“You are a miracle, Kiki. You, Beth, and Eric are destined to change humanity. You aremychildren. Under my tutelage?—”
Kiki shook her head. “No, Benoit. We were neveryourchildren. It’s over. I know you’ll never leave us alone. I wish you would, but you won’t,” she murmured, deep sorrow coloring her voice with grief.
“If I can’t have you, my dear, then neither can the world. They don’t deserve you,” Benoit said.
His voice filled with determination as he raised the detonator. Kiki watched in surreal slow motion as his thumb descended onto the red button. Behind her, she heard Nikos’s choked warning as he reached for her.
She stumbled back against Nikos, her lips curling in a smile when Benoit’s triumphant smirk turned to a confused frown. He ripped hisgaze from her face to the detonator in his hand, his thumb moving up and down in rapid, desperate moves.
Click-click-click-click.
Nothing.
Benoit turned to look at Kiki, his eyes growing wider. He dropped the detonator in his hand and started to slide his hand under his jacket.
“Angel, take the shot!” Nikos bellowed.
There was a thud as Benoit’s head jerked back. He stumbled a step before straightening. A bloom of red blossomed at the center of his chest, spreading like ink through water. He slowly looked down, his eyes wide in disbelief before he dropped to his knees.
He stared up at Kiki.
“No,” he rasped, lifting a trembling hand toward her as a ribbon of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. “You… you were always mine…”
Kiki watched as he crumpled face first to the earth.
The world stilled, as if holding its breath.
She wilted against Nikos’s hard frame as movement exploded in the background—Lucas dragged the driver out of the SUV, shoving him into the dirt. Markos stood over the woman who was regaining consciousness. Cosmos’s voice rang through the comms.
“All remaining forces are withdrawing. CRI reinforcements have arrived. We’re clear.”
Kiki’s eyes lifted toward the lake. She couldn’t see Eric. But she felt him.
A whisper of consciousness brushed against hers, full of regret… and peace.
He had made his choice.
And now hewas gone.
Tears stung her eyes, and for once, she let them fall.
When Nikos turned and cupped her face, his hands trembled. His gaze searched her eyes. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice raw with emotion.
She shook her head. “No,” she murmured. “But I think I finally know what peace feels like.”
He looked down at Benoit’s lifeless body, his expression unreadable. “I love you, Kiki. I love you so damn much it hurts.”
Kiki released a shaky, watery giggle and held him tightly. “I love you, too.”
Epilogue
New York City: Later that evening
“Wait here,” Andrea ordered.
The two bodyguards bowed their heads and positioned themselves outside the elegant double doors.
