Page 3 of Seeking Salvation

Yet as she said the words, he saw the doubt in her eyes. It affected him more than it should. “Don’t feel sorry for me, Autumn. I’m not worth anyone’s sorrow.”

“You could confess and help them take everyone down.”

“Do you know what would happen to me in prison? A nark, a snitch? I’d be dead anyway. At least this way I go out by my own choice.”

Tears bristled in her eyes and he hated her sympathy.

“Fine, I’ll help you, but you have to do something for me first.”

Allen smirked. “You’re not in a position to make deals, Autumn.”

“Yes, I am, and we both know it, or I wouldn’t be here. I want you to make a note of everything you have on Anton. That man is evil and he needs to be locked up. I don’t want him to get off on a technicality.”

She was smart. If he died, he couldn’t be a witness, so a written account might help with a conviction. “Fine. Now we need to go.”

“What about Maggie? I don’t want Harold Charles or Verena Finch anywhere near my daughter.”

“They won’t be. They never come anywhere near the business end.”

“I still don’t want her near this. It’s a fucking chemical weapon. A lab is no place for a baby.”

“Better make sure you’re careful then because the only way this happens is if she goes too.” He bent closer. “Verena wanted her as leverage.”

“That bitch.”

Allen chuckled. “I see why Mitch loves you. You’re all right, Autumn Roberts.”

SOMETIME LATER

He watched as Mitch ran his hands over Autumn’s body, checking her for injuries before he pulled back and looked into her eyes full of tears. “Are you both okay?”

It was strange seeing the life his old friend had carved out when he was so close to his own end.

Autumn nodded. “Yes, Linton saved us.”

Mitch looked down at him then, noticing for the first time he was on the floor beside her covered in blood from a gunshot that had ripped through his chest. He was barely conscious, his eyes on Mitch and Autumn, a small smile playing on his lips as he imagined the happy ending his friend would get now. He’d done it. He’d avenged his brother and saved people instead of hurting them. It would never make up for all the bad he’d done but at least he could die knowing Maggie, Autumn, and Mitch were safe.

Pain felt like a distant ache now, the world fuzzy like he’d smoked a bad joint.

“Mitch, help him. Please.”

Her desperate sob had him frowning as he looked up at her and then at the man he’d known, as his own blood soaked into the cream rug beneath his body. He’d caused so much hurt, so much pain, and he held only fond memories of Mitch now as the boy who’d been his big brother’s best friend. All the hate he’d held on to had been tainted with grief for the loss of someone he loved. He’d blamed Mitch for abandoning Devon to the gangs when, in fact, Devon had made his own choices.

Allen grunted in agony as Mitch held his hand over the wound on his chest.

“Doc.”

Another man appeared beside Mitch and began cutting open his shirt and applying powder to the wound.

“Always knew you’d be the one to end this.” His voice was weak.

“No, you did that. You set out to destroy the Cobras, and it worked.”

Allen closed his eyes, feeling peace at last, and Mitch grasped his hand, tugging him away from the dark void beckoning him.

“No dying.”

His eyes sprang open. Everything was blurry around the edges, but he needed to get this out, he needed to say it. “I’m sorry.”

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