Page 141 of Cruel Promise

Watching Nik’s eyes close, all I can think is:I can’t lose him.

I may be mad at him for lying to me about my mom. I may slightly still hate him for taking away my agency. But I know I care for him.

And I can’t watch him die.

“Nik,” I whisper. “Wake up. Please.”

“An ambulance is on its way,” Mrs. Brown explains, lowering her phone. “How is he?”

“He’s dying!”

Mom places her hand on my shoulder. “Honey, give him some space.”

“Why does that matter? He’s unconscious.” I gently tap Nik’s face. “Wake up. Please, Nik. I …” I take in a deep inhale. “I love you.”

I know how true those words are.

I do love him, and I will always love him.

He doesn’t wake back up.

“Claude,” Edmund says, drawing my attention back to the chef who threw himself in front of a bullet for me. I hurry back to Claude’s side.

“How is he doing?” I ask.

“He’s …” Edmund checks Claude’s pulse. “He’s dead.”

“What?” I whisper. “No. No, no, no. We have to do chest compressions.” I gently shove Edmund out of the way and place my hands on Claude’s chest and start pressing up and down. “Come on. You can’t die.” I can’t have Claude’s death on my hands. The two of us had our problems, but at the end of the day, he saved me. I can’t carry that guilt. I just can’t.

“Come on, Claude,” Mrs. Brown whispers.

I keep doing chest compressions, but his heartbeat doesn’t restart. It’s Edmund who grabs my hands and pulls me away.

“He’s dead, Ava. I don’t think there’s anything we can do to bring him back.”

“But we have to try.”

“What about Nikolai? Is he alive?”

I rush back to Nikolai, my knees burning from sliding around on the concrete. I check Nik’s pulse. It’s there but faint. “He’s alive. Nik, keep fighting.” I turn back to Edmund. “But we have to keep trying with Claude. We have to keep trying for the paramedics.”

Edmund and Mrs. Brown share a look. “Dear, I think he’s gone,” Mrs. Brown says, starting to cry.

Mom puts her hand on my shoulder. “Honey?”

I stare at Claude’s dead body. “He saved me.”

“He did,” Mom agrees. “But right now, you can’t worry about that.”

“Then what am I supposed to worry about?”

“Yourself. Anton could come back. He could hurt us. We need to move.”

“No.” I rip myself away from her and throw my body over Nik’s. “I’m not leaving him. I’m not.”

“Honey—”

“NO! Mom, I love him. I know you don’t understand. I know you just want me to be safe, but I can’t leave him. I can’t.”

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