Page 74 of Vicious Reign

Rafe brings the gun up and places it against her temple. I watch in horror as the love of my life squeezes her eyes shut tight and tears slide down her cheeks.

“Stop! Stop, right now. Just kill me. Fucking kill me—just don’t hurt her.” The words erupt from my mouth like a volcano. They fly into the air and settle down around everyone. I’m panting, frantic as I search the faces of everyone with my good eye. “Did you hear me? I said fucking kill me instead!”

“Now that is an interesting development, wouldn’t you say, Rafael?” Angelo taps the barrel of his gun against his lips. “Well, you heard the man, Miss Walsh. You’re up.”

She shakes her head, her hair flying out like a beacon around her face and backs up a step. “No, no, I won’t do it. No.”

“Please, Maddie. I can’t bear the thought of them hurting you.” I hold her gaze, hoping she can read all the love and affection I have for her in that one single look.

“No, Dante,” she sobs my name, and something in my heart cracks open.

“It’s alright, baby girl. It’ll be alright.”

Rafe nudges her forward, her feet shuffling on the concrete in her reluctance. She turns around and pushes against him, shoving him hard in the chest.

“How could you do this? They were your friends—your fucking family! And-and you betrayed us!”

Rafe doesn’t acknowledge her in any way, just maneuvers her until she’s facing me with him behind her, blocking Angelo’s view of her.

“What the fuck is going on?” Leo yells. “Don’t do this, man. This isn’t you!”

“Son,” Angelo snaps. “I told you if you can’t be quiet and watch, then you’re going to have to leave.”

“Fuck you! This is so fucked up, Rafe. Think about what you’re doing,” Leo screams

Matteo steps forward. “If you make her do this, Rafe, I will—”

“Enough of the dramatics,” Angelo yells. “Miss Walsh, you have the floor.”

I hold her gaze and do my best to block out everyone else around me. “Shh, don’t cry. It’s alright. If your face is the last thing I see, I’ll go into the next life a happy man. I’ll find you again, Maddie. I swear it.”

She cries harder, tears streaming down her cheeks, turning her face splotchy. She’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. “Do you remember when you tripped crossing the street last spring? It was raining and the wind blew your umbrella inside out. You missed the curb and fell, except that someone caught you around the waist and righted you. By the time you turned around, that person was gone. Or the time you forgot your wallet in your dorm room, but when you went back to pay for your iced tea the next day, the barista said it was on the house? Do you remember when you got the flu last winter and you trudged to four different drugstores for cold and flu medicine, but they were all sold out. A few hours later, a bag showed up outside your door. Do you remember that?”

She’s nodding faster and sobbing. “That was you? All this time?”

I smile at her, feeling my lip crack further. “Guess I’m a romantic at heart. For you—always for you. Take a deep breath for me, baby girl.”

She inhales and exhales with a sniff and lets Rafe wrap her hand around the gun.

“I want you to aim it just like that and close your eyes, okay?” I watch her with my heart in my throat, choking on all the what-ifs. “Close your eyes and pull the trigger.”

“I’m sorry, Dante,” she whispers, her tears sliding over her lips and dripping onto her chest.

Then, she pulls the trigger.

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