❝I've loved you until death. But in the end I didn't die.❞
Hanni's world shatters when her husband is killed seven hours into their marriage.
Fueled by grief, she embarks on a relentless quest to avenge his death, unraveling a web of crime that lead...
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𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐢 𝐏𝐎𝐕
"You cut my arm," Carlos sneers, his robotic limb whirring sinisterly. "And now I'll blow your head off."
"Carlos!" I call out, my voice echoing through the empty building.
He turns to face me, his smirk more infuriating than ever. Fuck, I fucking hate that face so much. I've never seen him without his stupid mask. It takes everything not to blow the arrogance off his face right then and there.
"Not if I blow yours off first." I fire a warning shot, hitting the ground near his feet.
Carlos raises his gun, but I'm faster. I shoot, hitting his shoulder. He staggers but doesn't fall.
"That's for Hanni," I growl, firing again, this time aiming for his leg.
He collapses to one knee, gritting his teeth in pain.
"And this is for everything else you've done!" I scream, releasing Hanni's waist before climbing over stacked crates to reach the high platform where they are facing off.
I fire once more, hitting him in the chest. His body jerks.
Carlos tries to lift his gun again, his robotic arm whirring and clicking. "You think this will stop me?"
"You're already finished, Carlos. Your men, your friends are all dead. This is for everyone you've hurt."
I keep shooting, pouring my hatred into each bullet, thinking of Hanni's torture and Haerin's suffering. The gunfire echoes, but all I hear is the roar of my anger.
"For Hanni. For Haerin. For every innocent life you've ruined!"
Carlos finally falls, his body lifeless. I lower my gun.
It's over.
I turn to see Haerin struggling to her feet, blood dripping from her wounded hand. I rush to her side and supporting her weight as we make our way.
"Damn, you really killed him," Haerin says so casually.
"Hold on, Hae. Luca got you."
A noise behind us makes me turn around. There stands Carlos, wounded but not beaten, his robotic arm sparking and hissing.
"You can't stop me!" he roars, lunging at me with a fury I didn't think he had left.
I push Haerin aside, duck under his swing, and land a punch squarely on his jaw.
He staggers back. I follow up with a series of quick, precise strikes to his abdomen. My knuckles start to ache, but I don't stop.
Carlos swings wildly. His movements becoming more erratic as he grows desperate.
He catches me off guard with a backhanded slap, sending me to the ground. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth.
He punches me with his good arm, each hit dripping with the hatred he feels for me. I manage to block a few, but one solid punch to my ribs sends a shock of pain through me.
He raises his gun to finish me off. A shot rings out. He freezes, eyes wide with shock as a bullet tears through his shoulder.
Hanni stands at the center of the lower platform, her gun trained on Carlos.
"I fucking hate you!" she shouts.
Fuck, that's hot. That's my woman!
I kick Carlos off, scrambling to my feet, but he's already up, charging again.
We exchange blows. He grabs my arm and wrenches it, forcing me down to the ground. I scream as the bones in my arm protest with searing pain.
I grit my teeth, using every ounce of strength left in me. With a desperate surge, I tackle him to the ground. We wrestle, battling for control, my vision blurring with sweat and pain.
Finally, I get the upper hand, pinning him down. With one last effort, I press my gun to his chest and pull the trigger.
The shot echoes through the empty building.
Carlos's body jerks one final time before going limp. I stand up, panting, covered in sweat and blood. My whole body trembles after the fight.
Haerin is at my side in an instant, her good hand reaching out to steady me. "You okay?"
"Yeah. It's over."
I support her by looping her arm around my neck as we walk together.
Haerin glances back at Carlos's lifeless body, then turns to me with an impressed glint in her eyes. "You really finished him. He never stood a chance."
"Yeah," I say, my voice hoarse. "I really did."
𖨆𖨆𖨆
I pull out my ST Dupont lighter, flicking it open. The small flame dances in the dark. I look at Haerin, a wolfish smirk curving her lips.
"Burn it," she says.
I throw the lighter into the building, watching as the inferno quickly ignites and spreads. The fire consumes everything inside. A symbol of the end of our fight, the end of the pain and suffering.
As we watch the building go up in flames, the inferno roaring louder and higher. A sense of closure and a new beginning. The danger is behind us, and now we can focus on healing and moving forward.
"Now what?" Haerin asks.
"Get married. What else?" A hint of playfulness in my voice.
