. She moved so far away from me that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to reach her again.

But I walk to her and pull her into my arms, and I know this is real. She’s here, in my arms, and nothing is going to pull us apart again.

I breathe in and let her fill my senses. I know this could have been worse—there are a hundred ways I could have lost her. I knew there was a chance when I set off, when I pulled myself out of my hospital bed and asked my brothers for their help.

I came here knowing I’d kill Edward. I wasn’t sure I’d get to keep Willow.

“I’m here,” I whisper. I can feel her shake in my arms, her body trembling like the gunshot is still echoing in her bones.

She doesn’t answer. I don’t expect her to. This is more than anyone could handle, especially her. Even if he was a monster, the man on the ground was someone she once thought of as her father. He’s one of the two people in her life who held power over her, who terrorized her.

They’re both dead now. And I’d kill them again if I could.

It’s more than just relief that I feel. It’s a deep satisfaction at knowing that the man responsible for shooting me and kidnapping her is dead at my feet, by my hand. By her word.

I know what this meant to her. How much it cost.

“You’re alive,” I tell her. Her arms tighten around me. “We’re alive. We’re safe now. You’re safe.”

I close my eyes and I know it’s true. Despite everything, we’ve both made it through the nightmare together. There is no one left to hurt her, to take her from me.

Now that it’s over, I can feel everything. My body feels like shit. I know it was too soon for me to leave the hospital. The gunshot wound aches, sending ribbons of fire along my arm and shoulder. It feels like my arm is going to turn to a pile of ash on the ground beside me.

But I don’t care.

It was worth it. Even if my arm is fucked, even if it sets me back, it was worth it. She’s all right, and that’s all that matters.

It takes a long time for me to finally pull back, to let go of her enough to ensure she’s still with me. I take a moment just to look at her face.

Her blue-gray eyes are shadowed. I know how haunted she must feel, how much this must hurt. No matter how much we wanted him dead, it’s not easy for her to stand here with her father dead at her feet.

Willow looks up at me, her eyes shining with tears. Her gaze searches my face as if she’s looking for something. Maybe she’s looking to reassure herself—to make sure there’s no lie, no repulsion.

I hate that her father was the one to tell me her secret. I can only imagine what Dmitri did when he found out she’d never give him a child.

I can’t blame her for her fear. I can only hope I’ve shown her the truth. I can only hope she knows now that none of it matters to me. I’d do anything for her, anything to protect her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, angel,” I murmur, brushing her hair back. “It’s all right.”

I turn and find my brothers waiting for me, patient. I want to tell them how much it means to me to have them here, to have their support. But I know we don’t have much time, and there’s business we have to take care of first.

I step toward them, keeping Willow’s hand in mine. Lachlan jerks his head toward the crumpled body on the ground.

“We’ll have to deal with that.”

“We have options,” I say calmly. “But we don’t need to send a message. Not with him.”

If we respected him, we’d leave him somewhere for his people. If we had a rivalry, we’d leave him somewhere as a message.

He’s not worth either of those things. He was a coward in life and a coward before his death. He doesn’t deserve more of our time. We’ll dispose of him the way we’d dispose of a common criminal.

“I’ll settle it,” Jamie says quietly. “I have an idea.”

“Good. We’ll also have to let the Assembly know about this,” Lachlan adds.

Aiden winces for a second. It’s not fear but annoyance in his eyes. “Let’s ease them into it, huh?”

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