Ruby Revenge

I couldn’t help but throw in a joke. I didn’t want to leave on sad terms with her. She looked at me, rolling her eyes. The fire in them that I had fallen for was still alive and bright. She would get past this and live out the rest of her life exactly how she wanted to. That’s what I wanted for her. Even if I might not be a part of it.

“I’d never get tired of you,” she admitted, wrapping her arms around my waist.

When she touched me, it felt like everything was right in the world. It was going to be hell being away from her. I closed my arms around her, committing everything to my memory.

“These last six months have been anything but normal,” I said as I rested my forehead on hers. “I want you to go back to living life. You need to heal from all this, Sage. That includes me. You were stuck with me. The feelings you have for me might change—”

“They won’t,” she snapped as she pulled away, realizing what I was doing. “I didn’t fall in love with you because I was trapped with you, Niko. I’m not the one who changed this last year. You are.”

“I know. And I’m glad I did.”

“Don’t leave,” she pleaded.

“I have to. I need to finish something.”

“Let me come with you—”

“No. Kiara is going to need you. They’re going to want your testimony and everything for the case. You have to stay here.”

This was it. I didn’t know when I would see her again. It was for the best, but that didn’t make it any easier. I put my hand on her cheek and gently tilted her head up. She met my kiss, not holding back. I grabbed the back of her neck, pressing her as close to me as I could. She was intoxicating. It would take every ounce of my fucking willpower to leave. I finally pulled away, breaking our kiss.

“Stay out of trouble while I’m gone,” I told her, running my fingers down her face.

She forced out a giggle while her eyes were heavy with sadness.

“Bye, Sage.”

“Be careful, Niko,” she said as she wiped a tear away.

I went into the garage and got into my truck. She watched as I backed out and got to the street. I waved before I got out of view. She waved back, sorrow etched on her face. I forced away the sad thoughts of saying goodbye and planned what was next.

I knew what I was going to do the second I’d seen the book in Sage’s arms. The police would never be able to find all the chapters of the group. But I could. I was going to start looking for the other books. To completely end it. And once I got as many of the books as I could before they caught on, I was going to give up the paper with all the elders’ names on it.

That would make the entire group crumble. It would be done. I wasn’t worried about what would happen to me once it was all over. I needed to do this. To make up for all the evil I’d been a part of. For all the other women and their families.

The hardest part was leaving Sage. I wanted to stay near her. But I didn’t want to be a constant reminder of the horrors of what had happened to her family. She needed time away from me to realize how she really felt.

She was safe from the group. She’d be okay. And that was all that mattered.