“Don’t worry,” I cut in before he can say anything else. “You can suck on her tongue all you want. I signed the papers Ben left. So don’t worry about me. Now, if you’ll?—”
The impact comes out of nowhere.
A heavy body slams into mine, knocking the breath clean from my lungs as glass explodes around us. The sound is deafening—shattering, screaming, chaos all at once. I hit thefloor hard, pain blooming through my side as the world tilts violently.
“Everyone, get down!”
No.
Not again.
Please, not again.
“Ava!” Someone screams my name. “Ava!”
My heart is racing so fast I swear it’s going to tear itself free of my chest. Cold floods my veins, turning my blood to ice as I struggle to focus. There’s weight on top of me. Too much.
I turn my head.
His face is inches from mine.
Stormy eyes closed. Skin pale. Breathing shallow.
Why is he so pale?
“Matthias?” My voice comes out broken, barely sound at all. “Matthias?”
I lift my hand, my fingers trembling as I nudge his shoulder.
Nothing.
“Matthias?” Panic claws up my throat, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin. My vision blurs as I look down and see it—the dark, spreading wetness soaking into my dress.
“No.” My breath stutters. “Somebody call 9-1-1.”
Hands grab me under my arms, hauling me up and back. I collide with a warm chest, the familiar scent of citrus and cloves wrapping around me like a shield.
My father.
“Matt!” Vas barrels in from the other side of the stage, a large red medical bag slung over his shoulder. He drops to his knees beside Matthias, hands already moving, voice tight but steady. I’ve never seen him look like this—panicked, but focused. Terrified, but in control. “Matthias, can you hear me?”
Nothing.
A sob tears free from my chest.
He can’t die.
Please.
Movement catches my eye.
The curtain rustles.
A head peeks out from behind it—blond hair spilling in soft waves over one shoulder, crystalline blue eyes glittering with something dark and amused as she surveys the carnage.
Mirth.
Then she’s gone.
