Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Michael.
On the floor, not moving.
I move toward him.
In the distance, I can hear Phoenix yelling. The door is open, and she’s running toward us.
“No!”
Even though I know it’s not good to move Michael, I pull his body behind the cover of the building away from the gunfire.
When I’m sure that we are safe here, I move to look at Michael’s wound.
His shirt is stained red, the spot growing with every second that passes.
“Why?” I ask as I place my hand over the wound.
“Be-because now it is my turn to save you,” Michael gurgles.
That bullet was for me. Michael saved me.
52
Phoenix
Everything happens in slow motion. First, I see Alaric and my father talking, and then …
My heart beats heavily in my chest, the blood in my veins running cold.
There’s gunfire. Someone is shooting, and then I see my father push Alaric out of the way.
Everything stops.
My world stops as my father, the man who raised and loved me with all his heart, falls to the ground.
I don’t think twice before I’m throwing open the car door and running toward them.
The car is parked on the side of the building, so it should be out of range of a gun, but I don’t even care. I need to get to my father now.
As I start to run in the direction, I see Alaric is pulling his body toward me, out of the range of the gunfire.
I’m in front of my dad now, and his eyes are barely open, glassy with unshed tears.
“No,” I whisper as I take in the large wound on his chest. The wound gapes with blood. “No, you ca-can’t—”
He reaches his hand out, smiling a tight and sad smile at me. “It’s my time.” Blood leaks from his lips, and a sob erupts from my mouth.
“You-You can’t leave me.” Tears start to pour down my face like a dam burst.
“It’s my time. I needed to save him. It’s his time to take care of you. To take care of your baby. You allowed me to be your father. You honored me with your love. You taught me how to be selfless. This is my gift to you. For everything. I die happy, knowing you and the baby will live.”
I want to cling to him. Beg him not to leave me. Beg him to stay.
But I can see the light fading from his eyes.
He turns to Alaric and raises his hand. “Teach your child better. Do better.”
“I will. All of my remaining breaths will be for your daughter, for your unborn grandchild.”
“Thank you.” His voice has faded to nothing more than a whisper. He lifts my hand that holds his, and I look into his eyes. A tear slips out, his face paler than a moment ago. “You are going to be the best mother,” he says. “I love you.”
Tears pour from my eyes as he closes his eyes. His chest rises and falls, and then there is nothing.
Falling forward, I clutch him to me. Blood soaks my skin, but I don’t care. I just want him back. “I love you, Dad. I love you so much more.”
Sobs rack my body, and then I feel Alaric’s hand on my back.
“I know you want to stay here, but I need you safe in the car.”
“Where are you going?” I hiccup through my sobs.
“I need to end this, dove. I need to know you will be safe.”
There is no strength left in me to object. I allow Alaric to lift me, but I look back down to my father. “We have to move him.”
“When this is over,” he answers as he continues to lead me to the car.
Alaric leans over and places a kiss on my lips.
“Be safe,” I say, and then he’s running into the building and into the unknown.
53
Alaric
Sprinting toward the building where the shots were fired from, I see Cristian when I enter. He lifts his hand up to his mouth, then motions up.
This building is abandoned too. The stairs are concrete, and they look like a war zone, like it’s falling apart.
How the hell did Grace’s father know to come here? He must have been following us all day. Waiting for the moment our guard was down. If he wanted to get to me, why shoot from here, why not ambush me inside my own property?
The more I look around, the answer is clear. Now I know more than ever that this was a well-thought-out plan. You can die just stepping foot in here. The floors are broken, and not one part of the stairs is up to code. One last trap and I walked us right into it.
I’ve been so blinded by my need for revenge that I didn’t realize I was walking myself into what will probably be my own death.
No.
I shake my head. There will be no dying today. Not when I have so much to live for. Nothing will take me away from her.