Page 61 of Shades of Ruin (Sharp Edges Duet #2)

Chapter Forty-Five

ANGéLICA

I rip the knife out with the last of my strength, blood spraying all over my face from Aurélie’s severed carotid artery.

A choked gurgle escapes her throat before she collapses against me, her body writhing as her blood pours out hot and fast. It’s less than a minute before her body stops moving altogether.

She’s so heavy on top of my injured abdomen, crushing me under her weight.

It’s a wonder I could even wrap my fingers around the handle of the blade stuck in my stomach, my fingers slick with blood and quivering after I dislocated both my thumbs to get the goddamn cuffs off.

I thought I would pass out when I slowly pulled the knife from my belly as Aurélie stalked toward me.

I had to breathe through the pain. Had to reassure Grey that it would be okay with a smile on my face.

All so I could stab the bitch in her fucking neck when she least expected it.

I didn’t do her the favor of last words. The blonde cunt didn’t deserve them.

My vision starts to flicker in and out, and it’s a struggle to hold on to consciousness. I’m so tired. Maybe shutting my eyes for just a moment wouldn’t be too bad.

“Fucking stay with me, angel!”

Grey . I need to hold on for Grey. He’d be so sad if I left him. I’d be sad too.

I hear a loud crash and look up to see his chair has disappeared from the table. He groans in pain as he tears himself from the broken pieces and starts to drag himself across the floor toward me. “Just stay with me a minute longer, angel. I’m almost there.”

“I f-feel cold, Grey. S-s-so cold.”

“I’ll get you warmed up. Just keep your eyes on me.”

I try to focus on him, but my vision is blurry. I think I may be bleeding out.

Strong hands land on my legs, jolting me from my stupor for a moment. The weight of Aurélie’s dead body disappears, and I feel Grey’s hands push against my stomach. I cry out, the pain of the pressure on my open wound nauseating.

“ Jesus Christ ,” he breathes in horror. I hear the tear of cloth before his hands are on me again, pressing a rolled piece of shirt against the hole to stop the bleeding. “Hold this here as tight as you can. I need to call emergency services.”

I let my eyes close as I hold the cloth to my stomach. I just want to sleep. I doze in and out of consciousness before Grey shakes me awake.

“An ambulance is coming, angel. You’re going to be okay. You’re going to be okay .” I can’t tell whether he’s trying to convince me or himself at this point. “You were so brave, little ruin. So goddamn brave.”

“Hey, Grey?” I hum, my lips heavy and numb.

“Yeah, angel.”

“We’re even now. ”

“What do you mean?” he asks, his words floating through the air like bubbles right before they pop.

“Two to two.”

“Christ,” he hisses. “Are you tallying the body count right now?”

“Yes-s-s,” I answer, the word drawn out for so long it sounds strange. “So do I win?”

“Yeah, angel. You definitely fucking win.”

I feel a smile tug on my dry lips as everything starts to fade away.

Then there’s nothing.

An incessant beeping rings in my ears, tearing me from sleep.

My body aches, and my stomach feels tight and uncomfortable.

The room smells strange—too clean, too sterile.

The lights overhead are bright white and glaring.

I don’t like it here. I want to be home, tucked under the warm sheets with Grey’s arms wrapped around me. Why am I here?

I force my eyes open, my lids heavy and dry.

I glance around the large room and realize I must be in the hospital.

I’m in nothing but a scratchy hospital gown, my pulse is hooked to a monitor, and I have an IV tube running from my arm to a bag of unknown liquid hanging from the bed.

I guess the blonde bitch must have really fucked me up, but I’m alive, which is more than I expected.

“Shit, you’re awake,” comes a groan from the corner of the room. I turn to see Grey curled up in what looks to be a very uncomfortable chair that’s far too small for his large body. I don’t see any bandages on him, and he’s lucky enough to be wearing actual clothes.

“How the fuck am I in a hospital bed and you’re walking around free?” I accuse, reaching for the IV in my arm and ripping it out.

“Because I got a few flesh wounds and your goddamn heart stopped beating for almost a minute,” he bites back, rising to his feet and storming over to my side. “I thought I fucking lost you. Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”

He picks up the tube that’s started to leak fluid onto the floor. “I’m going to call the nurse and have them shove this back in your arm where it belongs.”

“I’m fine,” I sigh in exasperation. I slide my hands over my stomach and feel the large bandage plastered over the stab wound. “Looks like I’m all stitched up and good to go.” I swing my legs over the side of the bed, pausing when the sudden motion makes my head spin with dizziness.

“You’re not fucking good to go ,” he scolds before pushing my legs back into bed. “I’m not letting you leave this hospital until the best doctor they have on staff tells me you’re in pitch-perfect health.”

“You’re cruel,” I pout with my arms crossed over my chest.

“It’s never bothered you before.” The smoldering smirk on his lips sends arousal flooding between my legs in spite of how completely unsexy I look right now.

“You better get that fuck me look off your face, Angélica Flores. Toby could walk in at any minute.”

Oh my God, Toby . That bitch could have done anything to him when she knocked me out in the kitchen before stabbing me and strapping me to the chair. “How is he? Is he okay? Did she hurt him?”

“He’s fine. A little shaken after hearing that the woman who raised him is dead, but he took it far better than I expected. The questions from the cops were hard for him, but he was a good boy and answered everything as honestly as he could.”

“Can I see him?”

“He’s with my sister right now. He and Elia were begging for snacks from the vending machine, so I gave them a hundred to keep them busy for a while.”

“They’ll clear out the whole thing,” I laugh, picturing how irresistible Toby and Elia must be when they’re together.

“I imagine Liv will give me shit for their excessive added sugar and sodium intake, but it will be worth it to be their favorite person for the day.”

“You’re terrible,” I chide with a shake of my head. “But speaking of sugar and sodium, I’m fucking starving.”

“I’m afraid the food in the hospital cafeteria is less than edible, but I could always special order something from Grey’s. What are you in the mood for?”

“Hearts,” I deadpan. “Sorry, is that too soon?” I gasp, trying to contain an ill-timed fit of giggles.

I know it’s not funny, but I’d rather laugh about our most recent traumatic experience than be sad about it.

All jokes aside, being forced to eat a heart that’s been carved out of the chest of your murdered friend is probably top tier as far as torture goes.

“For a normal person? Yes. Way too fucking soon.”

“I still can’t believe she made you do that. How did it taste?”

Grey’s brow furrows. “Better than it should have.”

“Think we should add it to the menu?” I ask, unable to help myself.

“If we find ourselves needing to off anyone else and dispose of their body, sure. Off-menu special. Although serving up cannibal dishes regularly may get us into a bit of trouble with law enforcement.”

“Did you tell the police?”

“That I ate the hearts of Aurélie’s victims?

It came up, yeah. They did a full sweep of the apartment.

Managed to find DNA in the kitchen from all three victims after I told them about Sophie, too.

That, combined with the murder weapon covered in her prints and the bloody fingerprint she left on your wrist at Pandemonium, clears us both of any suspicion.

They know they have their killer—and lucky for them, she’s already been taken care of. ”

“Will I be in trouble for what I did?” I ask, suddenly nervous that Aurélie will manage to ruin our lives from beyond the grave.

“Not at all. They’ll need a statement from you after you’ve fully recovered, but they’re already treating it as self-defense. You saved both of us, little ruin.”

Grey walks over and sits on the edge of my bed.

I reach for his hand, and he grasps it tightly in his.

“I was ready to go with you, angel. When she started toward you with that knife, and I couldn’t get to you or stop her, I was counting the last seconds I’d get to see your beautiful face.

And I was going to follow you into death as quickly as I could. ”

“I know,” I answer, choking on the sudden thickness in my throat. “I know you were. You and me to the end.” I squeeze his hand and try to forget how close we came to never having another moment together like this.

“Since it seems like the end won’t be here for a while, I have something for you.” Grey reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small black box that looks exactly like the one he gave me last time. “And before you ask—there isn’t a ring in there.”

I shoot him a sheepish grin and take the box from his hand. I can’t imagine what’s inside. He’s run out of nipples to pierce at the very least. I crack open the lid and find a long, narrow key. “What’s this?” I ask, holding it up.

A wide smile tugs at his lips. “The key to Le Fournil. I want you to have it as your own restaurant. I’ll be at your side to help with whatever you need, and you’ll have an unlimited budget for renovations and staff.

I think it’s high time you showed the culinary world what Angélica Flores has to offer. ”

I laugh before blinking up at him in astonishment. “You’re serious.”

“You know I don’t lie, angel.”

My mind instantly runs through all the reasons why this will never work. “But what about Sophie? She gave it to you. She wanted you to have it.”