Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“We’ll be there soon,” Q assures us from his position on Ren’s right side. I watch him tap his fingers against his knee, which bounces rhythmically like he’s on edge. Come to think of it, he’s been a little weird lately. So has Dad, now that I think about it. I was willing to brush it aside in the last days of wedding planning, but now it’s blatantly obvious they’ve been up to something. If they didn’t seem so twitchy, I might think it’s something good and positive.
Finally, it’s clear where we’re heading. I remember this route. So does Ren – slowly, his posture stiffens all his hand clamps a little tighter around mine. “Why are we coming there?” he asks in a flat voice. There’s no need to say the name. I wouldn’t mind if I never heard it again, frankly.
“You’ll see soon enough,” Dad tells him. He and Roman sit in a pair of seats in front of us with a bodyguard and driver in the front row. I watch as they exchange a look and wonder why the hell they brought a guard along.
The only thing to light the area around us is the stars twinkling overhead by the time we come to a stop on the side of an otherwise empty road. My stomach turns at amber lights glowing in the distance, maybe half a mile or so from where we’ve parked. Dad and Roman exchange another look, and Roman nods before reaching under his seat, pulling out a box. Nondescript, plain wood. “Open it,” he murmurs, handing it to Ren.
I watch with my heart in my throat, wondering what’s beneath the hinged lid. The only thing in there is a small device with a button on top. “What is this?” Ren asks, looking around. He even looks at me, like I would have the first idea. I’m as clueless as he is.
“Consider it a wedding gift to both of you.” Dad nods toward the device. “Push that button, and it’s all over.”
I think I’m starting to get the idea, and it fills me with mixed surprise and concern. I mean, this is pretty extreme. “What about the people inside?” I ask, chewing my lip and looking out the window. I’ve been there. I’ve seen them, or at least some of them. They’re as innocent as Ren ever was for the most part. Sure, some of them are probably too twisted and brainwashed to be considered innocent anymore, but for the most part, the people there are trapped.
“Don’t worry about that.” Q’s voice is tight, sharp. “They’ve been evacuated. The innocents, anyway.” So that’s what they’ve been up to. They’ve been arranging this all along, working behind the scenes.
“So what you’re saying is, this would destroy the compound?” Ren’s expression reminds me of the way he looked when we first saw Rose on that ultrasound. He’s full of wonder and disbelief, standing at a threshold of something he has wanted for years. He’s about to get everything he dreamed of.
“How long have you been planning this?” Because I need to know. This isn’t the kind of thing they could’ve done overnight. How much have I missed while I was knee-deep in wedding planning?
Roman chuckles, exchanging a glance with Dad and Q. “It’s been in the works for quite some time.”
“But I thought…” Ren’s gaze lands on Dad, who nods in understanding. “You said…”
“Yes, I did say that,” Dad admits. “After giving it some thought and planning, we devised this solution. If I were you, I’d get it over with quickly.”
“You deserve a new start, son,” Roman concludes. “It’s time to shut the door on this part of your life and move forward.”
“We wanted to be sure none of this would ever hang over your head,” Q explains. “Once and for all, let’s put an end to it.”
Ren releases a shaky breath, his eyes glued to the device. “I never thought I would get this chance,” he murmurs. “I told myself to let it go.”
My heart skips a beat when he hovers his finger over the button. “Fuck it.”
It happens so fast. He jams his finger against the button and within moments, the first explosion lights the night sky. It sets off a chain reaction, one fireball after another exploding into the darkness. It’s so intense, the ground shakes at a distance.
The glow plays off Ren’s profile, his face immobile as he watches the destruction unfold. I tuck my hand in his elbow and lean against him, whispering, “It’s over. It’s all over. And they’re never going to hurt anybody again.”
He releases a deep breath before nodding firmly. It’s the closing of one door and the opening of another. “Let’s go home.”
Soon we’re turning around, leaving everything behind us once and for all. My family, my husband, and me.