Page 164 of Consume Me

“Please. There might be a bomb somewhere. You’re going to get everyone else killed if you don’t leave.”

“You think I am good, but I am selfish, Blake. If I die with you here and now, so be it.”

I guess I have to gather my strength and carry this stubborn woman of mine.

“What are you doing?” she asks as I offer her a smile and stand up, pushing through the weakness of my body.

“I’m better. Come on, let’s go.”

“Sure?” The hope in her voice undoes me.

Don’t die on her before you get her out to safety.

I move to Caleb and crouch in front of his body.Rot in hell, Father, but your true punishment will only begin once I’m there.

I grab the gun and my dagger. As we walk away, she presses herself to my side. Every step is a feat in itself.

The moment we’re out of the laboratory, the fucking guard appears, but I shoot him, the bullet ripping through his skull, before he even has time to draw his gun.

Mia’s and my blood mixes, leaving behind a trail of broken hopes and ruined dreams. We sidestep bodies as we trudge to the exit. When we’re out, the sun caresses my face. With my girl by my side, I don’t feel cold, but warm.

I see our friends running toward us. There’s a helicopter preparing to take off, but Dane and Abi are racing toward it.

Mia’s safe. She will make it, yet I don’t let go, clinging to the thin rope of life while the abyss of death waits for me, ready to claim me once I can no longer hold on.

I turn her to me and press a soft kiss to her plump lips.

“I love you. You’re my destiny. Our souls are connected, Mia, and we’ll be together again.”

She fists my shirt so tightly, as if she can keep me here if she holds on with all her strength. Tears stream down her face, and it guts me.

“Don’t say goodbye. I won’t accept that. Our friends are here. Please. Please, Blake, don’t leave me.”

Kaden, Celine, and Hunter reach us, trying to peel Mia from me, but she won’t let me go.

“Look at me. I need you to look at me,” I command.

Once she does, with the last of my strength, I palm her cheek, and she leans into my touch, placing her hand on mine.

“It’s okay. I love you.”

“I love you so, so much. Stay with me. Please,” she sniffles, choking on her cries.

She peers around her at our friends. “Do something,” Mia screams while Kaden’s eyes narrow on my gushing wound.

“This is nothing, man.” I try to ease the atmosphere when he comes to my side, and I whisper, “Take her away. You know I won’t make it.”

“Be the fucking stubborn guy I know and push through it.”

Do they think I want to die now when I’m looking at the best reason I have to live? But what good would hoping do when I know the facts.

Celine puts her arm around Mia’s shoulder. “Don’t die on us, Blake. Please. We’re a family. We’re supposed to grow old together,” she says in a shaky breath.

“Fight. Fight one more time, please,” Mia pleads.

My strength bleeds out of me, and my hand drops. As I slip into darkness, a broken, “I love you” escapes my lips. My last thought is that I wanted to grow old with her, make her my wife, and put my babies in her. But then everything turns black, swallowing Mia’s soul-wrenching cry.

“Nooooo.” Two letters that could convey the pain that kills my soul sound like a joke, but that’s all my grieving insides can come up with.

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