Page 44 of The Ripper

~ Fucking fuck me with a ten-foot pole.

~Aren’t you a little dramatic?

Why did he know about her?

I was already planning to kill him when Arella’s face blossomed before my eyes. Why was it that her face made me wish I was a boring accountant without any enemies?

I untied Klaus and wondered if I should just swallow my tongue as I checked his vital signs. His pulse was still strong, his breathing shallow, but the bastard was alive.

“Damiano,” I called out his name.

He stopped in the doorway, turning his head just slightly.

“Yes?”

“Threaten her again, and what I did to Justin will seem merciful compared to what I’m going to do to you,” I spoke through my teeth. “And trust me when I say that no truce will stop me from gutting you alive.”

“I would expect nothing less, amico.”

Amico, my ass.

I looked at Klaus, having no fucking clue what to do. I couldn’t carry him to the infirmary because even if I got him there without making it worse, I still had no idea how to help him. I couldn’t call an ambulance to the warehouse either, as the rules forbade it.

Panic overcame me as I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled at it.

“Think, think, think.”

Pain shot up in my shoulder as I felt the stitching rip.

~ Just get over yourself and call her.

I didn’t want to do it, but I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called her, hoping she would answer, and more than that, hoping she would come.

Another thing I never felt before and did not care about: hope.

~ Ring, ring, and fucking ring.

“Come on, baby, pick up…”

My father’s men burst through the door, guns drawn and ready to fire, and while I wanted to kill them all, I threw a knife at the first one who came through the door, their commander, and the blade hit him between the eyes.

His body fell to the floor with a loud thud.

The phone kept ringing.

“Vy idioty[3]!” I yelled at them, ready to throw another knife.

“Hello?” her innocent, sleepy voice stopped the massacre I was about to take part in.

“Snezhinka,” I gasped.

“Grimm?” she sounded confused, “Why are you calling me so late?”

“I need you.”

I waved the men off as I took Klaus’ vitals again.

“You said I needed time to think,” she giggled.

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