“So that’s the boy that you can’t stay away from?” Don asked. “Him? Really?” He walked over to Miles’ body. “You forgot your hoodie, you piece of shit.” He tossed it on top of him. “If you think I’m going down for your crimes, you’re dead wrong.” He turned to look at me. “You’re right, doll, it’s time to end the game.” He nodded and I felt a gun pressed to the back of my head.
Don walked back over to me. “I killed your mother because she didn’t know her place. I guess it runs in the family.” He crouched back down in front of me. “In looks and stupidity, you are most definitely your mother’s daughter.”
I pressed my lips together. He’s ignorant words didn’t deserve a response. Besides, he was right. I was my mother’s daughter. And I was damn proud of that. It was his own lack of awareness that he didn’t know who either one of us was.
Don grabbed my chin in his hand. “What happened to the fight in you?” He looked utterly disappointed.
I was almost swallowed whole by my revenge. Almost. “I’d rather die as Summer than as some reflection of the monster you are.”
He laughed and dropped his hand. “Take a good look, doll. I’m everything you’ll never be.”
“I fucking hope so.”
He shook his head again, like he had never witnessed something so disappointing in this life.
I smiled. I finally felt free.
There was a cracking noise behind me. For a second I thought it was the sound of my own skull exploding. But I felt the gun slide down the back of my neck. There was another cracking noise and it sounded like wood splintering.
“Drop your weapons!” a deep voice yelled. “Everybody down on the ground!” The room flooded with more men in tactical vests. But this time FBI was written on their chests.
Don locked eyes with me. His smile was gone. He lowered his gun to his side.
The look of shock from him was even more satisfying than the look of disappointment.
“On the fucking ground!” one of the men yelled and kicked the back of Don’s leg. He fell to his knees, still staring at me.
The gun on the base of my neck was removed. I didn’t wait to see what happened next. I stood up and didn’t stop when they told me to put my hands in the air. I ran over to Miles and dropped to my knees. “Miles?” I put my hand on the center of his chest. “Miles?” My eyes filled with tears. No. “Wake up. Please wake up.”
Nothing.
“Miles,” I choked. There were still so many things I didn’t get to say. “You have to wake up. You have to.” I cradled his head in my hands. “I was wrong before. You did save me.” I placed my forehead against his. “You saved me, Miles.”
“So I was your knight in shining armor after all?” His breath was hot against my cheek. He groaned as I threw my arms around him.
“Yes.” I kissed the side of his neck and hugged him harder.
“You didn’t kill him,” he groaned.
I pulled back so I could see his face.
He smiled at me. “You didn’t kill him.”
I shook my head. “He ruined my life. But I don’t feel ruined anymore.”
He nodded like he understood. I hoped he did. He was the only reason I felt whole again. He reached out and touched the side of my face. “I knew Summer Brooks was still in there somewhere. It’s good to have you back.”
I nodded and let the tears fall freely. I took a deep breath and the air suddenly smelled sweeter, like a fresh spring breeze. “It’s good to be back.”
“That’s not mine,” Don said. “Check it for fingerprints. You won’t find a single one of mine.”
“You have $100,000 in stolen cash,” the FBI agent said and lifted up the duffle bag that V had planted upstairs. “The first few bills we’ve checked match serial numbers belonging to the cash that was stolen in the North Union bank burglary last year. I bet there’s a good chance that they all do.” He rummaged around in the duffel bag. “Huh, and a gun.” He lifted it up and inspected it. “What are the odds that it’s unregistered?”
“How the fuck should I know?” Don seethed. “It’s not mine.”
“I bet the odds are just as high that the bullets will match the ones from the Gavin Moore homicide last year too.”
Don just glared at him.