Page 114 of Revenge Saints

“You fucking bitch,” he chokes, collapsing to the ground.

I cross my arms, tilting my head. “This is all on you, Miles. I told you to believe me.”

He gurgles, writhes.

It takes longer than I expected for him to die.

When he finally stills, I walk up and drag my hand across the bloody spike, letting it slice me, and smear the blood across my arms and my face.

Then I start to run, screaming straight for the gate.

The guards see me, their eyes wide.

“Oh my God! Someone help!” I collapse, knees hitting the ground hard.

“Miles! He hit a trap!” I sob, pointing behind me.

“Call the doctor!” One of them yells, already running.

Sean steps out. His bag in hand. His eyes find mine.

There’s something in them.

He knows, but he won’t say a word.

He knows what I’m capable of.

I followed them, and of course it’s too late. One of the men pulls the spike, and Sean does some CPR, but he’s long gone.

We head back to the base; I head for the shower, and Sean follows me.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” He speaks low so no one will hear him.

“Do what?” I move into the shower and take my bloody clothes off. “He walked into a trap; it could’ve been me.” I say it, but I’m not even trying to convince him. I don’t have to.

“Let’s hope Roman believes you.” He leaves the showers.

He will; I’ll make sure of that.

It’s late. Roman got back hours ago, but I stayed in my room. I refused to eat in front of them, made a scene, cried on the stairs, all of it. Let them think I was fragile. Let him think I broke.

Now I wait.

The door clicks open, and I roll on the bed, facing him.

Roman steps inside, and just like I thought, he doesn’t look sad or worried.

Dante was right. Roman doesn’t care about anyone but himself. People are only valuable as long as he needs them.

“What happened, Bryn?” His voice is cold silk as he stops beside the bed.

I sit up slowly. Tears still fall, but I don’t look away.

“He stepped on a trap,” I say, wiping my eyes.

He watches me, his smirk creeping in. “You didn’t know about that one?”

“I knewmostof them,” I say, annoyed. “But Knox was getting suspicious of Ethan. Probably put more when he changed the bunker codes.”