CHAPTER 51
C HAPTER 51
MADDOX
How is it possible for emptiness to feel so fucking heavy?
I felt nothing—so hollow that it was frightening, even for me. The clock on the wall counted down my time.
My end was near, but somehow, I didn’t give a fuck.
The same clock also measured the hours since I last saw Allyn. And, somehow, that was all I could think about.
I would rather die than feel this rage and malice building inside me. I should die—because if I ever get out of here, I’ll burn this world to the ground, turning it into fucking ashes.
I’m not a good man. Never claimed to be one.
I deserve everything coming to me for what I’ve done.
I’ve taken countless lives, and if my hands weren’t bound, I’d be adding a few more numbers to that list.
The Romano’s? They’ll know what Hell truly looks like when I’m done with them. I’ll make them beg for mercy, and I’ll laugh as I deny them. I’ll take everything from them. And then some more.
Just like Allyn took everything from me.
Selfish little brat.
When I told my father I would never let a pussy make me weak, I meant it. Women were tools, nothing more.
They served a purpose and left when that purpose was fulfilled. I never asked for more.
Never needed it. But my karma? She has a name.
And it’s Allyn Romano.
She was a fucking liar. Coming in here, kissing me like I meant something to her, only for me to find out she’s promised to someone else.
It’s laughable, really.
What’s even more laughable is how easily I let myself fall for her lies. How blind and fucking stupid I am for this woman.
And yet, she came here. After all the damage she caused. After lying to my fucking face all over again.
When she told me it was more than just a casual fuck, I laughed.
What else could I do? Hearing those words spill from her lying little mouth, especially after agreeing to marry a man she doesn’t even know right after she kissed me—it was beyond mind fucking.
The cruel irony?
For me, it was more than just a casual fuck. I knew it the moment I let her touch me and didn’t feel repulsed. I knew it when I didn’t want to kill her for daring to kiss me without my permission.
Instead, I wanted more. I needed more.
I became addicted to her lips. To her.
She was the first woman I ever fucked while looking her in the eyes. The sight of her face, the pleasure twisting her features as I fed her every inch of me—it was breathtaking.
Watching her unravel, screaming my name, losing herself in me— It was intoxicating. She was the first woman I wanted to kneel for, to feel my tongue against her, to ride my face as she shattered apart.
And now? She’ll be the last.
No one else could ever come close. No one else could ever compare. Allyn was the first person to make the beast inside me kneel. The first to revive something human in me. And now, she’s the one who ripped it out.
She made my heart beat again—only to crush it in her hands. I might as well die. The damages she’s caused, the rage and despair she’s left behind was enough to make me destroy an entire fucking universe.
The noises outside the door pulled me out of my spiral.
Voices raised, shouting, fighting. Chaos.
The distinct sounds of bodies hitting the ground.
Of people dying.
Not long after, the door swung open, and Lydia stepped into the room.
Fucking Lydia.
Was I dreaming, or was I already dead?
She was panting, holding a gun in her hand. My gaze flicked behind her, and I saw the bodies lying in pools of blood.
Impressive.
Though, I never expected a few men to give her trouble.
When she saw me, her eyes lit up with recognition.
She rushed toward me, swiftly breaking the handcuffs. I extended my wrists eagerly.
Freedom. That sweet taste I hadn’t experienced in God knows how long.
“Let’s go,” she barked, her voice cold and commanding, as expected.
I followed her through the corridors of the mansion, the scent of death thick in the air. So many bodies.
I felt an odd sense of pride. Lydia doesn’t even need a weapon to take down men. She’s that good.
“I’m a thought away from killing you,” she hissed through gritted teeth.
I chuckled in response.
“Well, I’m flattered.”
She didn’t dignify that with a response. She kept walking, her heels clicking against the blood-stained floor.
As we approached the exit of the mansion, I could taste freedom on the tip of my tongue, but one thing still gnawed at my mind. How she managed to sneak into The Romano’s mansion kill all these men, and still remain undetected?
When I was dragged in here, I took note of everything.
The place was heavily guarded. Yet now, it felt like the entire fortress had collapsed, the guards either gone or dead.
The main gate stood wide open, an eerie invitation to escape. We climbed into a sleek black Jeep, and before I could even settle, Lydia slammed her foot on the gas. The vehicle roared to life, propelling us forward so fast it glued my back to the seat.
I turned to glance out the rear window, watching the mansion fade into the distance—my prison, now nothing more than a shrinking silhouette. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what had just happened.
“How the hell did you manage to sneak inside?” I finally asked.
Lydia didn’t even look at me.
Her knuckles were white against the steering wheel as she sped up, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
“Allyn helped me.”