Chapter Twenty-Three
Hannah
After his confession, Vik gives me space. He goes back to his room.
I understood what he was trying to say without him needing to explain it. If I want to leave, I can. He won’t stop me again.
If I had any sense, I’d run away and never look back. I’d turn my fear of Vik—of his mask—into hatred that keeps me far away from this place.
But I can’t bring myself to leave him.
Not now.
Maybe not ever.
Weeks of misunderstanding and getting everything wrong between us came to an end in a matter of days because we finally opened up to each other. I shared the darkest part of my life with him, and he didn’t turn away from me like so many others had.
He embraced it.
And while our situations are completely different, I want to do the same for him. I want to be there when he needs me most and help him through this without resorting to more violence.
Some foolish part of me believes I can actually do it. Convince him not to kill the three men who ruined his life. Show him there’s another way.
Because as twisted as it is, without them, Vik and I would’ve never reached this point. I’d hate for them to be the reason we lose it.
So, with that in mind, after taking an hour to clear my head, I slip back into his room.
The door is open. Vik is staring at the ceiling while Muffin sleeps between his legs. He doesn’t move when I step inside. He’s so lost in thought that I don’t think he realizes I’m here.
“Hey,” I say.
He blinks twice before turning his head towards me.
“Hey.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine.”
He pats the bed and I walk over.
“What about you?”
“Could be worse.”
In many ways, it’s true. But this isn’t the time to feel sorry for myself. Right now, I need to be here for him. If I can, maybe I still have a chance to convince him not to go through with this.
“I’ve been thinking...”
“About what I said?” Of course he’d know.
I haven’t been able to think about anything else since he told me.
“Yes.”
“You’re not going to change my mind, Hannah.” His voice is flat. “I have to do this.”
“But why?” I rest my hand against his chest. I need Vik to know I’m here. That I understand. That I can accept more of what happened than he probably realizes.
I can’t understand why this has to end with three people dead. Or why he can’t hand everything over to the police and let them do their job while we begin our life together?
“Why don’t you go to the police? You’ve already done all the work. They can—“
“They stopped fighting for my mother years ago,” Vik cuts in. “So, they don’t get the satisfaction of seeing her killers brought to justice.”
His answer breaks my heart. The pain he’s carried for so many years has blinded him. He has to see this through on his own terms.
No matter the cost.
Even if it kills him.
But I’m not ready to accept that.
“If things go wrong...” The words catch in my throat. I hate even saying them. But I have to try.
“What if you don’t come home?” My voice cracks. “What if I lose you too?”
“Then you’ll never have another worry in your life. Because all of this”—Vik waves a hand through the air—“it’s all yours if I die.”
“I don’t want any of it if I don’t have you here to share it with,” I say.
He doesn’t answer.
“And what happens when this is over? Have you thought about that?”
“Yes.” He turns his attention back to the ceiling. “Then I can be happy. We can be happy.”
“How?” I follow his gaze. “Because nothing really changes once you’ve pulled that trigger. You’ll have three dead men on your conscience and nothing else to show for it. Their deaths won’t give you back the years you’ve spent consumed by this. They won’t change what happened to your mother.”
“Something will change, Hannah.” His voice remains calm.
“I’ll have done something about it.”
He isn’t angry. Even though I’m questioning everything he’s spent his life working towards.
I also know I won’t wear him down today. His mind is made up. He’s going to see this through.
But I’ll be damned if I stop trying.
“You told me I should forgive myself for what happened because I didn’t act with malicious intent. If you go through with this...” I swallow. “Will you be able to forgive yourself? When you’re the one who put them in the ground?”
He scoffs. “I’ll sleep like a fucking baby for the first time in years knowing they’re dead.”
“Okay,” I say, moving a little closer.
He’s lived with this pain for so long that he can’t imagine another ending.
But I can. I believe that, given enough time, I can show Vik another way. That together we can face our pasts... and come out stronger without more bloodshed.
I’ll show him we don’t need anything except each other. Maybe he’ll hate me for trying. Maybe he’ll blame me for standing in the way of what he’s wanted his entire life.
But I can’t stand by and watch Vik destroy himself over something that happened so many years ago.