Chapter 46 — Goodbye Malik
Malik’s POV:
By the look on Vanessa’s face, she was just as terrified as he was. He wasn’t sure what would happen now that Rylie pulled her damn trigger on Alec. Both of them came walking elegantly, yet intimidatingly into the ballroom. “Clearly your hunter friend doesn’t know any better.” Alec smirked.
Malik lifted a one shoulder shrug, “She just wanted you to stop beating the shit out of me.”
“Well now you’re all dead tonight.” Alfred growled as he went to lunge at Malik. And this time, Vanessa was standing in front of him. It did stop Alfred, but not for the same reasons that stopped Malik from taking Byron’s life.
“No!” Vanessa shouted, holding up Katrina’s gun. “Only Malik dies tonight!”
Alfred backed away with a smirk on his face, “Oh, really? You’re finally going to do it?”
Vanessa turned and aimed the gun at Malik, “I’ll do it. Right here, right now.”
Alec and Alfred laughed in unison. “Well, this could be entertaining, and finally you understand the importance of your cooperation.” Alfred mused, “However, I don’t think I want you to do it anymore. If I’m going to see Malik Cromwell fall, it’s going to be by my Katrina’s hands. Now that we know she is alive, if you really mean to see Malik die, you’ll hand that gun back to its rightful owner and allow her to do the job.”
Malik confidently pulled out his phone from his pocket and shook his head when he saw that it was shattered in the brawl just minutes before. “Aaron took off with her, I don’t know where they went.” He shrugged.
“I’ll go find them.” Vanessa spoke up. She looked at Alec and Alfred, “I need your word. I need you to swear to me that after Malik is dead, you will leave Byron and I alone. I don’t ever want to hear from or see you again.”
The Balthazar twins had an indifferent expression but nodded in agreement. “You, Vanessa Owens, have our word that you will never see us again after Malik Cromwell is dead. You may go on and live your lives as normally as you like.” Alfred said, Alec nodded in agreement.
“Also, before I fetch them, I want a moment alone with Malik.” Vanessa said. Malik looked at her with surprise in his eyes.
“So many demands, but I suppose we’ll let you have this too.” Alec and Alfred disappeared, leaving slight mist behind.
Vanessa turned to Malik; her eyes had tears in them. She looked defeated and at a loss. In her mind, they were beaten. This was it. Alec and Alfred had won. “Malik…there’s something I need to tell you.” Her voice trembled.
Malik shook his head. No, he wouldn’t hear it right now. Now was not the time for the love of his life to look at him with such broken and defeated eyes and say what she needed to say. He placed a finger against Vanessa’s lips, “Don’t do this. Don’t say anything that might make this harder than it has to be.”
She pushed Malik’s hand away, “No, I am going to say this because it’s the last time I’m ever going to see you.” She cried.
Malik looked at her, and tears were coming from his own eyes, “Don’t worry Vanessa. You’re going to be okay. We already know how we feel about each other and…”
“So let me say it!” She squealed. “I won’t let you die without knowing what you mean to me!”
Malik wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffled, “I wish things were different. I wish we could have just said it to each other sooner. Then maybe I could hold you one last time as my little white rose. Have one more night with her…” he mused as he reached up and brushed her cheek.
“I want to say it now so please stop cutting me off and let me say it.” She cried. “Malik, I…”
Malik cut her off with a kiss. Tender, sweet, and expressing his feelings for her. To let her know what joy she brought into his life. He couldn’t bear to hear the words right now. Not in this moment. Not in this place or the people around them. She returned the kiss; her cheeks were wet with her tears. He wished he could read her thoughts, that way he could hear the words inside there and not from her mouth. They seemed to lose one another in the kiss, and for a moment, it felt as though they were the only two in the world. And it was perfect.
“Time’s up!” Alec announced as they entered the ballroom and Vanessa and Malik jumped apart. “We even did a little favor for you Vanessa…” he mused as Alec walked with Katrina arm in arm.
Katrina walked gracefully up to Vanessa and held her hand out, “I’ll be taking back my gun now.” Vanessa slapped it roughly into her hand, “Thank you, Vanessa.” She smirked and pointed her gun at Malik. “Any last words?”
Vanessa turned to see Byron and Rylie coming into the ballroom. Aaron had obviously allowed him to feed because though Byron appeared rough and weak, he was looking like himself again. Malik saw them come in and he looked at Katrina. “Aim for the heart,” he said.
Alec and Alfred stood proudly behind Katrina as she was getting ready to take down the last heir of the Cromwell bloodline. So, this is how the great king of New York, Malik Cromwell meets his end. In a ballroom with Alec and Alfred getting what they’ve wanted for centuries, Julius dead, Aaron there to witness Malik’s, Byron Owens, and his white rose. Katrina pointed the gun at his heart, her eyes fixated on the target as she pulled back the safety. “Goodbye Malik.” She said then turned swiftly on her heels and fired not just one, but two shots. One hit Alfred and the other hit Alec.