30. Phoenix

30

PHOENIX

I clench my fists, my knuckles turning white as Ty's Mustang growls to a stop five hundred meters from the warehouse. Rage courses through my veins at the thought of Veronica laying her hands on Tilly—my Tilly. I take a few deep breaths, attempting to steady my frayed nerves.

"You ready for this?" Ty's gruff voice breaks the tense silence. I give him a curt nod, my jaw clenched.

We exit the vehicle, the gravel crunching beneath our boots. My gaze sweeps over the dilapidated building, sizing up our target. Thanks to my hack into Veronica's systems, I know she has no more than two goons with her. Still, I refuse to underestimate her—that jealous bitch is unhinged and desperate.

"Remember, we do this clean and quiet," I mutter to Ty as we approach the side entrance. "No casualties except for Veronica, but I want her to suffer."

Ty grunts in acknowledgment, his massive frame radiating a barely contained violence. With deft movements, I override the electronic lock and open the door, wincing at the rusty creak piercing the stillness.

We move like shadows, our footsteps muffled on the concrete floor. The stale air reeks of mildew and disuse. Rounding a corner, I pause, straining my ears. A muffled whimper, unmistakably Tilly's, has my heart thundering against my ribs.

Fury lends me speed as I race down the corridor, Ty hot on my heels. I burst through a doorway and come to a halt, the scene before me igniting a primal rage so acute.

Tilly sits bound to a chair, her beautiful face marred by tears and smeared makeup. A trickle of blood oozes from gashes on her arm and chest—wounds inflicted by that sadistic bitch, no doubt.

Veronica stands before her, a wicked blade glinting in her grasp as she taunts my sweet Tilly.

I level the gun at Veronica, fury etching harsh lines across my face. "Step away from her. Now."

Veronica's eyes widen in shock as her eyes flick up, darting between the barrel aimed at her heart and my face twisted in rage. "Phoenix? How did you?—?"

"Shut up," I snarl, inching closer with the glock unwavering in my grip. "You're going to pay for what you've done."

Tilly whimpers from the chair, her gaze pleading with me. The sight of her bound and bleeding ignites a searing heat in my core—the instinct to protect her, to destroy anyone who dares harm her.

"I-I was just teaching the little slut a lesson," Veronica stammers, that cruel smirk attempting to twist her lips. "She needs to learn her place and understand she can never truly have you."

A feral growl rumbles from my chest as I close the distance between us. The muzzle kisses Veronica's forehead, her eyes squeezed shut in fear.

"You're the one who needs to learn, you psychotic bitch."

My finger caresses the trigger, itching to squeeze and paint these walls crimson with her blood. So easy to end the torment, the jealousy, her obsession that's plagued me since I was a kid.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Veronica's sugary voice breaks the tense tableau, dripping with unhinged delight. Tilly and I are intimately connected right now. If I die, she dies, and I've got a dead man's switch set up. No one can disarm it except me—not even you."

My eyes narrow, raking over Veronica's smug expression. I sense her gaze flick to the underside of Tilly's chair, and my heart plummets like a stone in my chest. Straps with blinking red lights confirm my worst fear.

"She's bluffing," Ty murmurs, eyes scanning the situation. "It's a fucking bluff, Phoenix."

But I can't shake the niggling doubt. It's a risk, a gamble I'm not sure I can take. Veronica's tech skills are formidable—the thought of her gaining access to my systems sends a chill down my spine. And if she has rigged Tilly with explosives...

"Phoenix, listen to me." Veronica's tone softens, her eyes gleaming with malicious pleasure. "If you want your precious Tilly to live, you'll lower that gun and let me walk out of here. Otherwise, we all die, and your obsession ends in a bloody mess."

I curse inwardly, my fingers tightening on the gun. I'm trapped in a predicament of her design—move against her, and I risk Tilly's life. I glance at Ty, whose face is etched with the same tormented indecision.

"It's just you and me, Phoenix," Veronica purrs. "Time to decide. Her life or your revenge?"

Revenge. The word echoes in my mind like a discordant melody. Do I dare risk Tilly's life for the satisfaction of watching this treacherous woman suffer? I swallow the acidic lump in my throat, my gaze fixed on Tilly's terrified, hopeful eyes.

With crystal clarity, I know that my revenge must take a backseat.

"Alright," I grind out. "You win. I'll let you go, but Tilly stays with me."

Veronica's face lights up with glee, her fingers typing a sequence into her wrist device. "Wise choice, Phoenix. Always knew you were the smart one. Just remember, one wrong move from you or your friend here, and I detonate the explosives. Tilly's fate rests in your hands now."

I burn with impotent rage as she saunters past me, her eyes shining with insane triumph. She won't get far. I'll track her to the end of the earth if I have to.

My body buzzes with restrained violence, ready to snap and crush her beneath my feet. But I can't, not with Tilly's life in balance .

Tilly's broken sob has me glancing at her again. Her frightened eyes bore into mine.

I pivot toward her. My heart clenches at the sight of her battered form, her lip trembling as she struggles to meet my gaze. Crossing the room in two long strides, I kneel before her, cupping her tear-stained cheek with a tenderness that contrasts the storm raging within me.

"It's okay, baby," I murmur, slicing through her bonds. "I've got you now."

The ropes fall away, and she crumples against me, her slender frame wracked with sobs. I fold her in my arms, tucking her head beneath my chin as I rain gentle kisses on her crown.

"H-How did you f-find me?" she hiccups against the column of my throat.

Drawing back slightly, I brush the matted hair from her face, revealing those soulful eyes that haunted my dreams. "Remember when I said I'd always be able to find you?"

She nods, her brow furrowing in confusion. Gently, I draw back the sleeve of her tattered sweater, exposing the tiny scar below her wrist—the implantation site of the microchip I'd embedded beneath her skin the moment I took her.

Tilly's eyes widen, her mouth forming a perfect 'o' of surprise. "You put a tracker in me?"

I brace myself for the accusation, the anger, the fear that she'll recoil from me like so many others. Instead, she merely buries her face in the crook of my neck, her fingers clutching at the fabric of my shirt.

"Thank god you did," she whispers, her breath fanning against my skin. "If you hadn't, that psycho would've?—"

Her voice cracks, dissolving into a fresh wave of tears. I tighten my hold, pressing my lips to her hair in a lingering kiss.

"Shh, it's alright now. I've got you." I allow the depth of my emotions to bleed into my words—the bone-deep relief at having her back, the resolve to annihilate any threat to her safety. "Veronica's never going to lay a finger on you again. I promise."

Tilly nods against me, her tremors subsiding as she draws strength from my presence.

"Who was she, Phoenix?" Tilly asks, her voice quiet and fragile. "Who was Veronica to you?"

Her question hangs between us, a weighty thing laden with the gravity of the moment. I tense, my breath catching as a torrent of unwanted memories threatens to overwhelm me. The scent of her shampoo mingles with the tang of her fear, stirring a maelstrom of emotions deep within me. Her eyes search mine, an ocean of confusion and trust awaiting answers.

I struggle to find the words, the knot in my throat tightening like a noose. The past I've tried so hard to bury is suddenly here, suffocating me. Part of me wants to shield her from the darkness, to spare her the painful truth of my scars. But another part knows that if we are to move forward—if she is to truly understand the depths of my obsession and why I claimed her as I did—she needs to hear this.

Steeling myself, I tighten my arms around her. " Veronica was... someone from my past. Someone who hurt me."

Tilly pulls back, her gaze probing, and I know she senses the layers lurking beneath my words. "Hurt you how?"

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly arid. I can almost feel the hands on me, the touch that was supposed to be comforting but left me soiled. "When I was a kid, I ended up in the foster system after my mom left me when I was five." I try to keep my voice steady, but it cracks on the last word. "Veronica was my foster mom."

Understanding dawns in Tilly's eyes, and I see the realization of the abuse reflected in her tormented gaze. Her fingers reach up to touch my face, her eyes searching mine. "Oh, Phoenix. What did she do to you?"

The pain of long-suppressed memories claws at my chest, but I force myself to continue for her. "She was supposed to take care of me, but instead, she took advantage. She groomed me, used me for her own sick desires." I grit my teeth, not looking away from my girl's empathetic gaze. "It wasn't just the sexual abuse; it was the psychological manipulation, the way she made me feel special one moment and discarded the next."

Tilly lets out a pained breath, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry, Phoenix."

Her words open a dam within me, releasing raw emotion. "That bitch broke me. She made me question my sanity and my worth. I became obsessed with control, with making sure no one would ever hurt me like that again." My voice lowers to a rasp, the weight of my past bearing down on me. "That's why I took you, locked you away. I told myself it was to protect you, but it was also about control—mine over you."

She listens, her eyes brimming with compassion. Reaching up, she softly traces the tattoos snaking across my forearms. "Did the tattoos help? To give you a sense of control?"

I nod, her touch a balm to my battered soul. "Each one represents a piece of my past, a reminder of what I survived. It's like reclaiming the power, marking myself on my terms."

Tilly's gaze drifts over the intricate designs, her fingers gripping my skin. "How long did it go on for? The abuse?"

I suck in a sharp breath at the memory of the day I finally escaped. "Four years. I was fourteen when I finally ran away and found my way to the carnival where Ty took me in."

"And Veronica?" she prompts.

"I never saw her again until today." My voice turns bitter as the memory of her cruel smirk burns in my mind. "She got off scot-free, never faced justice for what she did."

Tilly's eyes flash with anger, the corners of her mouth turning downward in a grimace. "She won't get away with it this time, Phoenix. Not ever again."

I search her eyes, seeing strength reflected back at me. "No, she won't."

"That bitch is going to pay for what she did to us," I growl, and Tilly stiffens in my arms at the ferocity in my voice.

Ty clears his throat, his brow creased with concern. " First, we must get Tilly back to the carnival, somewhere safe. Then we'll deal with Veronica."

I know he's right. Rationally, I understand that Tilly's safety must come first. But the thought of letting Veronica slip through my fingers, even momentarily, enrages me. My hand clenches at my side, yearning to wrap around Veronica's neck and squeeze the life from her.

"No," Tilly pipes up, surprising us both. "We can't wait, Phoenix. We have to go after Veronica now. We'll miss our window of opportunity."

Tilly, you've been through hell. You need rest, safety?—"

"I can handle it," she interrupts, her chin jutting upward in that stubborn way I recognize so well. "Veronica needs to be stopped, and I won't feel safe knowing she's still out there. Please, Phoenix. Let's end this now."

I search her eyes, seeing the steel within them. I know that look—it mirrors the determination that has driven me time and again. She's strong and fierce, and she's imploring me to let her be a part of this.

With a heavy sigh, I relent. "Okay, we go after Veronica. But you stay close and do exactly as I say. Got it?"

She nods, her eyes sparkling with excitement. I curse myself for putting her in this position, but she's here, and together, we will end Veronica's madness.