Page 185 of Mayhem and Minnie

I narrow my eyes at her. Yeah, right, Minnie a criminal. That’s the most laughable thing I’ve ever heard.

“Minnie, I’m a criminal, too. Why would you be afraid to admit that to me of all people?”

She tilts her head as she studies me.

“Because I wanted to live in this illusion for a while longer. I wanted to be normal, to experience normal things… I wanted to be with you,” she admits in a soft, vulnerable voice.

My heart squeezes in my chest.

Well, that’s certainly a little appeasing—just a little.

“And you will be with me. Don’t think for a moment that I’m going to let anyone take you from my side.”

She chose me. That’s enough for me to know I’m never letting go of her. I don’t care if that fucking Lucien comes back from the grave. I’ll just kill him again.

Slowly. Painfully.

She’s stuck with me now, for as long as I live—and seeing how she can live forever, I suppose I’ll have to find a way to do so, too. I’m not about to die like fucking Lucien and leave her to find another man.

Nope.

No way.

Absolutely never.

And if I do have to die… Well, I suppose I should find out how to kill her too.

I can’t believe that killing her is once more on the table, but I’m not going to allow her to ever move on. Besides, she’s already wanted anyway. It would be a rather poetic death. We’d be like contemporary Romeo and Juliet but with a dash of supernatural sprinkled in the mix.

I smile to myself. Yes, that sounds agreeable.

If I die, I’m taking her to the grave with me.

Minnie shakes her head.

“It’s not that easy. You saw what they’re capable of, and sentinels are among the weakest beings that will be sent after me. Soon, it will be soldiers. And if that fails…” She trails off, her expression troubled. She gulps down. “If that fails, they’ll send Commander Azerius after me, and there’s absolutely no one in the entire universe who can defeat him.”

“Commander Azerius? Didn’t your brother mention him?”

She nods.

“He’s the master executioner. One way or another, I will meet my end under his sword.”

“Now wait a moment. I’m not about to let anything happen to you,” I tell her roughly.

Only I am allowed to kill her, and only before I’m about to die myself.

“You’re sweet, Marlowe. But there isn’t anything you or I can do. We can only enjoy this little time we have together and?—”

What the fuck?

“No. I refuse to accept that.”

“And yet it will happen all the same. Do you think I haven’t tried? I’ve been on the run for so long, always doing my best to stay under the radar. But they always track me down. Always. And then I have to run again.”

“Then I’ll run away with you,” I state confidently.

That sound like a good plan. We’ll run away and get married. I’ll finally get to fuck her and once our time runs out, we can pull a Bonnie and Clyde.

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