Page 86 of Crimson Fate

“One of you will have to keep pressure on the wound when you get him in the car. As soon as I let go, it will start flowing again.”

Gia turns and grabs a towel, rushing to take my place, tending to Nico’s wound. “Wait.” Her head snaps back over toward Eva. “What about—”

“You two go,” I instruct. “Get Nico out of here, and I’ll take care of them, okay?”

They both nod, and Marco slips an arm under one of Nico’s arms, hoisting his limp form upright. “Come on, brother, we’re gonna get you some help,” he says.

Gia hovers close, her hand brushing against Nico’s pale face, whispering words meant only for him. It’s evident by her reaction that she cares for both Nico and Marco. Probably far more than she may have ever cared for me.

“Wait,” I exclaim before they leave and reach into Nico’s front pocket, retrieving the keys to the car we arrived in. “Okay, go. Hurry.”

The pair work in unison, and Nico can barely assist them as they move toward the exit. I turn back around, surveying the scene in front of me. I need to get Eva out of here and fast.

The boat feels emptier now with just me, a semi-conscious Eva, and a bleeding Anthony. I kneel beside Eva, checking her pulse, relieved to find it strong under my fingers. Her eyes flutter open briefly, confusion clouding their usual sharpness.

“Vincent?” she whispers, her voice hoarse.

“Shh, you’re safe,” I reassure her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She dozes back off into unconsciousness, so I’ll have to carry her out of here. I remove the restraints from her legs, and when I go to remove them from her wrists, I hear Anthony gasp behind me.

My head snaps in his direction as he coughs and heaves his way back into consciousness. I stand and approach him, standing over his wounded frame. He stares up at me and laughs slightly before coughing again.

“She shot me,” he grunts. “That ungrateful little bitch shot me.”

I kneel beside Anthony, his breaths shallow and ragged. The stench of blood and sea brine mixed in the closed air of the cabin. He looks up at me, defiance flickering in his eyes despite the inevitability of his fate.

“Remember what I promised you, Anthony?” My voice is a low growl, barely containing the fury that’s been simmering since this mess began.

“You don’t have the balls,” he spits back, but a tremor in his voice betrays his fear.

A sadistic smile tugs at my lips as I lean in closer. I don’t want to draw this out. There’s no reason to. I want this man gone, forever out of our lives. “You were always good at misjudging people, especially me.” My hands encircle his neck, my fingers pressing down with a calculated force into his throat. His hands flail weakly, trying to pry mine away, but it’s useless. I watch the light in his eyes, once so bright with malice, dim into nothingness. His body goes limp, the fight leaving him as I ensure my grip holds until I’m confident the spark of life has extinguished.

I release Anthony, letting his head loll to one side, a discarded puppet without its master’s strings.

“Vincent?” Eva’s frail voice breaks through my heart pulsing in my ears.

I stand and turn, meeting Eva’s gaze. Her eyes are unfocused, pain and confusion warring within their depths. She’s awake but not fully present, her mind clouded.

“Eva, it’s okay,” I say, trying to infuse calm into my voice. “You’re safe.”

“Vincent,” she murmurs again, her voice echoing desperation. It’s unclear if she’s really seeing me or grappling with the shadows in her mind.

“Shh, I’ve got you,” I tell her softly, brushing back a strand of hair from her forehead.

I remove the final restraint binding her wrists, then scoop Eva into my arms with a tenderness that belies the chaos of moments before. Her head rests against my chest, her body lighter than the burden of what just passed.

She stirs, a soft moan escaping her lips, and I tighten my hold. Every step toward the dock is measured and purposeful—each one taking us farther from the nightmare behind us.

I lay her on the dock, the wooden planks rough beneath her. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

Her hand grasps mine, weak yet insistent. “Don’t... don’t leave me.”

“Hey, look at me.” I wait until her eyes, clouded with fear and pain, meet mine. “I promise, I’m not going anywhere. I have one quick thing I need to take care of before we go.”

“Please...” The word hangs between us, a single syllable heavy with unspoken fears.

“Trust me,” I say with certainty.

She nods, and I kiss her forehead quickly, lingering for a beat longer than necessary before standing and heading back to the boat.

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