Then another shot, and pain ripples through my abdomen. Tony and I hit the floor at the same time. Rose screams my name, and the pain in her voice hurts me more than the bullets I just took. I want to tell her that everything is going to be okay, but my throat won’t work. It takes all I’ve got to just continue breathing and not pass out.
Blinking my eyes open, I try to get my bearings together. I’m on the floor, looking up at the ceiling when someone steps into my view.
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Drake snickers. His face is black and blue from the beating I ordered earlier. “I guess now I get the money and the girl. Seems like a good deal to me.” He smiles, but it’s distorted since his lip is so swollen on one side.
“Touch her, and I’ll kill you,” I somehow manage to say. My entire body aches, my muscles screaming as I flex my hands. Pain doesn’t matter, all that matters is Rose.
Drake starts laughing. “How are you going to do that? Looks like you’re bleeding out on the floor right now.”
“Touch her, and you’ll die. I promise you,” I hiss through my teeth, my chest heaving with each word. I reach around for my gun, realizing that I must have lost it when I went down.
Twisting my head to the side, I find it lying on the floor a few feet away from me. I move my arm to reach for it, but Drake sees what I’m doing right away.
Pulling back his leg, he kicks me in my ribs with full force.
Doubling over, I roll onto my side, gasping for air as I do.
“Please, don’t hurt him,” Rose pleads with Drake, who is smiling like the sick fuck he is. He turns his back to me and walks toward her. I tell myself not to look. Not to watch, but I can’t lookaway. She trembles against the restraints and flinches as he lifts a hand to her face, tracing her lips with his finger.
I will kill him. Rip out his intestines and strangle him with them.
“Maybe if you beg me real nice, I’ll take mercy on him and end it quickly.”
“No...noooo, please, please, don’t kill him,” Rose begs, anguish filling her voice.
Drake turns back around and looks down at me, “Isn’t it sweet how much she cares about you? I’m surprised, honestly. I thought for sure she’d be the first to put a bullet in your head.” He shrugs, “Guess I was wrong; the bitch actually loves you.”
Love.The word is branded into my brain in an instant. Digging deep, I push the pain down and focus on saving Rose and myself. Rolling further onto my side, I pretend to crawl toward them. Drake just tips his head back, laughing and turns back toward her, and that’s when I pull out my second gun from the hidden holster.
This time, I aim for the head. No, I don’t want his death to be quick, but I can’t risk him hurting Rose, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.
Pulling the trigger, I watch the bullet enter Drake’s head. The best part is, he never saw it coming. He thought he was safe, but you’re never safe when you fuck with me or something that is mine. His head snaps to the side a moment before his body falls to the floor like a rag doll.
Rose lets out a pained scream, and I do everything I can to get to her, but there is so much blood, and every time I try and push up off the floor, I slip, falling back down onto my arms.
“Shhh, sweets, it’s okay. Everything is going to be okay,” I mumble, black spots forming over my vision.
“Miles, please, please, don’t die,” Rose’s frantic voice fills my ears, and when I reach her, I grab onto her foot, squeezing it to let her know that I’m here.
“Love youuuu…” I whisper as the life seeps out of me and onto the cold concrete floor. If I never wake up, at least, I know I saved her and told her I loved her.
At least, I know she’ll be okay. That Drake and Tony will never be able to hurt her again.
“Miles…” Rose screams again, the sound like a knife cutting through every inch of flesh on my body. Then heavy footfalls fill the room. More of his men are coming.
I try and open my eyes, to lift my gun at the enemy, but I’m weak. My finger slips against the trigger, and the gun falls to the floor.
I’ve failed her.
Failed us.
14
ROSE
Blood. There is so much blood. It’s everywhere and all I can see. Three men are on the floor surrounding me. I don’t care if Drake and Tony are dead. Actually, I’ll be happy if they are, but Miles. Miles can’t be. He can’t be dead. I need him.
My sobs are so loud, I hardly hear the footsteps as someone enters the room.
