Darlin’. How can just one word have such an impact on me, the one word that has stuck in my mind since that night?
“Cut the bullshit. I know you know exactly what you did to me.”
“Is there a point for you coming to see me, or did you just come to revisit that beautiful night we spent together.”
My body tenses. My heart is beating so fast it feels like I’m having a heart attack. Kyle’s grip on my hand tightens, running his thumb over my knuckles.
“I just want to hear you say it.”
He sighs deeply, resting back against the chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Say what? How we made love? How beautiful it was?”
“It wasn’t like that and you know it, I didn’t want to.”
“I don’t remember you telling me no.”
“You never gave me chance to.”
He smirks. “Admit it darlin’, you enjoyed it, I know I did. That beautiful tight pussy… best fuck I ever had.”
“You shut your fucking mouth!” Kyle shouts beside me, slamming his fist down on the table.
Payn’s eyes flick to Kyle, shining in recognition. “You,” he says. “I know you.”
“1993, Sara Godfrey, mean anything to you?”
He shrugs. “Should it?”
“Yeah, it should. That night, she got pregnant after you raped her.”
His eyes widen.
“Nine months later, I was born. Hello Father. Surprise.”
He shakes his head. “No. You’re lying.”
“You really think I would lie about that? You think I’m thrilled to be your son?”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I want you to rot in here for the rest of your life knowing that your own son put you there, where you can’t hurt anyone else.”
"I knew I knew you. You were there when I was arrested."
"You're goddamn right I was."
“You know, I came here to see you where you belong, behind bars, something that should have happened a lot sooner than it did,” I begin. “Seeing you in here is the best feeling, knowing that this is your reality for the rest of your life. People like you are just cowards who get off on control and fear, but what I realised, is that you only have that control as long as I allow you to, and I don’t, not anymore. I’m not afraid of you and you have no power over me anymore.”
I stand up and hold my hand out to Kyle, who rises from his chair and takes my hand.
“Goodbye Nicholas Payn,” I say before turning and walking away.
Chapter 50
Hayley
2 months later
It’s New Year’s Eve, the new year is nearly upon us. I’m stood looking out of the floor to ceiling window of Kyle’s penthouse, eagerly awaiting the spectacle of fireworks across the city when the clock strikes midnight.
The past couple of months have been among the best of my life, the shadow that Nicholas Payn cast over my life for four years has long since passed over, now all I can see a long bright future, one that includes the man who’s arms are wound tightly around my middle as he stands behind me, his chin resting on the top of my head as we slowly sway to a silent song in the empty quiet suite. After seeing Payn in prison, Kyle and I have never been closer, we have closed that chapter of our lives and left it behind us, ready for a new chapter, a fresh start as we enter the new year.
Kyle decided to throw a last-minute New Year’s party downstairs in the casino for friends, family, and colleagues, only we’ve probably spent more time hiding up here in his suite than at the actually party itself. The party was really just a way for Kyle to create new business opportunities, for the past month or so he’s been on the hunt for a business partner, someone who can share the work so he can take a step back from the company every now and then. As much as he wanted to keep the company in the family, it wasn’t possible, once Luke had graduated College, he would have become Kyle’s partner.
Since Luke’s funeral Kyle has tried his hardest to keep it together, but I can tell his misses his brother terribly.
“Did you meet that guy, the one you mentioned about becoming your partner?”
“Yeah, Zachary Gilgunn. He’s head of Gilgunn Enterprises, pretty impressive. His company has had a tough year but aside from that it’s a solid company. We’re thinking of merging, he seems like a good guy so looks like he’s my new partner. Just need to get it through the board of directors, but I can’t see it being a problem.”
“What’s he like?”
“Sick of me already, baby?”
“Never.” I giggle, resting my head against his chest. “What time is it?”
Kyle checks his watch before replacing his hand on my waist. “Eleven fifty-six.”
I tilt my head back to look up to his face. “Kiss me at midnight?”
He smiles. “I can go one better than that.” He kisses my forehead before unwinding his arms from around me and turning me to face him, both my hands in his.
“Hayley... Luke’s death put a lot into perspective for me. I can’t remember the last time I told him I loved him, I can’t even remember the last time I spoke to him, and he was gone before I could say goodbye.”
He exhales deeply, his hand moving up to cup my face.
“I love you. Those three words will never do justice for how I feel about you, they're just not enough. Before I met you, all I could see was this dark, endless tunnel, with no light at the end, that changed when you came into my life, finally I could see the end, a future that was bright, and hopeful and happy, you are that light... Hayley, I can’t see a future without you in it.”
He takes a deep breath before shifting down onto one knee in front of me, pulling out a small black velvet box from his suit jacket pocket and
