Panic claws at me as I shove the dead guard off, forcing myself to my feet. “Saint!” I scream, running towards the tree I left.
When I reach it, my heart tightens painfully.
One man has the barrel of his gun digging into Saint’s forehead, another gripping him from behind as he holds a ragged knife to his throat.
I see fucking red.
My gun lifts to my eye as I shoot at the guy with his gun on him, downing him instantly, before aiming at the other during his distraction.
“Indie, No!” Saint roars, my finger pinging off the trigger, a red light coasting over my hand. I follow the piercing line and where it ends, the dot resting right above my heart, along with the myriad of others as they erupt.
Just like back at my mom’s house.
Saint loses his shit as I’m painted in luminous red, managing to slip free as he gets out of the hold, until another appears from nowhere. The guard’s fist pounds into Saint’s side, and when the knife pulls back, a spine-chilling scream rips from my throat as the red liquid drips from the blade.
He slams it in again, and it feels like the knife’s going through my heart.
I run to him, until I slam to a stop as a warning shot whizzes past my ear.
“That’ll do, George.”
My head snaps to the owner of the voice stepping out of a Jeep, and then back to the masked man. I draw back, certain my face is ashen of all colour at the realisation slamming me like a brick wall, feeling the joints in my knees give out as I drop like dead weight to ground as he pulls off the black material.
Judge Montgomery and his other fucking spawn.
My gaze scrambles across the forest, looking for Greg. But all I see are the lasers that pierce into me from every angle. We’re outnumbered, and Saint’s people haven’t made it. I know Greg hasn’t either.
The judge looks down at me, nostrils flared against his greying beard. “You’re quite the piece of work, aren’t you?”
“Fuck you. Your day’s on its way.”
He grimaces at me. “Foolish words for a woman in your position. One wrong move could be fatal.”
My heart twists in my chest, and I look at Saint as his eyes are already on me.
The muscles in his throat are protruding against his tattoos. He looks pale; the knife has gotten him in his weak spot, exactly where his vest doesn’t protect him.
My hands itch to crawl to him, to grab him and get us the fuck out of here. Why does it feel when we’re so close to our happily ever after, some fuck from the Omnia comes and tries to steal it away.
The judge snaps his fingers. “Get him up. Let’s go.”
“No! Take me, it’s me you want,” I scream, a flood of tears wrecking my vision as I stare at the Judge.
If I need to get on my hands and knees, beg and crawl to this venomous man, I will. Without an ounce of shame, they’re not taking him from me.
I look at Saint as they pull him to his feet. Why the fuck isn’t he fighting?
The Judge shoves his hands in his coat pocket, that same stone-like expression still marked on his face after all these years. “I no longer have an interest in you. Saint here has willingly offered his life for yours. He means much more tome. My son enjoys the chase and his foolish ideas. I, however, want compliance.”
My tear-filled eyes stare at Saint’s palling face as the Judge snickers. “You should appreciate such a gesture.”
Saint doesn’t speak, but his eyes say everything.
“No, please. Take me, fucking take me, I’m right here!” My arms splay wide as my words crack from how raw my throat is, the lasers following my every move.
Saint’s voice is quiet. Whether that’s through defeat or his stab wound, it hurts all the same. “Indie.”
“No, Saint!” My voice breaks as my teeth chatter together.
