Chapter 106
He lets me. His hand stays on my waist but he doesn’t stop me from facing him.
He looks calm, too calm.
“You killed him?” I whisper.
“Yes p>
“How do you even know it was him p>
“I made sure it was him and I don’t miss my target little spitfire p>
His eyes harden when he says that.
“You’re sure p>
“I watched him admit it p>
My throat tightens.
I don’t want details.
“When?” I ask.
“The very day you told me what he did, I went out to find him p>
He’s been walking around me. Sleeping beside me touching me Knowing that.
“You didn’t tell me p>
“No p>
“Why p>
His jaw clenches.
“Because I knew you’d look at me like this p>
“Like what p>
“Like I’m a monster p>
My chest feels tight. I don’t know what I’m feeling.
Anger tries to come up first.
“You had no right. That was my kill eventually p>
He nods once.
“I know p>
“That was my I stop. My voice cracks. “That was my trauma to deal with p>
“And he was still breathing p>
The way he says it makes my skin prickle.
“You don’t get to decide that,” I say.
“I already did p>
Silence falls heavy between us.
I search his face for something. Shame, doubt Hesitation.
There’s none.
“I don’t regret it,” he says.
My eyes flicker.
“Not even a little p>
“You killed someone Zane p>
“Yes I did p>
“For me p>
“Yes p>
My chest tightens painfully.
“You shouldn’t have p>
“I would do it again and again p>
My heart skips.
“Zane p>
“I would do it over and over,” he says, voice steady, eyes locked on mine. “And I would kill anyone who thinks they can touch you like that ever again p>
There’s no exaggeration in him just the honest truth.
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” I ask.
“It’s supposed to make you understand p>
“Understand what p>
“That no one hurts you and walks away p>
My breathing gets uneven
“You think this fixes it?” I ask. “You think him being dead erases what happened to me p>
“No p>
“Then what was the point p>
His face shifts slightly into something softer.
“The point is he doesn’t get to exist in the same world as you anymore p>
My eyes burn and I blink rapidly.
“I didn’t ask you to avenge me p>
“You didn’t have to. You are my wife p>
I look down at my hands.
They’re shaking but not from fear.
From something else.
Part of me feels lighter and I hate that because that means some part of me is relieved that he is no more.
“He begged,” Zane says quietly.
My head snaps u up
“I don’t want details p>
“I’m not giving you details p>
“Then why say that p>
“Because I want you to know he wasn’t very powerful at the end p>
My throat closes.
He moves his hand to my face now, not gripping just holding my jaw gently.
“You were the only one who felt powerless,” he says. “Not him p>
The tears finally spill over.
I don’t sob not yet.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel,” I admit.
“Feel whatever you want p>
“I feel sick you killed someone for me p>
“Okay p>
“I feel relieved too p>
His thumb wipes a tear from my cheek.
“Okay p>
“I feel guilty for feeling relieved p>
His jaw tightens again
“You have nothing to feel guilty about. I did the killing my little spitfire, it’s me that’s to blame. Put all the blame on me if it makes you feel better, pour it all on me, I will gladly carry the burden for you p>
“You killed someone for me Zane I really don’t know how to feel about that. The person that has been my greatest nightmare ever is Is just gone. And you did that you you p>
“And I’d do it again Elaine. No questions asked p>
That part doesn’t change.
“You scare me,” I whisper.
His eyes flicker to me for the first time.
“Do you think I’d ever hurt you p>
“No.” The answer is so immediate that it surprises me.
“Then don’t confuse what I am capable of with who I am to you p>
I stare ah at him. H
“You’re not afraid of what I did,” he says quietly. “You’re afraid of what it means p>
“And what does it mean p>
“That I don’t draw lines when it comes to you p>
The room feels smaller with just both of us inside now after he says that.
“You don’t get to own me,” I say.
“I’m not owning you p>
“You said you’d slay anyone who dares to hurt me p>
“Yes and that’s very different from owning you little spit fire. “
“That’s not normal p>
“I don’t care about normal p>
Silence again.
He pulls me back into his chest and thus time I don’t resist.
Not because I’m overpowered.
Because I’m exhausted and my mind is overloaded.
His arms wrap around me tightly.
“You should have told me,” I murmur.
“I know p>
“I deserved to know p>
“I know p>
I lean back into him slowly.
His heartbeat is steady against mine.
“You really don’t regret it?” I ask one more time.
“No p>
Not even hesitation.
“I regret that it happened to you,” he adds quietly. “I regret I wasn’t there. I regret I didn’t find him sooner p>
My eyes close.
His hand rubs up and down my arm slowly.
“I don’t need you to be my executioner,” I whisper.
“I’m not p>
“You are p>
“I’m your husband p>
“And husbands don’t usually commit murder,” I say faintly.
He doesn’t respond to that.
After a while he presses his lips to my temple.
“I won’t apologize for protecting you even though you don’t like it,” he says
“I don’t know if that’s protection or possession p>
His arms tighten slightly.
“It’s both p>
That honesty makes my chest ache… we lie there like that after a while.
No more words to be said between us.
But my mind keeps replaying it.
He doesn’t breathe anymore.
The man who hurt me years ago is gon gone and he’s Gone because of Zane.