He pulls out another gun from a holster inside his duster and points it at me. My hand stills on the lip of my pocket.
“Do not test me, child; my generosity has its limits. If you don’t come willingly, I’ll kill your friends and take you anyway.”
My hand falls limp to my side, allowing the man behind me to reach into my pocket and relieve me of my switchblade, leaving me weaponless. Panic presses along my veins.
What the hell do I do now?
It’s simple, I suppose: if I want Cec and Bes to live, I have no choice but to go with this man and his thugs. These fascists have the advantage, and I know enough of the God Men to conclude that, if he wasn’t going to keep his promise to let them live, they’d already be dead.
“Alright.”
“Hawkins, no!” Cec calls out, and the man in charge presses the end of the Luger into Cec’s temple again. “Don’t do this.”
My heart lodges inside my throat. “I’m sorry, Cec. It’s the only way.”
I find Bes, his eyes pleading with me.
“It’ll be alright, Bes.” I know if I can’t find a way to escape these God Men once Bes and Cec are free and clear, I may have to enact the blood oath. Because Bes was right—I’ve seen what these people can do, what they’re like. I don’t believe I’m strong enough to endure what they have in store for me.
“At least let me say goodbye,” Bes says, surprising us all with the request.
The man considers this. “I’ll allow it. As a show of good faith.”
My captor releases me, and I stumble into Bes. He wraps his arms around me, gripping me tight despite his many injuries and my own. Tears prick at my eyes at the thought of never seeing him again.At least he’ll be alive.
Moving his head to the side so his mouth brushes my ear, he whispers, “There’s a tiny blade inside my signet ring.”
What?I have no idea what he means until he pulls back and places his hand on my cheek. He presses his pointer finger into my skin so the metal of his ring digs into my flesh. Understanding dawns on me. I place my hand over his,discretely removing the ring from his finger in the process and holding it firmly in my palm.
Pressing his forehead to mine, Bes says one last thing, his voice low enough only I can hear: “Nothing will keep me from you, Miss Hawkins. Not even the entire German Third Reich.”
My breath hitches. “I’m counting on it.”
Arching into him, I press my lips to his.
Bes reacts instantly, drawing me in as close as our bodies allow. The rain on our lips disappears into our mouths as we open them, desperately clinging to one another. His left hand gently runs up my shoulder until it grasps the side of my neck, his thumb barely brushing my jaw. My right hand grips his collar tight, while the fingers of my other hand dig into his.
This is nothing like the first time we kissed. That was slow and deliberate, taking our time to learn what the other feels like. Now, we’re more certain of each other.
This kiss feels both like hello and goodbye.
A short, quiet cry escapes me, in ecstasy and in pain.God, I hope it’s not goodbye.But, at the very least, I’ll die having tasted his lips one last time.
“That’s long enough,” the man barks
My captor unexpectedly wrenches me away from Bes before I have a chance to say anything else.To tell him how I feel about him. I claw at their arm, attempting to draw blood, but they don’t relent, keeping my own switchblade poised at my throat.
Everything in me cries out to escape. I could probably get a solid hit on the one who’s holding me captive. But, if I try anything, I likely won’t be able to get to Bes or Cec in time.
The man in charge speaks up. “Unfortunately, you gentlemen aren’t expendable quite yet. Mara allowed herself to be killed by your companion, and Kali slipped away before she could fully complete her end of our deal by leading us to the Order of Cavendi’s secret hideout. Mara used it as leverage until wepaid her and released her associate’s brother. Pity it was all for nothing.”
At least Mara wasn’t a complete idiot.
Bes glares up at him. “And why would we help you?”
“Because, if you don’t, I’ll kill your friend here.”
He points his gun at Cec.
