Two minutes…
She kicked off the ropes and tried to come with me as I moved, but I whirled around and held her in place.
“No, stay here!”
“She’s my sister. I’m coming with you.”
“No, fuck. Ava. I won’t lose you again.” I don’t know what made me say that. It was my emotions running on high. As I said the words though, she knew what I meant.
She knew exactly what I meant.
She held my gaze with her sea-green eyes. They seemed brighter today against her platinum blonde hair. More tears streamed down her cheeks.
She opened her mouth to talk, but my phone rang.
I pulled it out. It was Marissa’s number.
Did she get out?
My heart leapt at the thought.
“Marissa, where are you?” I asked, but a hollow sound echoed in my ear.
“Claudius, get out of here. It’s a trap. Please just leave,” Marissa wailed.
“Tell me where you are, please. I’m here. I’m at the docks.” I ran outside. Ava followed.
“No, get out. It’s too late,” Marissa screamed.
“Marissa, for fuck’s sake, tell me where you are. You’re on the phone.” Frantically, I looked around.
“They hooked the phone up to some device. Claudius, get out. I took enough from you. Don’t let me take your life too.”
One minute…
One fucking minute left.
I looked at all the warehouses left before me.
I wouldn’t make it. I wouldn’t make it…
“Marissa, tell me where you are. Tell me right the hell now. Tell me!”
She started crying. “I love you. Thank you for sticking with me. I love you Claudius.”
Ava started crying too. I looked at her, then back to the scene before me.
“I love you too,” I told Marissa and felt like a bastard.
She knew those words were hard for me to say, especially when I’d had to learn to love her.
This was my fault.
This was all my fault. She deserved better.
“Claudius, please take care of my sister. I—”
An explosion shook the ground. Instinct made me grab Ava and shield her with my body.
