Page 86 of Sebastian

The flash of a metal blade caught her eye.

“P-please. No c-cuts.”

“Darling. You should know I’ve already finished my masterpiece across your body. This isn’t going to be a little cut in your skin that you could easily heal from. No. I need something to ensure that you aren’t walking away from this. I almost hate to do it, this little reunion of ours has been so fun, but all good things must come to an end.”

Marco lifted her shirt, dragging the cold metal across her skin. Her flesh pebbled painfully and she felt his free hand go over her mouth at the same time he plunged the knife into her belly.

She had no energy left, but couldn’t stop her breath from forcing a scream to rip from her throat. No one would hear it, of course, because of Marco’s hand pressing down painfully over her mouth. A moment later, he released her, smiling down as he just walked away.

It was still so dark out, it couldn’t be more than four or five in the morning. She didn’t understand why Marco would leave her there now, when there was still so much time to go before Sebastian would be up for the day. Hadn’t he wanted her to die in Sebastian’s arms? Wasn’t that the point of all this? He got his happy ending with her daughter and his wife, and she was forced to die with Sebastian looking on.

Her mind drifted in and out of consciousness. Every bit of her exposed skin was cold. Shivers tore through her bones, so severe she thought they might all snap from the force. How long had she been outside? If only she had enough strength to make some sort of noise. To somehow call out for help. But she barely had enough to make sure her body still pulled oxygen into it, to make sure that her heart still beat.

The only warmth she felt was coming from the stab wound in her belly. She could feel the blood soaking her shirt, no doubt the most serious of her injuries. Taking stock of the rest of her body, she wiggled her fingers and toes, wanting so badly to scream at the pain that scorched through her as she did, but too weak to.

Why wasn’t anyone coming to help her? She was going to die right there on the sidewalk, and never be able to tell Sebastian the truth. She would die with their fight being the last thing between them, and that hurt almost worse than all her injuries combined.

Suddenly, the buzzing that had taken over in her ears faded against an unexpected sound. Footsteps? Was someone actually going to find her in time?

Whoever it was, they were definitely getting closer.

“Emma? Emma!”

Oh God. Gage.

His voice was filled with panic, and a wave of guilt washed over her that he was the one to find her in such a sad state. “Fuck! Hold on sweetheart, I’m going to get help. You’re okay, you hear me? You’re going to be okay.”

“D-don’t leave, Gage,” her words slurred as she tried to force them out.

“No, Emma, shit, I’m not. I’m just calling for an ambulance. I don’t want to move you myself.”

“I-I love h-him.”

She felt his warm hand pressing down on her forehead, gently sweeping the hair off her face.

“Shhh. I know you do.”

Her throat felt like it was on fire, burning through her vocal cords. Still, she pushed the words out.

“I need him to know. I l-love him.” A tear escaped from the corner of her swollen eye. “Tell him I love him.”

“Emma. Please. Don’t talk anymore. Just rest. You’re going to be fine and you can tell him that yourself.” His voice caught in his throat, and as she closed her eyes she could hear him talking, rattling off the details of their location and her injuries.

“D-drugged me, Gage. S-so t-tired.”

Warmth spread into her extremities, the pain slowly fading away into the back of her mind. She just wanted Sebastian to know how she really felt about him. Her damn pride had gotten in the way. Thinking of their last time together was too painful.

“Cap,” she heard Gage’s voice, behind a thick veil of fog. “Get downstairs. Emma’s hurt. It’s bad.”

“My baby…” she whispered. “Addie…”

“Em? Em! Stay awake. Don’t you dare close your eyes! You hear me?” She didn’t respond. “I’m so sorry sweetheart, but I need to put pressure on your belly, okay? I need to try to slow the bleeding.”

She was nearly incoherent before, but the pressure against the spot where Marco had stabbed her caused her to scream out in pain just as the sweet relief of darkness took over.

* * *

“This better be important, Tracker. It’s not even the ass crack of dawn ye?—”

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