Page 105 of Always A Villain

“Shh…it’s okay.” I kiss each of her knuckles. “You’ll have all the time in the world to tell me.”

Her hand slips.

I grab it.

The chopper’s rotors whir above us, too fucking slow. I fight to my feet, hauling her into my arms, her warmth fading.

“Stay with me, Rory.” The words rip out of me roughly.

Dust swirls, the wind cutting like a blade. Spencer stumbles beside me as Griff charges forward.

“I’ve got her,” Griff says. He lifts her from my arms, and the second her body leaves mine, a hollow, clawing emptiness nearly knocks me off my feet.

Spencer grips around my waist, dragging me toward the chopper. My feet move, but my eyes lock on her—limp in Griff’s arms, blood trailing behind them. Kane on his heels, barking and snarling, trying to lunge closer, but Griff keeps shoving him back with his boot.

“Griff!” I bellow, my vision tunneling, body shaking from the force of my own rage. “Don’t you dare let her fucking die.”

If she dies…

The thought doesn’t finish.

Because I know what happens next.

I’ll kill everyone. The Dolore, their families—every last one of them will pay in blood. I’ll carve them apart, piece by fucking piece.

The wind howls as we reach the chopper. Griff climbs in first, laying Rory on the floor, pressing his hands to her wound, her blood pooling beneath her. Kane tries to leap in after her, whimpering, but Spencer grabs his collar and drags him to the back.

“Status?” the pilot barks through the comms.

“Bullet wound, lower left abdomen,” Griff snaps, blood pouring between his fingers. “Nearest hospital, NOW.”

The chopper lifts. The world tilts.

Arsen crouches beside me and grips my arm, his gaze sharp. “Jesus, Axe. You’re bleeding out.” He presses down on the wound at my side, his hands slick with my blood. “The Reaper doesn’t drop over a few fucking bullets.”

It’s not the bullets that’ll kill me.

It’s her.

I drag my eyes to Rory. Her chest barely moves.

Somewhere behind me, Kane breaks free—clawing his way into the cabin. He pushes past Spencer and scrambles toward her, whining as he noses at her hand. When she doesn’t move, he lets out a low, broken whimper and starts licking her face.

My grip tightens. My whole body shakes.

Fight, Rory.

Don’t you fucking leave me.

I’ll tear this world apart before I let you go.

Aharsh glare shines through my eyelids, stabbing straight into my brain. I blink, squinting against the light pouring through a window, trying to make sense of the heaviness weighing down my body. Every muscle feels like it's been wrung dry, and a sharp, throbbing pain burns in my stomach.

Where the hell am I?

Bits and pieces filter in. Dinner. Creed. Axe. The memory hits hard, and panic surges me to awareness.

“Axel!” I rasp, my voice cracking into a strangled sob. I cough, and pain flares in my abdomen, sharp enough to make me wince.