by LC Lehesaho
"Our contact took a look around in your apartment, now that there's no lock on your door. Very useful, 'cause I think I owe you that much for fucking you up."
I open my mouth to speak, but it's completely dry, so I need to try again. Focus.
Focus.
"Contact?" I manage to wheeze out.
"Yeah, darling. We've had someone on the inside for years. How else do you think we knew about you and your foster brother's twisted relationship? You two have been leaving trails like Hansel and Gretel." He caresses my cheek, but I'm too tired to move. "You like stories right, darling? Based on your bookshelf, you do."
What did he say... someone...
Someone on the inside.
My eyes flutter closed, even then I still try to think...
"That's right, just sleep, darling. I'll make you feel like you’re home."
EPILOGUE
Amelia doesn't sleep.
No matter how I try to keep her warm, cradle her in my arms, she refuses to sleep. Her body shakes against mine, and the trembling doesn't stop, no matter what I try to tell her. That we’ll get through this.
I lied, I know it.
We're not leaving here together, he told us.
And laughed. With that devilish expression on his face, he fucking laughed.
"I will get good money for you two."
He talked and talked and talked about money and Germany and everything I know nothing about, and I just wanted to kill him. Like these two years haven’t been enough? He will separate us?
It was after that he'd thrown us back into the cage.
After he had shown his merchandise—us.
It was more than showing. It was strangers, doing all the things he and his brothers have done for years already.
That's why she doesn't sleep.
Amelia rocks herself in my arms, repeating my name and begging me to help her. Like in the beginning, two years ago. She is even more scared now than she was then.
Because they will separate us.
I don't know how to help her. I can't get us out. Free. I've tried many times.
Countless times.
She cries, trembling uncontrollably in my arms. It hurts me more than anything they've done to me.
The two words she's been repeating like a mantra—help me—turns to something else. My heart stops at the plea. It's still two words, but that's not… that's not helping. I can't.
I can't breathe.
No. She doesn't mean it. She can't mean it.
Again, the same words.
No. NO. NO.
Amelia begs me again. She says she can't survive there alone. Without me.
She doesn't want to be alone.
Again, the two words.
She convinces me, it's the only option. She won't leave without me.
They can't separate us.
I ask her over and over again, is she sure.
She says, yes.
Tells me that it's the only way to save her.
The only way to save her is letting her go.
Kill me. Kill me. Kill me.
Hours pass and I keep her body against me, tears wetting my face and her hair. No matter how much I hug her, she doesn't warm up anymore. The only living beings in this warehouse is me and the fucking dogs.
I let her go.
Squeezing the lighter in my trembling hand, I watch the flames reaching up to the sky.
Part of me wants to walk into Navarro's house, sit on the floor, and wait till the fire burns me to a crisp. End this.
But...
I'm fucking stronger than that.
Crusador will regret the day he was born when I find him. I will find him.
I will find her.
I close my eyes, dropping my head back as I take a long drag of the smoke. I feel the loss in every cell of my body, making me want to yell at the fucking world, drop to the ground in a fetal position and cry, and then put a bullet in my head. Instead of doing that, I turn all of that pain into rage.
The smoke of the cig burns in my lungs, and the heat from the flames tightens the skin on my face and makes it tingle as Navarro's house turns into a bonfire.
Cobra knows that I'm not going to let her down. That I won't stop until I find her and she will stay strong—won’t let her demons overcome her. But my demons? I invite them to come out, but they don't fucking play games.
I will burn the whole world down so my phoenix can rise from the ashes. That's what she does—she will fucking get through this.
We will get through this.
I failed to save Amelia in the way I wanted, but I'm not going to let Cobra down.
Leo has already raised hell in Shangri-la. At this point, it’s been hours since they took her, Leo has made sure that every soul in the surrounding cities knows Cobra is missing.
But I'm not going back there, no.
She is my everything, and I'm not going to let anyone tell me how to fucking find her.
I'm not a fucking pawn in anyone's game. I could've killed Luke, or Levi, weeks ago. Then none of this would have happened.
So now, I won't let anyone tell me what to do.
I will fucking find my baby girl, and I'll do it my way.
Afterword
Breathe with me, okay?
I know. The cliffhanger is a bitch, but it had to go this way. Tiger and Cobra are a fucking force of nature, and no way their story would fit in one book. And Levi? Well, you'll see. The second book, HURRICANE, is coming out soon, I promise.
Like I said in the beginning, everything happens for a reason.
Every person who's been mentioned in this book matters, and every scene matters. This is the first book in the Beasts of Prey series, and I hope you fell in love with Cobra and Tiger as much as I did and continue this journey with us.
The Hayes family owns my heart, just saying.
If you want to babble about ANTIDOTE, or something else, you're more than welcome to my FB group:
The beasts of LC || LC Lehesaho reader group
Acknowledgements
Fuck, I don't know where to start.
I still have a hard time understanding that I actually did this. Not alone, though, fuck no, I have so many people to thank for trusting me and cheering me to go on. So, let's go!
First, I'm gonna pick the moon from the sky for my husband because he is just the most amazing human being in the world. He listened when I explained the twists like a maniac in the middle of the night and comforted me when I cried my eyes out when I felt too much. I think I've been crying more while writing this book than in my whole life altogether. You're my everything, baby, sorry I'm such a mess sometimes.
Second, Antonina and Daria, I love you. You two made me believe in myself that I could do this. I'm so grateful for having you in my life and appreciate your feedback when you read ANTIDOTE. You two are diamonds in a world full of rocks.
And my betas, Ria, Brianna, Ashley, Lauren, Bhavika, Maxine, Nicole, and Amy. I can't thank you enough for giving me your time. Thank you for staying by my side and pushing me forward when I doubted myself.
My family. Thanks for not laughing at my face when I told you I'm writing a book. I fucking love you so, so much. Please, if I die, don't let mom read this.
And my editor, ellie (My Brothers Editor), thanks for not losing your patience with my shit. You're amazing.
Thank you for reading ANTIDOTE. I poured my heart and soul into this book, and I'm so damn stoked that you read it. Whether you liked it or not, thank you for giving Tiger and Cobra your time.
Love you all.
About The Author
LC Lehesaho
I'm an author of dark romance.
Just so you know, I'm way more balanced than my characters—they are the outcome of my madness. I run on coffee and wine and suck at saying something about myself—blame on my zodiac sign.
Yeah, I'm an Aquarius. So, hi.
GO STALK ME. I kinda like it.
FACEBOOK: LC Leh
esaho
INSTAGRAM: @lclehesaho
www.lclehesaho.com