Will it be her own life flashing before her eyes or all the ones that she stole?
I hope they come down from paradise and personally drag her to fucking Hell.
Slowly suffocating on her blood, Zade drags her over to the raging fire in the front of the distillery, her men’s dead bodies scattered.
Claire’s fight increases, and even amid death, she can feel when it’s only going to get worse. Pausing before a fire, Zade grips her bloody throat in his fist and lifts her, staring into her wide, desperate eyes.
“Fucking burn, bitch,” he growls, then vaults her into it, her body instantly consumed in flames.
Choked screaming arises, but the sounds can hardly make it through. Her form convulses and thrashes, and I wrinkle my nose at the rancid stench that follows.
She walked into this place firmly believing she could conquer the world if only she gave Zade the one thing he’s been working so hard for.
Doesn’t she know?
Zade is a God.
And the only one who will conquer this world is him.
Chapter 43
The Diamond
Sibby dances in the living room, her polka-dot covered feet swirling across the checkered tile, rejoicing in our long-awaited success, while Zade is on the television, interrupting another broadcast.
He exposed the shadow government and their control over human trafficking, stealing children and women, and selling them off for sick people. In the ten minutes he’s been speaking, he gave the world hope that the sex trade will slowly begin to die.
“Claire Seinburg is not the first to contribute to the sickness that infects our world, nor is she the last. One by one, I will disinfect the pests from society, and only then will we find peace. I am Z, and I am watching.”
He cuts out, once more replaced by a wide-eyed reporter, a nervous laugh tinkling from her throat.
“Who’s going to take over Claire’s spot?” Daya asks from beside me, shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth.
I arch a brow. “You think there should still be a shadow government?” I ask curiously, grabbing my own handful and stuffing it in my face.
Daya shrugs, swallowing before answering. “Sure. I think the government should definitely be controlled by somebody, just not a person that is only interested in fixing things in this world for their own gain. We need someone who cares about the environment and advancing science and medicine without inhumane experimentation and quite literally using us as slaves. I think we’ve had enough of that shit in our history. This planet needs to be cleansed badly, and the people in charge right now? They’re not going to be the ones to do it.”
I purse my lips. “I think you’re right. I just don’t know who would do it.”
“You don’t think Zade would?”
Shaking my head, I chew on a few half-popped kernels. They’re my favorite part of eating popcorn.
“It’s hard to say for sure, but I think Zade enjoys what he does now too much. Regardless of who’s in power, it’s going to take a very long time for human trafficking to actually end. I can’t see him being content sitting behind a desk making decisions rather than being on the field and physically taking them down.”
Daya nods, her sage green eyes drifting back to the screen, the reporters still attempting to regain their footing after Zade’s interruption. Media is controlled by the government, which means everything they spew to the public is sanctioned by the very people Zade is threatening to destroy. It’s no wonder they’re uncomfortable when they’re quite literally the mouths that feed us the government’s brainwashing bullshit.
“I’ll do it,” Sibby chirps, topping off her announcement with a ballerina spin.
Daya and I glance at each other.
“You would want to rule the government? You’re mentally unstable, Sibby,” I say bluntly.
She stops spinning and narrows her eyes at me. I’ve sparred with her far too much to legitimately be scared of her anymore.
“I care about the world and cleansing it of demons. Can you imagine?” A wide, dreamy smile spreads across her face. “Living in a world of flowers? One big garden, just like the planet should be.”
“See? Unstable.”
She growls at me and stomps her foot. “I could do it, Addie. I know I have a temper, and that I’d need help. But I could fix this world,” she tells me vehemently.
Cocking my head, I actually consider what she’s saying. Sibby’s methods would need to be controlled, but… she’s admittedly the most fanatical person I’ve ever met when it comes to ridding the world of evil. Is that actually possible? Of course not. But maybe having someone who believes it is, wouldn’t be so bad. And with her knack for smelling the ones who are rotten, she could have a team of people helping her who have good intentions.