Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
I rounded the end of the pathway and went into the side of the cage.
Stefan had hold of Tessa, whirling her around to face me as he pulled her back to his chest. He pressed a blade to her throat.
“You’ve made a grave mistake,” Stefan hissed.
Energy zapped from Tessa.
Tumultuous.
Terrified.
Did she see it now? Who I was?
“You’re right, Stefan. I made a grave mistake falling in with you. One I rectify tonight.”
Sweat gathered at the monster’s temples, though he was sneering, taunting me where he stood. “One step closer, and she dies. You know I don’t make idle threats.”
Except he knew if he hurt her, then he was done. Literally backed into a corner.
“That wouldn’t be a good idea, now, would it? So, drop the fucking knife, and you and I can deal with this ourselves,” I warned instead, voice low and shuddering with hate.
That would be a fight to the death I would take.
“I saved you, Milo. Picked up a pathetic kid and made him a man. Gave you everything. And you repay me how?”
“You killed my wife.” Venom poured from my mouth.
“You and I both know she was the reason you strayed. She needed to go. You were the fool who didn’t understand it for what it was. The gift I was giving you. She got in our way.”
Tessa whimpered, her sorrow stark, her grief gutting, while my knees weakened at his depravity.
I forced myself to keep speaking, goading him, distracting him. “You think you ever had my loyalty? Do you think you were something special to me? I used you…just like you used me. So why don’t the two of us fight it out like men? Let the girl go.”
Tessa’s eyes were so wide. Wide and terrified.
Spite flew from his mouth. “You should know better than that, Milo.”
He angled around her left side, and for a split second, his leg came into view.
Before I could doubt it, I took the shot.
Stefan cried out in rage and pain when blood began to pour from the wound in his thigh.
It was the chance Tessa needed. The chance to rip herself from his hold.
She whipped around and kicked him in the gut.
The momentum sent her falling to her butt.
A cry ripped from her throat.
Fear and terror and relief.
I dove for her, cutting the bindings from around her wrists and shouting, “Run, Little Dove. Run.”
She was freed and on her feet, and I was lifting the gun again to take aim at Stefan.
“You die tonight,” I seethed, years of hatred pouring out with the statement.
Only another shot rang out.
Pain splintered from my own leg. I tripped to the side, unable to stop the fall. I hit the ground hard.
Stefan was on me in a flash, a small handgun lifted and ready to fire. “I should have come sooner and ended you long ago. What I should have done was left you floating with your wife that night. I should have seen who you really were. Should never have believed in you.”
And it was a blur of red and white from the right, and I was shouting, “No, Tessa!” a second before she slammed into him.
A gunshot went off.
A wail of torment lacerated through the air as she dropped to the ground.
Stefan stood and swung around with the gun aimed her direction.
His back to me.
I fired three times.
Making sure this demon would never draw air again.
He slumped to the ground, falling on top of Tessa.
I scrambled to my feet, tossing him off so I could get to her.
She was lying in a pool of blood.
Misery sheared through my spirit. Years of hate culminating to one single point.
“Little Dove. No, baby, no.” It groaned from that vacant space that only this girl could fill.
Wept from my soul as I gingerly scooped her into my arms.
My arms that wouldn’t stop shaking as I stared down at her where her head lolled on my arm.
“You can’t leave, Tessa. You can’t. You have to shine. This world needs you.”
Ignoring the pain wracking through my body, I ran back with her down the elevated pathway, banging down the stairs and into the havoc that still ensued below.
The shots had ceased, and it was now a confused chaos that banged through the mass. Shouts that the cops were on their way, causing the vile fucks to scatter.
Trent, Jud, and Logan suddenly busted through the crowd. “We have to get out of here,” Trent ordered.
“She’s hurt.” The words cracked, my chest feeling like it was going to cave, Tessa breathing but bleeding out.
“Fuck.” Dread splintered through Jud’s expression, and I knew it was bad, what they were seeing.
“We have to get her out of here,” Logan urged.
“This way.” I ran with her down the long, dank hall.
A hall where I’d made a million promises to Autumn.
Promises I didn’t keep.
And I might hate myself for it forever.