Page 137 of All Your Hate

“Noah, I’m sorry. They grabbed me.”

The larger bearded man on his right punches him in the gut to silence him.

“Let him go now,” I snarl, which only makes Dmitri laugh.

Dean raises his gun at the two men and Dmitri says, “Kill them all if you like. I’ll be leaving here either way.”

In one swift movement, he grabs Wynter’s hand and spins her so her back is flush with his chest. She yells out in pain as the handle of her dagger presses into the cut on her palm.

Snaking his other arm around her waist, he holds her in place while making her point the dagger at her own throat.

“Get off me!” She struggles against him.

“Sorry, sweetheart. You’re my way out of here.”

Wynter goes still and looks at me. There’s no fear on her face. Only determination. “Save your father. I’ve got him,” she says as Dmitri drags her away.

Fuck!

I grab my hair as I watch my world being torn away from me. My light eclipsing as she’s pulled into the darkness.

If she can be strong then so can I. Readying my gun I aim it at the one who’s pointing his weapon to my father’s head. Dean takes aim at the other.

“Wait!” My father shouts, but the men don’t listen. The one to the left fires at me. I duck into a nearby alcove where some chairs are stacked and drag Dean with me.

When the gunfire stops, Dean pokes his head around the corner. “Your Dad’s still alive,” he mumbles. “One’s coming this way. I can take him.”

As he goes to stand up, I put my hand on his arm. “No. Last time you nearly died because of me. I’m not having that on my conscience. You’ve got to make it home, after all, you don’t want to miss out on Willow calling you daddy now do you?”

“Bones.” He sounds surprised. Rather than say anything more he hands me his knife. He’s never been the sentimental type, but this knife has been his companion longer than I have.

"I'm still waiting on that wedding invite." I wink at him. "Maybe we can make it a double wedding if I get out of this alive?"

With nothing but adrenaline in my veins, I step out of the alcove and fire at the man coming towards me. One bullet misses, the other gets him in the side. Using his new weakness against him, I run up and stab him in the chest. With the knife in him, I force him backward, using him as my own shield.

The other man adjusts his hold on my father and presses the gun tighter to his skull.

“I’ll blow his brains out if you come any closer.” He’s full of nerves. Only young. Probably not got many kills under his belt yet, if any. I can use that to my advantage.

“Noah,” my father’s strained voice catches me off guard. “I really am sorry. For everything. I should have been there for you, instead I left you to grieve alone for thirteen years. This is the least I can do.” He smiles at me and it sends me right back to mychildhood. To the few times he was proud of me. When he was actually home and cared enough to see me.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

My father elbows the man holding him and twists in his grip, battling him for the gun. A shot goes off. Then another.

I can’t tell who’s been hit as they fight for control.

There’s one more shot and Dmitri’s guy falls to the floor. Two bloody patches growing on his shirt.

My father turns to me and smiles. Blood coats his stomach. I refuse to believe that it’s his.

Taking a step toward me, he starts to stagger. I run to him and catch him before he collapses. “You’re not leaving me as well.”

“You don’t need me anymore. Not with your girl to look after you. So go get her back and keep hold of her. You deserve to be happy.” Just like I did with Mom, I watch as the life leaves his eyes. This time it's so much quicker. I tell myself that's a good thing, that he's not suffering. But how the fuck is any of this good?

Dean comes up behind me, placing his hand on my shoulder as I lie my father down.

“I’m not letting you do this alone.” He helps me to my feet. Rage rises within me as I stand.

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