But I was just a bug to him. A gnat that he could swat away.
The betrayal stabbed so deep that I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. The world swirled around me and I had to clutch at Coulter to keep on my feet.
A low groan escaped from deep with in my throat, from deep within my soul.
Once again, my father was attempting to erase someone from the history books, and that person was me.
His own flesh and blood.
And now, I had no one. Rose was gone, Coulter lying on his death bed. Grant, gone.
My mother, gone.
I clenched my eyes shut, shutting out the rest of the world. Shutting out Dante, who was saying something to me, a look of concern on his face.
Shut out the whole fucking world.
Shut. It. Out.
And then there was a quiet noise, so soft I was surprised I could hear it through the clamoring, roaring in my mind.
So quiet and yet, the sound was a hurricane of force that broke through my thoughts. It made the spinning stop and my eyes blink open as I stared down at the body under me.
"Bourbon?"
Gentle hands clasped mine.
It was Coulter, and he was touching my hands, clasping them, giving me comfort.
The guy was struggling to live and yet, he was worried about me.
An anguished cry escaped me, mixed with unbelievable happiness.
Coulter was awake.