“There’s no way you thought of this on your own.”
I didn’t want to throw Ash under the bus. “Doesn’t matter. He’s dead. End of story.”
He ran his fingers through his hair again. Even though the threat had been eliminated, he still seemed stressed. He looked down at the body again before he stared at the wall, thinking a million things at once.
I slowly moved toward him then made my way into his chest. One hand cupped his cheek while the other wrapped around his neck, and I pulled his face to mine as I kissed him. I felt our bodies and souls reunite, felt our connection explode with affection and joy. All the suffering was over. We could be us again. My lips slowly moved against his, feeling a kiss I hadn’t felt in weeks.
He kissed me back hesitantly, his mouth automatically moving with mine, but that fire didn’t burn from his core. He seemed confused, like he didn’t know what was happening. He grabbed my hands and pulled them from his body as he ended our kiss.
I stilled at the rejection, hoping for a reasonable explanation for his coldness. Maybe he was disgusted by the blood and brains still on the wall. Maybe he was so relieved to be free that he didn’t know what to do.
He stepped away from me and gave me no apology. Now there were several feet between us, and it felt like miles. “I’ve got to take care of this. The police won’t do anything to you, but our relationship is a lot better if they don’t have to pretend they don’t notice anything.”
I let him walk away and get to work as I nursed my wounds. He had never pushed away from me like that before, and something felt wrong. But I reminded myself that he had been subjected to this man’s cruelty for a long time. He probably felt so many things, and he just needed time. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No.” He pulled out his phone and made a call. “Just stay out of my way.”
17
Hades
It was hard to believe.
Just a few days ago, I was having dinner in his home, worried I would end up in his bed.
Now, he was dead.
I pulled his body out of the truck, and with the help of my men, we carried it into the lab where the furnace was located. I never used it to burn bodies, only to dispose of evidence and chemicals. But it was the perfect place to get rid of someone I despised.
Together, we heaved his body inside and watched the flames lick his skin. It only took seconds before his body caught fire. I wanted to watch him burn until he was ash, but the smell was acid in my nose. I closed the stone door and locked it.
Then I stood there and listened to the body burn.
The furnace connected to the ceiling of the building, so pieces of him were escaping into the atmosphere. His organs were turning to dust, his brain was evaporating with every passing second. Death was already so final, but cremation truly made it irreversible.
I was glad this was really the end.
This monster couldn’t torture me anymore.
He didn’t own me anymore.
I stood there until the heat dissipated and there was nothing left to burn. The weight was off my shoulders and the shackles removed from my wrists. I could sleep easy at night and know I was the victor in this fight.
Even if Sofia did the dirty work.
Maddox was at the top of the food chain, and now that I’d defeated him, I took his place. Everyone would fear me more than they already did. It was a good feeling.
Damien walked up behind me. “Fucker’s really dead?”
The high I felt was quickly extinguished when he drew near. I slowly turned around and faced him, feeling the adrenaline and rage in my blood. I could barely look at the guy without breaking his nose. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
His blank stare was so convincing. “I got here as quick as I could…”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I know you’re stupid, but not that stupid.”
His eyes narrowed, and his shoulders squared. “I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You expect me to believe Sofia planned this whole thing on her own?” I was already on thin ice with Damien, could barely tolerate him at work, but now I felt more betrayed than I ever had. “There’s no way she could’ve come up with that plan on her own. It’s so simple that it’s brilliant, and no offense to her, but she’s nowhere near brilliant.”
His eyes shifted back and forth as he looked into mine, his brain trying to catch up with my thoughts. “All I know is that Maddox is dead. That’s it. I came the second I heard, and I had no part in the whole thing. So, Sofia killed him?”