by V. F. Mason
Sliding my hands from my wound, I swiftly snatch the knife from the side of my boot and stab him right in the back, between his fifth and sixth vertebrae, and his screams fill the room.
Ah, now this is more like it. That theater of one actor started to bore me.
He huffs as I stab again between fourth and fifth, and then again between third and fourth. “Did you really think I would come to you begging?” I mutter, maintaining a tight grip on his neck, squeezing the life out of him as he becomes redder with each tightening of my hand. “Everything is a careful plan with me. You think I’d want to kill you? Death is a reward to you. No, you will suffer with paralysis in prison. Where everyone will know what you did.” Fear shades his eyes as I smirk. “And you know what they do there to those who hurt kids, don’t you?”
I’ve never had it in my plans to end his suffering. I wanted to find him so he wouldn’t touch other kids, but for him I always had a specific ending. One that will put him in the lowest spot on the chain and will make him suffer every single day. “And the fire will crumble this empire too.”
He struggles to say something, but I push him aside as he coughs, gulping air but at the same time groaning in agony as blood smears his shirt.
Whoever comes to his aid will be too late. His spine is damaged and nothing, not even the golden hands of surgery, will save him.
He won’t ever walk again.
Inhaling air, I close my eyes as I finally allow myself to feel the tremendous pain, but he didn’t do any important damage as I dipped, giving him only those places to shoot where I knew I could survive.
But as I concentrate on my breathing, I don’t notice him reaching for his gun, and before I can react, he fires it at me, shooting me right in the heart. And everything stills.
Quite an iconic moment we have now.
He truly ended it where it all began.
Ah, how fucking dramatic.
“Lachlan!” A shout from behind me snaps my attention as I swing my head to the side to see Valencia running toward me barefoot, in her white nightgown that is smeared in dirt. She drops on her knees, touching my wounds. “No, no. We need to call for help.”
My beautiful angel, ready for the rescue.
“Shh,” I say, cupping her face as my blood marks her skin, and I bring her closer. We are in our respective colors, black and white, and when it mixes it doesn’t end up being gray.
It becomes red.
If the bullet hit the artery, I have a maximum fiv minutes to live. I’m not spending them on dwelling on the fucker. “My Valencia.” I kiss her hard on the mouth, demanding entrance, and she answers, but I’m too weak to continue it and I slide to the side and roll on my back. I cough on the blood spilling from my mouth.
Five minutes come all too soon. “Lachlan,” she cries out, but it’s late.
Too late.
My eyelids drop and I count in my head, oddly welcoming this freedom and sensation, because I did what I came here for.
Killed my creator.
And freed my angel.
Maybe I came into the world to accomplish this, and what a life it has been.
“Lachlan,” her voice comes from far away as I count.
Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
And here comes the all too familiar darkness.
Epilogue
Paris, France
Six years later
Valencia
The birds chirp loudly, flying around the emerald green trees while the air is filled with the smell of freshly cut grass as we walk on the narrow concrete path to the local cemetery.
MacKenzie bounces in front of me, huffing loudly, and then stops, propping the flowers in her hands higher, and resumes her walk as her chocolate hair sways from side to side. Her pink sandals that go with her flowery dress slap against the concrete, sending small rocks flying.
“Do your feet hurt, darling?”
She shakes her head, giving me a toothless smile. She had her first ballet class a few days ago, and I watched her carefully, making sure she didn’t overdo it and her teachers treated her well.
Finally, we reach the silver headstone, and she squeals, “Look, Mommy! They bloomed!” Indeed, the tulips we put in the soil gave fruit and now the entire stone has yellow flowers all over it. She shifts to me and gives me the bouquet as she runs toward the hose, a stubborn expression on her face. She always acts like they have a fight going on and she wins every single time.
MacKenzie generally enters competitions only if she can win, as defeat doesn’t work well for her.
We quickly water the flowers, and then I kneel in front of the stone and take a deep breath, closing my eyes. “Hi, there,” I say, wondering if he can hear us up there. In exactly the same moment, the chapel bells ring and a soft smile spreads on my mouth.
I think I can consider it a sign he does.
Dusting away the headstone with my white-glove-covered hand, I place ten red roses on the grave while MacKenzie scatters a few candies on it, and I exhale in exasperation. She gives me a look while batting her eyelashes at me. “Mommy, I’m sure they take sweets to heaven.” Then she leans to my ear, and whispers, “They always disappear from here.” More like birds snag them once we leave.
Her sky blue orbs practically drill into my soul, reminding me so much of Lachlan that it takes me a moment to snap out of my stupor and shake my head. “No matter how much I explain, it won’t help, huh?” I pinch her nose, and she giggles, kneeling next to me while wrapping her hands around my neck, and I hug her close. “I miss him, Mommy,” she murmurs, and my heart painfully pangs as I pat her back. “Me too.” She wiggles out of my hold and hops to pick a few dandelions that are scattered over the place on this beautiful August day.
“MacKenzie is almost six now. She has a birthday party tomorrow.” I stop as a tear slides down my cheek, and I quickly wipe it away before she notices it. Clearing my throat, I continue. “I wish you were here to see it. She constantly runs around with your picture when we are in the house.” Rubbing the stone again, I whisper, “Miss you.” And then I get up and call for my daughter. “Mac, come on. We will be late for your practice.” She hops to me, throwing a few dandelions on the grave and then blowing one in my direction. As the white things fly around us, I wink at her.
She locks her hand with mine and we slowly walk back to the car as she keeps telling me about the new move Mistress Julia promised to teach her. As she babbles away, I wonder how fast the time has passed and about all the changes that have happened in my life.
The FBI were quickly on the scene, not even shocked with what they found. I suspected my father was on their radar for a long time, but without proof, they couldn’t do anything about it. They helped to get most of the kids back to their homes, and they asked me tons of questions, but I couldn’t concentrate on any of them.
Not after how it all ended.
They took my statement about my captivity and what led to me being in the mansion. It was self-defense, so no one had any more questions for me, although they had plenty for everyone who worked for my dad. Surprisingly, all those fucked-up people truly believed he had the right to behave like that.
I had to spend nearly a month with Mac in the hospital until we were discharged, and Mom met us at the gate, crying her heart out. Victor told us everything would be different, and in a way, it was. She always knew the truth about him, but couldn’t do anything, because he threatened my safety.
At that point, the information didn’t surprise me. Dad couldn’t walk and was sentenced to prison for life with no chance for parole or appeal. His lawyer tried to get him into a facility, but it didn’t help.
Last time I heard, Lachlan’s friends made his life there a living hell. I thought it would bother me more, but in truth, I’ve accepted that he is my father and someday MacKenzie will know the story too.
Accepting it though and dwelling on the past that I can never change are two different things, and I’ve learned to let go.
; After everything, I couldn’t stay in New York anymore, as the city brought nothing but bad memories to me, and I needed to escape it for just a little while. We found a house on the outskirts of Paris that opened up to a beautiful view of the outdoors, and the nearby town was so small that literally everyone knew everyone.
With time, Bella introduced me to dance gurus in France, and I staged a few dances with my experience and then opened up my own studio that thrived under my touch, and parents brought their kids from all over the city. Mackenzie and I explored the city, danced together, and learned to be happy without feeling guilty about it.
A few months ago, I opened a studio in New York, so we travelled between countries, living life to the fullest.
“Daddy!” MacKenzie screams and lets go of me, her little feet pounding loudly as she darts toward the man in jeans and a T-shirt, who leans on the black Mercedes. He kneels down, opens his arms wide, and she jumps into them as he locks them tight around her, breathing in her scent.
She leans back, palming his face. “Did you bring me anything?” The man tenses a little, but nods and gives her the box in his hand, and she claps her hands. “Yay! A tutu?” His gaze catches mine and I just shrug.
It was his idea to introduce her to ballet. I preferred something else for her.
He moves the loose strands of her hair to behind her ear, and finally replies, “Whatever you want, MacKenzie. It’s a box of wishes.” Her mouth drops open, and then she turns to me, saying, “Daddy is the best, Mommy!” And she presses her cheeks against his. “I love you, Daddy.” He doesn’t reply, but she doesn’t expect it. She knows he never says it back. Lachlan shows his love with his actions, but he never speaks of it.
“We visited Levi. It’s bad he decided to leave three year ago. He didn’t see me dance.” She pouts, and I imagine he would have loved to know his little grandkid missed him.
Levi enjoyed his role until the sudden heart attack took him away from us, and his last wish was to be buried near this chapel, because he found peace here.
Lachlan never visits, because just stepping on any soil that has to do with church… yeah, it never ends well for him. So MacKenzie and I come here every month alone.
“Now let’s go!” she tells him, and he wiggles his brow at me. “The adventures await!” She raises her hand high and Lachlan rolls his eyes.
He puts her inside the car and then nods at me, even though his stare drills into me. Everything in me longs to join them, but I know I can’t.
It’s the choice we made a long time ago. I go to Chapel every Sunday, but he can’t, nor does he allow MacKenzie to go inside. When she grows older, she might do it if she wants to, but for now… it’s impossible to reason with him. That’s why they usually have their father-daughter time while I spend some quality time here.
MacKenzie waves at me as my husband joins her in the car and they drive away, leaving me behind while all I can do is watch them in the dust that springs up in the air.
Closing the door behind me after MacKenzie finally fell asleep, I remove my scarf and pad downstairs to my studio that we built in case I needed to practice, and I grab my pointe shoes on the way.
Putting everything on, I turn on the music, and Lana Del Rey’s “Religion” softly starts playing. My eyes close, letting it wash over me, as this song speaks the truth about my emotions.
Slowly, I dance, giving myself to the music and the words, my hands moving in synchronization with my legs as the black skirt swirls around me and my shoes slap against the wood.
For a moment, the music quiets and I freeze in place, gulping for breath, and then it picks up again, but that’s when strong arms wrap around me, and the hair on my neck prickles as the man brings me flush against him.
He pulls on my hair, opening up my neck for his mouth, and my eyes close the minute his lips touch my heated skin. His hand slides down my waist before squeezing my hip harshly, and a moan of pained pleasure slips past me. “Lachlan,” I whisper, and he spins me around, holding me tight in his arms.
Placing my palms on his chest, I kiss his heart before raising my eyes to him as he hikes me up, leaving me no choice but to circle my legs around him. “You shouldn’t do this.”
He chuckles against my mouth, biting on my chin, and I throw my head back as his lips slide down my neck, leaving little flashes of desire everywhere. “There are a lot of things I shouldn’t do. When did it stop me?” His mouth lands on mine, taking it prisoner as his tongue probes deep, and I just press against him harder.
My safe harbor.
He didn’t receive a shot to his heart as he initially thought, but instead the bullet grazed his shoulder. He felt the pain in his chest and combined with the wound in his liver, it all kind of bundled into one pain for him. Thankfully, medics arrived along with feds and they took him in a helicopter to the hospital where he had surgery.
My back hits the wall as he rips my shirt open and my thighs squeeze him tightly as both of us groan. “Those trips to New York will kill me. You better move there permanently,” he growls, biting my lips while his fingers slip past my skirt, reaching the naked skin, and a tremor runs through me.
He has been away on some business deal for the past seven days; he always has one when it’s this time of the year. I think the loss of Levi is too great for him, but he never talks about it.
He didn’t transform into the perfect husband who has a nine to five job while he comes to enjoy his time with the family. He is still dark and broody, ruling his protégés with an iron fist.
Once the nightmare was over, I understood with clarity that I couldn’t live without him, nor did I want to. For all the dark stuff he does, maybe he is the balance this world needs. And maybe it’s better to teach all those lost souls how to control their desires and concentrate them on specific targets, instead of roaming around the world, chasing everyone who stands in their way.
He is still very much a serial killer who enjoys torture, although he keeps this life hidden from us.
Lachlan is no prince and never will be.
But he is the man I love, and that’s enough for me.
All this may end quickly, and suddenly, he could die any minute and I wouldn’t even know why. But while he is here with me, life is bliss.
I lived perfection, and it brought nothing but sorrow. His darkness, though, opened up the doors to happiness for me.
How can I turn my back on it?
“Valencia,” he murmurs against my mouth, and our eyes meet as he tangles his hand in my hair, bringing us even closer to the point of us sharing a breath. “You are my symphony.”
I smile softly, hugging him close as we freeze in this moment that cements everything between us.
That’s why I stay and will never leave.
The End
Acknowledgments
First, I want to thank God and my family for allowing me to write and make this dream possible. The support means so much to me, and I understand that sometimes it drives you crazy, especially when I try to meet my deadlines and seem unavailable to you. But I love you guys and appreciate everything you do for me.
Lachlan was one of the first heroes who popped in my head back in 2016. I had a prologue and chapter one ready along with the plot…but I couldn’t write the book. I would come back to the manuscript several times a year, but something wouldn’t click. Finally while writing Psychopath’s Prey, I knew he was ready to tell his story. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
Huge thank you to Hot Tree Editing team for helping me with my editing process. Especially Becky, Donna, Peggy, Kayla and Mandy. Plus beta readers and final eyes, who gave me valuable feedback and made sure I covered any plot holes I had.
Thank you to Sommer Stein, Wander Aguiar and Colton Benson for the fabulous cover.
Heather Roberts and Lauren Rosa, thank you for being with me during this release every step of the way.
L.Woods PR thank you for hosting my cover reveal and release blitz.
Thank you to
Ena and Amanda from Enticing Journey Book Promotions for hosting my release blitz as well. It’s always a pleasure working with you, ladies!
Thank you to my V’s Sapphires, ladies you are amazing!
Thank you to all the bloggers for spreading the word about Lachlan’s Protégé and leaving reviews.
And finally to all the readers who took a chance on this journey of love between Lachlan and Valencia. Thank you to each one of you.
Also by V. F. Mason
Dark Romance
Sociopath’s Obsession
Sociopath’s Revenge
Psychopath’s Prey
Mafia Romance
Pakhan’s Rose
Pakhan’s Salvation
Sovietnik’s Fury
Brigadier’s Game
Contemporary Romance
Shane’s Truth
Coming Soon
Kaznachei’s Pain
Forbidden Jaxon
Connect
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