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“Oh, right,” I chuckled. “Sorry about that. I’m sure you’ll get your body back soon.”
He sighed, rolling his head on the ground. “Did anyone else notice that she didn’t even say hi to me? So much for being her favorite.”
I patted him on the head since his body was still detached. “Look on the bright side. At least you weren’t there when Maggie had her baby.”
He glared at me. “There’s still time for her to rewrite it.”
40
CAP
With adrenaline pumping through my veins, I somehow found the strength to push through the pain and swelling to reach the airport. With Knight and Lola holding me up by both arms, guiding me toward the plane, I made the flight just before it was about to take off. I stumbled up the steps and was shoved down in a seat as Sinner buckled me in.
“Everyone on board?” he shouted.
An answering round of yesses filled the cabin.
“Let’s move! We’ve got a baby waiting on us!” Sinner shouted to the captain.
“There’s no way we’re going to make it,” I mumbled. “It’s a thirteen hour flight, and that doesn’t include the drive to the hospital.”
“We’ll make it,” he reassured me.
“Sinner, face the facts. I really fucked this one up. I never should have left Freckles alone. What was I thinking?”
“Um…I’m guessing that you were terrified of another kid joining you. I would be too. You’re going to have a whole army running around the house soon.”
The wheels started rolling as we taxied down the runway, but before we could pick up speed, the engines shut down and I was thrown forward from the drop of momentum.
“What the fuck was that?” I said, pressing my hand to the back of the seat in front of me.
Sinner got up and looked out the window. “Shit. Someone’s trying to board the plane! Get into position!”
“What do I do?” I asked in a panic. I couldn’t even fucking see.
“Stay low and no matter what happens, don’t get dead.”
I shot him a sarcastic grin. “Thanks for that.”
The front of the plane burst into a ball of flames. I ducked, trying to protect my head as much as possible. I didn’t need one more thing to happen to my face on this trip.
“Cap,” Sinner said, pulling me to face him. “I’ve got this. I’ll always be your second.”
“Wait!” I shouted as he took off for the front of the plane. I stood just in time to see a woman board the plane and fire a single shot into Sinner’s head. “No!” I shouted, bursting out of my seat and racing forward. I only made it a few feet before a bullet struck me in the gut and I collapsed on the floor. I watched in agony as women’s boots walked toward me in measured steps. When she was standing over me, she delivered the final blow to my head and everything went dark.
I was jerked upright and Rob stood beside me, glaring at the woman. “He’s not dying.”
“Yes, he is,” she growled, holding up the gun and firing again.
Burning pain slid through my chest as the bullet entered my heart and I died. I gasped as I was jerked back alive. “What the fuck?”
“I said he doesn’t die. Giulia, we talked about this.”
“And you said you wouldn’t interfere,” she countered, raising the gun again.
“No—” But it was too late. The bullet went through my hand and into my shoulder, hitting a major artery. I felt the blood draining from my body as I slumped in Rob’s arms and I died.
“Giulia, if you do this, I swear to God, I will sic Penthesilea on you.”