Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
She blinks. “Oh… I see your friend is looking out for you.”
“Yeah, I have a new therapist,” Rowan says even though the only therapy sessions he’s attending involve my dick, revenge kills, and expensive restaurants. “Though our last session proved to be very useful.”
I’m sure he says that for my benefit, because the letter my therapist told me to write during my last ever session with her was what brought us together.
“Well, that’s good. If they ever want to discuss your case, do give them my number,” Mrs. Woken says before taking another peek at me.
“Merry Christmas,” I tell her without embellishing it with a smile.
Rowan says his quick goodbyes, and we move on to the booth where the lamp craftsman is over the moon to sell his biggest piece. We pay and arrange to pick it up later, but Rowan is a bit quiet as we walk among the stalls glittering with Christmas offerings like baubles and light-up garden statues.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask, stroking his back.
“I just… I don’t know. She would always emphasize that I could only be free if I let go of my anger and resentment. But I only felt released from those feelings after I dealt with my past your way. The pain dulls over time, and I don’t regret what we did, but sometimes I wonder if it makes me a bad person.”
I sigh, and as we continue our walk between the stalls, I gather my thoughts. “I think it depends on our reasons. I’ve seen many things doing this job. Some clients are regretful once it’s over, but most of them feel content. Unless someone lets revenge overtake their whole life, I think it’s more about reestablishing a sense of justice in the world. You are not a bad person. You take such good care of me, and I think you needed those people gone because otherwise you would keep being afraid of them for as long as they lived.”
And for good reason, since they were animals. Rowan even told me Otto would sometimes come to his workplace, just to taunt him with his presence. I’m happy about the bastard’s death for that reason alone.
Rowan pulls me into a side street, which hasn’t been spared the same pizzazz as the Christmas market and has strings of LEDs leading us along the passage.
“It’s true. If they got sentenced to prison, I would have still hated them but got on with my life in one way or another. Seeing them act as if nothing happened after destroying my family was so painful, I can’t force myself to feel bad about being the one who sent them to their graves.” The self-satisfied smirk on his pretty face makes me want to kiss him, and I go for it after taking a brief peek over the shoulder.
I love his new cinnamon toothpaste.
“Where are we headed? You hungry?” I ask, entwining our fingers as we face the exit into the main street.
“I actually have something special planned as part of my Christmas gift to you…” Rowan grins and pulls me to a shop window.
It’s a bakery opulently decorated with pink and white. As I stare at the little pastries and cookies behind the glass, I realize this has to be the place where he got me that fancy cheesecake last year.
It’s no longer open to customers, but a couple of people are inside, chatting and sipping from stoneware cups.
I glance at him. “Now you have me excited. What is it?”
Rowan gets to his toes to give me a smooch. “I booked us in for a cookie decorating class. So you can really wow me this year.”
I look inside, then at him, and take off my hat as excitement heats up my head. “Really? Tonight?”
When he nods, I pull him into a bear hug and lean back until his feet leave the pavement.
Rowan laughs as I spin us around. “Yes! Maybe mine will stop looking like they were decorated by a talented child.”
I give him another kiss, no longer caring if someone sees us or not. “I love you.”
I mean it with all my heart. Rowan filled my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined, and every lonely nook within me is only a memory.
With the snow starting to twirl around us out of nowhere and the picturesque bakery as our background, I really do feel like I’m in the prettiest snow globe.
The sweet dark-eyed boy in my arms and the scent of vanilla cookies already hitting my nose will make this the best Christmas yet.
The End