51 pages • 1-hour read
Kiss the Villain
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Chapter 30-Epilogue 2Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content, graphic violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual violence, rape, death by suicide, and self-harm.
Chapter 30 Summary: “Gareth”
Gareth meets with Declan, still reeling from the news of Kayden’s marriage. He notes how he can still feel Kayden in his blood. Declan tells him that Gareth’s grandfather had been present on the night Cassandra was raped and murdered. Gareth denies it, but he understands now why Kayden had such a visceral reaction when they first met and he thought Gareth was attempting to rape Yulian.
After telling Gareth that his relationship with Kayden was part of the latter’s revenge, Declan knocks him unconscious, kidnaps him, and tortures him.
Chapter 31 Summary: “Gareth”
When Gareth next wakes, he’s bound in a straitjacket and forced to watch videos of Kayden and Cassandra’s happy life on loop. Gareth reflects on how he has always tended to get too attached to people he likes, like his father, his French teacher, and his first girlfriend, Harper.
He recalls how Harper had a façade like he does. After her mother’s death, her father considered Harper her mother’s replacement and began to rape her. She later died by suicide, and one night, Gareth killed her father after weeks of planning his revenge. Afterward, he informed his grandfather, who helped cover it up, as he had always been accepting of his grandsons’ violent personalities.
Chapter 32 Summary: “Kayden”
Kayden reflects on his childhood: his lack of connection with his older brother Grant, and his authoritarian father’s horrifying training. He reflects that the Davenports belong to Vencor, a secret society that has manipulated power for generations.
He remembers how he and his mothers waited and planned, and, when he was nine, escaped his father. Knowing it was only a matter of time before they were found, Kayden sought help from his half-brother Grant, only to be betrayed. Kayden bargained with his father: He would be the perfect son, and in exchange, he would let Kayden’s mothers live.
The bargain held, and as Kayden became a veritable weapon for his father—both literally and economically—he met Cassandra on a blind date. They agreed to marry as a practicality, but when they eventually realized they weren’t sexually compatible, they opened up their marriage and maintained a strong friendship.
When Cassandra was murdered, he decided to get revenge on everyone involved, the last of whom was Gareth’s grandfather. He had intended to kill the man’s entire family, but then he met and fell in love with Gareth.
In the present, he looks at a picture of him and Gareth together as Jethro and Simone drive him to where Declan is holding Gareth. When they arrive, they kill Declan’s men and find Gareth in the straitjacket, attempting to bludgeon his own head against the wall. When Kayden gathers him up, Gareth is unresponsive.
Chapter 33 Summary: “Kayden”
After attending to Gareth’s medical needs, Kayden calls Gareth’s grandfather. He informs the man that Gareth is safe and with him before hanging up. He receives threats by text message from Declan but ignores them.
When he hears a crash from the bedroom, he runs in and finds Gareth attempting to self-harm. Kayden struggles to stop him and tries to redirect Gareth to hurt him instead. He succeeds, and Gareth mutilates Kayden’s small lily tattoo that represents Cassandra. Eventually, he breaks down, believing that he cannot remove Cassandra’s soul from Kayden’s blood.
Gareth confronts Kayden about his lies, and Kayden attempts to convince Gareth that his love is genuine. Gareth demands that Kayden leave his grandfather alone, as he is convinced he would never commit rape. Gareth expresses his anguish over Cassandra and his regret for getting involved with Kayden in the first place.
Chapter 34 Summary: “Gareth”
Gareth reflects on the void he’s felt inside himself over the years, how he felt euphoric after killing Harper’s father, and how his father’s disapproval had undercut that joy. Two days after being freed from his kidnapping, Gareth is home, where his parents and grandfather fret over him.
His father questions him about what happened. He admits that he’s known about Gareth’s true personality since he nearly drowned a child for pushing Killian down the stairs. When Gareth is asked about how he views relationships with his family, he states that he recognizes them as people, but people who belong to him.
Gareth’s grandfather admits that his involvement with Senator Baltimore stems from Harper’s father’s murder. When the senator was still just a police chief, Gareth’s grandfather used him to cover up Gareth’s involvement. Later, the senator extorted him with evidence he retained about Gareth and demanded Gareth’s grandfather keep quiet about the rape and murder of Cassandra Davenport.
His father wishes Gareth had trusted him when he committed the murder, but he admits to knowing Gareth didn’t trust him after Killian was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Gareth explains his relationship with Kayden, and his father and grandfather react strongly to the age gap and Kayden’s social status. Killian and his girlfriend Glyn arrive. Though Killian denies it, Glyn says that he was worried the entire time Gareth was kidnapped.
Chapter 35 Summary: “Gareth”
Simone continues to monitor and protect Gareth, despite his request that she leave him alone. They discuss Cassendra and Kayden, and Kayden’s upbringing. Simone intimates Kayden was genuine with his feelings, more so than the relationship he had with Cassandra.
That night, while Gareth is on the verge of sleep, Kayden visits, and Gareth listens to him fret over Gareth’s health and self-harming tendencies. With a kiss to Gareth’s forehead, Kayden leaves.
Five days later, Gareth is back at school and regrets not interacting with Kayden. He recalls the conversation he had with Killian, wherein he finally admitted to having the same sort of personality as his brother. Killian mentions that he was able to tame his murderous impulses through Glyn’s presence, but Gareth is left with no one.
As Killian wonders why Gareth isn’t chasing after Kayden, Gareth receives a text from Simone, who says that Gareth is now safe because Declan has been taken care of. He calls Simone and learns that Declan sent a video of Kayden with Gareth to Vencor, and Kayden is now in hiding.
Chapter 36 Summary: “Kayden”
Kayden regrets not torturing Declan more and feels immense regret and guilt that Gareth is once again in danger because of him. At Cassandra’s gravestone, he admits his feelings for Gareth and asks for her forgiveness.
Though Jethro wants them to hide in South Africa, Kayden insists on remaining close to the UK to see Gareth from afar. He plots how to counter his half-brother Grant and Vencor with his network of influence. As he hangs out with Moka the cat, Simone brings Gareth to him. Kayden immediately tells Gareth to leave. They argue, as Gareth maintains that Kayden’s life belongs to him, and then they kiss.
Chapter 37 Summary: “Gareth”
As they have sex, Gareth finds Kayden has a new tattoo, a set of crossed arrows in the middle of a compass. When Kayden confirms that it’s in homage to Gareth, he apologizes for all the pain he’s caused.
Later, he tells Gareth that he was never a replacement for Cassandra, and Gareth admits he’d never planned to rape Yulian. He also explains his grandfather’s lack of involvement in Cassandra’s death by telling him about murdering Harper’s father. As Gareth is about to tell Kayden he loves him, they hear gunshots.
Chapter 38 Summary: “Kayden”
Though Gareth wants to help, Kayden forces him to follow Jethro and escape. Kayden instructs Jethro to tell Gareth’s parents to use their mafia connection for protection. Kayden believes he won’t survive, and as they exchange gunfire with Grant’s men, he sends a wounded Simone away.
Kayden stands alone against Grant, who reminds him exceptionally of their father. Grant confronts Kayden over murdering their father, and they antagonize one another. Kayden is about to allow Grant to shoot him when Gareth returns. Grant tries to shoot Gareth instead, but Kayden shields him and takes the bullet. He falls unconscious from the loss of blood as Gareth begs him not to die.
Chapter 39 Summary: “Gareth”
Gareth spends six hours in the hospital waiting room as surgeons operate on Kayden. He calls Vaughn, who has mafia connections, and requests a hit to be placed on Grant and his men. Simone finds him to let him know that Kayden has made it through the critical stage of the surgery.
Kayden’s nephew Kane comes to the hospital to visit Kayden and meets Gareth. When Gareth and Kayden are alone again, Gareth berates him for his actions. Kayden promises to stay with Gareth, even if it means helping him kill someone someday. Though he knows their relationship is toxic, Gareth believes it’s the right kind of relationship for them.
Epilogue 1 Summary: “Gareth—Three Months Later”
Kayden has dinner with Gareth’s family and is berated by Gareth’s grandfather, father, and brother for their age gap, Gareth’s self-harm, and for picking Gareth as his partner. Kayden maintains that he has no plans to leave Gareth, and the others can simply deal with it.
Gareth’s mother intervenes and brings out baby pictures. As he watches the scene, Gareth equates Kayden to his happiness. Later, Gareth’s father expresses his concern but ultimately supports Gareth’s choice.
Gareth goes to Kayden’s apartment and falls asleep in his arms. That evening, they have dinner with Niko and his boyfriend, Brandon, as Kayden wants to meet every member of Gareth’s family.
Epilogue 2 Summary: “Kayden—Six Months Later”
Kayden and Gareth watch Kane in a hockey game in New York. Kayden reflects on leaving Vencor and the truce he’s established with Grant. Over the last few weeks, he’s found that he and Gareth cannot be away from each other for more than five days, and he has made it a rule not to be apart for longer.
They spend time with Kane, and Gareth revels in being allowed to be publicly affectionate with Kayden. One day, Kayden brings him to a house he bought for Gareth and proposes to him. They exchange rings, and Gareth shows Kayden his new snake tattoo with Kayden’s initials where his old self-harming scars were. They seal their commitment to one another with a kiss.
Chapter 30-Epilogue 2 Analysis
In this final section of the narrative, Kent brings her main characters’ development to a fulfilling conclusion where both are able to resolve the motivating traumas that have haunted them for years, resolving the theme of The Lasting Effects of Past Trauma. In Kayden’s case, he finally faces his inability to enact his personal justice on Gareth’s grandfather for his alleged participation in Cassandra’s murder. For most of the narrative, the author has gone to great lengths to showcase Kayden’s ruthlessness. As he discusses in this passage, Kayden, similar to Gareth, enjoys dealing out pain and death: “I thrived on it. The control. The resources. The killing. Especially the killing. Slaughtering for Vencor became second nature—hunting, executing, then sharing a smoke with Julian and the others. Not all of them loved the bloodshed, but we all got off on the power” (287). Here, Kent uses Kayden’s bloody past to highlight his unwavering personality once he is committed to action. Doing so effectively underscores how monumental it is for Kayden to decide to abandon his revenge plan and prioritize Gareth’s well-being instead. It is an ironic twist, therefore, for a character like Kayden, who openly enjoys pain and bloodshed, to say, “I’m sorry, Sandry. Truly. I can’t harm his grandfather, and I can never harm him” (327). In the end, Kayden’s relationship with Gareth culminates in his decision to devote himself to the one he loves instead of the one he lost, which allows him to finally lay the rage behind his wife’s death to rest.
Kent also uses this section to highlight Gareth’s concluding development as he finally confronts his own past and the social walls he’s erected to protect his true self, fully realizing The Cost of Social Masking. While Kayden was depicted as haunted by his wife’s murder, Kent underscored how Gareth has been isolated by the specter of Harper’s father’s murder. Though he has never shown remorse, the author implies that the reason behind Gareth’s unbreakable social mask is a belief and anxiety that he would never be accepted by those he loves, specifically his father. He describes the emotional aftermath of killing Harper’s father:
Maybe I smiled. Maybe I laughed, like a madman, because for the first time, that void [in my heart] felt full. I was euphoric. Deliriously elated. Floating on a peaceful cloud, sitting in my quiet, beautiful white room. Until I remembered Dad. Until I imagined that frown on his face. And all my joy crashed and burned (303).
Since childhood, the fear of his father’s disapproval has been the mitigating factor in how Gareth expresses himself and how he came to have unorthodox coping mechanisms to deal with his violent impulses. In this final section of the narrative, however, Kent forces a confrontation between Gareth and his father to not only demonstrate how unfounded his anxiety was but also how naïve his perception of his father has been. Gareth witnessed his father’s reticence to engage with Killian’s antisocial personality disorder diagnosis in his childhood, and while he might have taken note of his father’s attempts to reconcile with his brother later on, the author suggests that he never truly understood his father’s motives: His father loved Killian regardless of his diagnosis, and those same feelings would also apply to Gareth if he were honest about his true self. As the novel ends, Gareth realizes that the only person who kept him in the prison of his “golden boy” persona was himself—a fact he understood when he finally revealed the truth.
This section also attends to the fruition of Kayden and Gareth’s relationship through the use of symbolic imagery—specifically, their shared tattoos. Kent uses Kayden’s snake tattoo and Gareth’s crossed arrows tattoo to visually entwine her characters and the meaning each holds when both of them include the other’s tattoo on their respective bodies. For Kayden, he explains that his snake is about “power through transformation. It’s about staying fluid, adapting, and never getting too comfortable” (218). For Gareth, his crossed arrows tattoo is explained as being “a paradox, a memento that [he’s] never as in charge as [he wants] to be” (218). By adopting the other’s tattoo, Kayden and Gareth reflect how they now share these characteristics, and the narrative highlights the theme of The Relief of Establishing Power Dynamics. In Kayden’s case, he is never in total control, given how Gareth has become the center of his world and perpetually keeps him on his toes. Likewise, Gareth has found power through their relationship, specifically in how he was made to transform his conception of his sexuality and his preferred dynamics with his partner. He has learned to adapt and live—and even appreciate—the discomfort in being submissive to someone like Kayden.
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