Page 165 of Promises in the Dark

I started moving toward her, but then the sound I’d been dreading stopped me cold—the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked.

Captain wasn’t fucking dead. He was on his feet, swaying like a drunk, but still standing. His backup piece aimed right at Red.

“You... fucking... bitch,” he wheezed, blood dribbling from his lips. “If I’m going down... I’m taking you with me.”

Everything slowed down. I saw his finger tightening on the trigger. I saw Red’s eyes widen in realization. I saw Viper, too weak to move, reaching for her.

“Red, shoot!” I screamed.

She hesitated for a split second, her doctor’s instinct to preserve life warring with the need to survive. It was a split second too long.

I didn’t think. I just moved.

The gun went off as I threw myself in front of Red. I felt the impact, like a sledgehammer to my chest. I heard Red scream, felt her catch me as I fell back and then everything went numb.

Through the haze of pain, I saw Viper. With the last of his strength, he’d picked up Raven’s fallen gun. He fired once, twice, three times. Captain jerked with each impact, then crumpled to the ground. This time, he didn’t get up.

“Rogue! Oh God, Rogue, no!” Red’s voice was frantic, her hands pressing down on my chest.

It hurt like hell, but it was all fading away, turning to nothing.

I blinked, trying to focus, but my mind was spinning. I needed to see her. Red. My thoughts were a mess, slipping through my fingers like water, but I needed to see her one last time.

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a wet cough. I tasted copper in my mouth.

Not a great sign.

Red’s face swam into focus above me, her beautiful features twisted with fear and anguish. “Stay with me, Rogue. Please, you have to stay with me.”

I managed a weak smile. “Hey... Doc,” I rasped. “Guess I... really fucked up this time, huh?”

I could barely fucking breathe. Felt like someone was shoving shards of glass into my lungs with every breath. That coppery taste of blood filled my mouth, and I knew—fuck, I knew this was it.

She shook her head violently, tears pouring down her face.

“Don’t you dare joke right now. You’re gonna be fine, you hear me? Youhaveto be fine.”

I reached up, my hand shaking, and touched her cheek. “Harper,” I forced the word out, her real name sticking in my throat like it didn’t belong there.

But it did. It had always belonged to her.

Her eyes went wide. She looked at me like I’d just hit her, like hearing her name come from me meant something more. And maybe it fucking did.

I’d never called her that. Always ‘Doc’ or ‘sweetheart’ throwing out dumb nicknames like I couldn’t take anything seriously. But never her name.

“I need... to tell you something.”

She leaned in closer, her tears falling on my face. “What is it? Rogue, please, save your strength.”

I shook my head, or at least tried to. “No... you need to know. My name... my real name... is Cole. Cole Bennett.”

That name hadn’t left my lips in years. I wasn’t that fucking boy anymore, the weak little shit who let the world grind him down. I became someone else—Rogue. But for her, right now, I wasn’t afraid to be that boy again.

Her breath caught. “Cole,” she repeated softly, and fuck, hearing her say it made my heart ache.

I nodded weakly. “Yeah… that’s me.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she leaned in closer, her forehead resting against mine. “Why... why are you telling me this now?”

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