Page 97 of Whispers of Fire

“A last word, Dario?”

“Fuck you,” the guy says, spitting out blood.

“Alright,” Carter answers with a grin on his face before snapping Dario’s neck. His body falling immediately forward like a ragdoll.

“Good job, Carter, we're done for today,” I say, wiping my hands on an already blood-soaked cloth.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, go get yourself something to eat, you need it.”

C’mon, brother, just get out and let me do my thing.

“Vox…” His voice is lower than usual. “Don’t think it’s a fuckin’ good idea,” he says, standing in front of the exit door, rubbing his chin with his palm.

“The fuck you mean?” I say, arching a brow.

Stay calm.

“You know what I mean.” He crosses his arms.

I stay still, my poker face on, like I’ve been doing for so many years it became second nature. Only I’m used to be myself around my brothers, they’re family. It fuckin’ hurts to lie to them right now, but I don’t have a choice if I want to protect them too. No fuckin’ chance I’m takin’ them in my fall.

Cause I’m the one who fell.

Fell hard for her. And I'll pay the price of it on my own.

“Move, Carter, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Don’t make me involve you.

“Shadow came to me yesterday,” he says with his usual blank tone.

Neither of us moves, both staying put in a standoff I wasn't expecting from him. Carter’s one of our best soldiers, fuckin’ loyal to Ares.

“Don’t know what the fuck he told ya, but you’d better remember who you’re talkin’ to and fuckin’ move.” He swallows hard, his hand shaking on his side.

Yeah, he knows.

But somehow he steps aside and lets me pass, his deep gaze locked in mine, watchin’ me as if I was fuckin’ crazy.

And I am.

I’m a full kaleidoscope of craziness for my girl and I’m not embarrassed of it.

Before I disappear from the corridor leading me to the main hall, his voice vibrates behind me.

“You’re a dead man if you go to her.”

I bend my head slightly to the side, the light of the hall lightin’ up half of my face while the rest stays in the darkness. Just like me ever since I met my angel.

“I know,” and I walk out, ready to get my girl out.

The wedding is around ten a.m. She told me it was at her Chapel at the other side of town. It's already 9.30 and I need to move the fuck out if I want to be there before the fuckin’ ceremony.

My plan is borderline insane, but I'm willin’ to risk my life on it.

If I get to enter the church during her ceremony, which I have no clue how that thing goes, I should be able to shoot Skarn and get her out. She’ll be free from him and never have to live in fear of him hurting her ever again. I wish I could give him a slower and more painful death but he's not my priority here.

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