Over Silas' shoulder, I caught movement.
Knox noticed that Marco wasn’t watching.
In a few quick steps, he crossed the room, grabbing Marco by the jaw and forcing his head up. His voice was calm, but the threat in it was unmistakable.
"Watch," he said, "Or I’ll cut your eyelids off."
Marco’s eyes snapped back to us and this time they stayed there, wide and fixed, unable to look away.
After that, everything seemed to collapse into a haze of motion and feeling, time slipping out of reach as one moment bled into the next. I lost track of how many times I came apart, of where one brother ended and the next began, of anything beyond the overwhelming pull of desire for these men.
At some point, Silas stepped back and Knox took his place. While his knot stayed locked in my core, my forehead pressed against his as our breathing tangled together, my hands bracing against him.
And in that moment, despite where we were and what surrounded us, I felt it deep in my chest.
For the first time in a long time, I felt truly and fullysafe.
His hand came up, firm at the back of my neck, not forcing, just anchoring me.
"Look at me," Knox murmured.
I did.
His eyes searched mine, not for weakness, not for cracks, but for strength.
"You did exactly what you needed to do," he said quietly. "You didn’t break. You didn’t hide. You faced him."
His thumb brushed along my jaw.
"I’m proud of you, Lena."
His words hit harder than anything Marco had ever said totear me down. I was becoming addicted to their praise. Every kind word washed away another piece of Marco’s cruelty.
"I’m ready," I whispered, my voice softer now but certain. "I’m ready to be done with this."
Knox didn’t look away.
"Done with him," I continued, holding his gaze. "Done with what he did to me. I don’t want him living in my head anymore."
My hand rested against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
"I only want you. You and Silas. You’re the only ones who get to stay in here," I said as I tapped my temple.
Knox's expression hardened, eyes filling with resolve.
"Then we finish it," he said.
Behind him, Marco made a broken sound, but it didn’t pull my attention.
For the first time, I didn't care about him at all.
Because I wasn’t his.
I never was.
Epilogue: Silas
Months Later
