“I’m finished talking, Slade. Walk away. Now. Or she dies.”
I ignore Dominick. “Raven, everything’s going to be okay.” The look of terror in her eyes has me inching closer to comfort her.
The movement sends Dominick’s gun in my direction. Good.
Vince closes in. Blake follows suit. Tension boils in the air like acid. It’s a four-way standoff. Whoever shoots first, wins.
Blood drains from my shoulder in a steady drip. My vision blurs at the edges. I need to end this before I pass out. “Raven, baby.” I stagger a step. Shit.
“He tried to rape me.” Her words are spit at Vince.
Dominick drops his head with a muttered curse.
My eyes are drawn to her shorts, opened and unzipped. Oh, f**k no. Fire flares in my gut. My vision returns with crystal accuracy, but all I can see is blood. I should have ended him that night in the parking lot. He may think he knows what pain is, but I’m about to give him a lesson in agony.
I swing my aim to Vince, step close, point blank range.
“I’m going to f**k you up, you no-good piece of shit.” My words shake with the force of my anger.
“You better start apologizing, asswipe. My friend here’s about to put a bullet in your brain.” The rage in Blake’s voice tells me he’s walking a thin line of control.
Vince and I face off. My gun to his face, his to my chest. I’m vaguely aware of the other people in the room, but right now I’ve got sniper vision and Vince is in my crosshairs. Kill first, explain later.
“Just f**king end this, Dominick.” Vince’s gun shakes in his hand. I notice he’s not using his other arm to brace the weight of his weapon, but instead has it cradled to his body. “Give me the go ahead to take this guy out. It’s the least I could do after what that whore did to my arm—”
I lower my gun to his groin.
Pop.
“Aargh!” His scream of agony has him dropping to the floor along with his gun. He curls into the fetal position whimpering.
I kick his weapon away. “I warned you.”
Blake scoops it up and aims it at the miserable mound of flesh on the floor. “Won’t be using that tool ever again, eh Vinnie?”
Vince writhes once and then goes still. Probably passed out.
“Big mistake, Slade.” Dominick shouts and the sound of Raven’s cries fill the room.
I swing my gun toward him. His arm visibly flexes around her waist, making her gasp for air. I take aim, but feel my confidence draining along with the blood that flows down my arm.
“You don’t get it. She’s mine. You want to shoot me? Go ahead. But if I die, I take her with me.” He moves toward the door, dragging Raven with him.
I move to block him. It’s a risk, but after everything, I don’t believe he would kill her now. He thrusts the gun hard, forcing her neck to an awkward angle. Fuck.
Losing her once was a pain worse than death. I will not lose her again. I take another step.
“He’s gonna kill her, man.” Blake’s words speak to the raging beast in my head.
My shirt and jeans are soaked in my blood. I fight for consciousness. Blinking hard, I force myself to think clearly. Plans, ideas tumble in my head, heavy as it lists on my shoulders. I’m running out of time. There’s only one option left.
“Fine.” I lower my gun to the ground, then stand, palms forward in surrender. “You win.”
“You too.” Dominick motions to Blake to drop his weapons.
“Jonah?” Blake’s eyes dart from my shoulder to my face, asking the question, Have you lost your mind?
I nod for him to drop his weapons. He shakes his head.
“Do it. He’ll kill her.” I hope my voice sounds desperate.
Blake drops his weapons and gives me a I-hope-you-know-what-you’re-doing look. Me too.
Dominick tries to move past me. I stagger into his path, blocking his way.
“Wait. I just need to say one thing before you go.” My words are a string of slurs.
I shut down my rational thinking. Or what’s left of it. I’m firing on pure instinct. Using the one thing that has yet to fail me. I’m going to fight.
My head drops forward. Weakened from loss of blood, I gather my remaining strength. I’m not looking to beat him, only to buy enough time for Blake to get Raven out of here.
Dominick moves his gun-holding hand around her waist, and digs in his pocket for something. Car keys maybe.
Raven’s sobs tighten my chest, making it hard to swallow.
Hang in there, baby. I have a plan.
“No time for parting words, I’m afraid. If you boys will get the f**k out of my way, my daughter and I—”
“She’s my daughter!”
Raven
My mom is here. She said I’m her daughter. The ferocity of her words shakes the deepest corner of my soul.
“Milena.” Dominick’s voice sounds bored, but his muscles tense at my back. “What the f**k are you doing here?” He looks between her and Jonah. “You brought them here?” He aims the gun at her. “You stupid, bitch!”
She doesn’t flinch.
“I won’t let you take her.” She steps closer, her back straight, conviction burning in her eyes. “Let her go.”
“And if I don’t? What are you going to do about it?” He shakes with laughter. “Look at you. You’re pathetic and weak.”
“Not anymore.” Her voice is firm, not the slightest tremble. “I’m not that naïve girl anymore.” She pins Dominick with a glare. “Do you remember that night? Twenty-one years ago to this day. Just a few yards from where we’re standing.”
I was born here?
His grip loosens and he leans toward her. “Of course, I remember. You gave her to me then. You didn’t want anything to do with her. Wouldn’t even hold her.”
I twist my neck away from his devastating words. Heartbreak slashes through my body, threatening to drop me to the floor.
“Raven?” My mom’s voice is tender.
Her soft expression contradicts the torture that works behind her dark brown eyes.
“I’m so sorry. I’d lost my parents.” She exhales a quick breath and drops her head. “I couldn’t bear to lose you too. It’s no excuse. I know that now.”
Tears stream down my face as her public apology seeps into my soul.
“You ungrateful bitch, I’ve given you everything. You were nothing when I saved you from your shitty life.” Dominick shouts across the room, throwing his words like weapons.
She sneers in his direction. “I would rather live a thousand lives with nothing than the one I’ve lived with you. You used my fears against me to get what you wanted.” Her voice cracks. “Raven was my baby.” The room reverberates with the emotion behind her words.
Her baby. Warmth blooms in my chest. I stare, shock and amazement freezing my voice.
“But she was never mine, was she? You made that clear from the beginning.”
Goose bumps race over my skin. She was protecting herself. This whole time I thought she hated me.
“I created her—”
“She’s a human being, Dominick. You’re messing with people’s lives. She doesn’t want this.” She takes a step towards us, her shoulders tall and her expression fearless. “Let her go.”
She’s here. Fighting. For me.
Dominick’s gun stays aimed at her. Blake and Jonah stand close, muscles tense, eyes darting.
She lifts her chin in defiance. He’s going to kill her. And she’s willing to die to free me.
I can’t let that happen.
I fight the tears that brim in my eyes. It took strength for her to come here and risk her life. I won’t repay that with fear. I’ve waited my entire life to feel my mom’s love. And now that I have it, I refuse to lose it. We can fight to save each other.
“Your time is up, Milena. And who better to replace you than your own daughter.” He runs the cool metal of his gun down my cheek. “She looks like you. Moves like you.” He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls it, making me cry out. “She probably even f**ks like you.”
“Piece of shit!” Jonah’s voice rumbles through the room.
“You stay the f**k out of this, Slade.” Dominick points his gun at my mom.
“Don’t worry, darling. I’ll take good care of her.” He kisses my cheek. I lean away from him. His grip tightens. Gun cocked. “Good-bye, Milena.”
Jonah moves fast. I’m thrown to the floor. My head smacks the hardwood. Pain lances through my skull, and bright stars flash behind my eyes. I struggle to sit up, blinking. Jonah has Dominick on the ground. They push and pull for the gun in a deadly tug-o-war.
Oh, God.
Blake pulls me up. “Baby girl. Let’s go.”
He drags me to the door, hooking my mom around her shoulders, and pushing us out.
“No!” I squirm in his hold. “I’m not leaving him.”
Blake’s biceps tighten. He’s too strong. “Please, Blake. Let me go!”
He drags us down the stairs. Every step escalates my need to run back. I will never give up my fight for Jonah.
“Can’t. I promised—”
“I won’t lose him!” I’m kicking and flailing.
His steps slow.
“I can’t live without him.” I continue to claw at Blake’s arms. I stomp hard on his foot.
“Shit.” A deep groan rumbles from his chest. “He’s going to kill me.” His words are mumbled beneath his breath.
And then I’m free. My will to save Jonah burns in my muscles as I sprint toward the cabin.
I dart into the room. Jonah and Dominick are still locked in a vicious battle. I slide across a slippery pool of Vince’s blood.
There’s commotion, yelling. I look up to see Dominick’s gun pointed at Jonah’s face. I need to move faster.
A gun. I scurry on all fours. Blood covers my hands. Tears blur my vision. I fumble with the weapon. Crawling toward the fight. Jonah locks eyes with mine. His features twist in undiluted panic. Dominick’s arm gets loose. The gun presses below Jonah’s chin. No! The gun slips from my grip, I scramble for it with shaking hands. I get it, raise my hands to aim, and pray I’m not too late.
Pop-Pop-Pop.
Thirty-three
Raven
The room is still. Pain radiates from my arms, seeping into my shoulders. People are yelling, but it sounds as if I’ve got cotton balls in my ears. Muffled and incoherent. White noise rings in my head, along with my hammering heartbeat.
I push myself up. The weight of the gun drops from my hand. Dominick is down. His body still. His chest void of the rise and fall of breath.
Dead. I killed him.
Someone pulls at my arm. They want my attention, but I can’t look away from the morbid scene before me. Out of the corner of my eye I see Jonah. He’s sitting up. Blake is shouting in his face, but I can’t hear what he’s saying.
Jonah’s gaze swings to mine. The red blood splattered on his face is a gory contrast to his pallid skin. His eyebrows are low and his face pinched. I watch his mouth move, able to make out the single word. Baby.