The big giant sinks his hand into her chest and rips her heart out—just like he said he would. Nine’s eyes darken. I can see the life quickly leaving her body as Raguel lets the organ drop to the floor and Linda stomps on it. It makes a squashing, wet sound as she presses her heel into it again and again.
Silence falls around us. We are all wounded, bruised, bloody, and tired. I see Oliver looking at Sully with watery eyes, before he moves toward Raguel and is lifted up into his arms. Raphael and Michael are lost in each other, whispering softly.
“So, it’s done. Revenge at last,” Lori comments, jumping on Gabriel.
Linda lets out a short chuckle before she suddenly bursts into tears. Her body shakes uncontrollably and sobbing sounds fillher mouth. Ramiel and Hunter hug her, while Uriel grabs his phone and calls Sariel.
My hand grabs Sully’s cheek, and I feel his soft, warm skin under my palm. Until he takes it from his face and twines mine with his. I gaze at our tangled fingers and silently promise myself that I’ll never let him get away. The thought of losing him is unacceptable.
He finally raises his beautiful face toward mine as I turn him away from Nine’s corpse. His glasses are a little fogged, one lens cracked. He has a bruise on his face again, the hoodie is dirty and torn, and his neck is bloody. Fucking hell. I turn a glower toward Linda, but she is still part of the human sandwich. I don’t have any bandages on me, so I take off my red bandana and press it delicately against the wound.
“Ezra.” My name sounds broken on his busted lip.
I push my forehead to his. “I’m right here, Little Chick, and I won’t let you out of my sight ever again.”
He sniffs, his elbow bumps against my side, and I wince.
“What is it?” He pulls back.
I shake my head, but he lifts my bloody hoodie anyway to reveal the wounds covering my side.
“Shit! Shit!” he swears, turning all frantic in the space of a second.
“I’m fine,” I tell him. I’ve had much worse. It just fucking hurts.
“You need to plug the leak,” Uriel tells Sully after studying my wounds.
“Bullet graze?” Michael asks, coming closer.
“And knife cut,” I add, making Sully gasp as he takes off his hoodie and presses it over my bleeding side. I wince again. Fuck!
“It’s okay, people get shot all the time,” Raphael declares.
“No, they stub their small toe or get paper cuts,” Sully retorts, sending a glare at me. What did I do?
“I got shot at yesterday and today.” Raguel shrugs.
“Me too.” Gabriel nods.
“If he needs blood, I’ll give him mine; we have the same type.” Uriel’s teasing words seem to make Sully even madder.
“It will leave a scar. It’s my fault.”
I tilt his chin up with my scraped knuckle. “As long as it protects you, I’m fine with every new scar.”
“Well, I’m not!” he growls, and it’s so cute I want to eat him up.
“Hey!” I turn my head toward Oliver’s hesitant voice. He’s holding the ferret in his hands.
“Noodle! I’m so sorry.” Sully takes the animal in his arms and starts gently patting him, completely forgetting about me and my blazing side. The ferret looks like it’s breathing, licking Sully’s fingers.
“I’m sorry, too,” Oliver tells him. “I almost lost you today, and all I could think about were the last words we exchanged.”
“Me too.” Sully hugs his brother, and I sigh, counting to thirty before I drag him back into my arms.
“What should we do with the slaughter house now?” Hunter asks, as we start to make our way outside the room.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Oliver looks at his husband.
