Page 129 of Emperor of Lust

He’s just too heavy.

“DAMIAN!” I scream again, tears pouring down my cheeks. “PLEASE?—”

“Hana!!”

A voice rips through the air, and I whip around as the stairwell door slams open. Kai barrels out, with Isaak right behind. They don’t even hesitate; they rush across the beam to my side, eyes widening as they take in the scene. Isaak nearly throws himself over the edge toward Damian, grabbing the rope, pulling with raw strength.

In an instant, Kai lurches after him, grabbing Isaak’s belt to steady him as Isaak hauls up Damian and the girl. Blood coats the rope, slick and sticky. But Isaak digs in, his face twisted in determination. I join in, all of us pulling with everything we’ve got.

The weight feels impossible, every second feeling like an eternity. The rope creaks, the frayed edge splitting further. Isaak and Kai grunt, muscles bulging, faces red with effort.

“Grab them!” Isaak bellows at Kai in his thick Russian accent. Kai lurches forward, grabbing the girl just as Isaak yanks Damian onto the beam. With a final rush of adrenaline, all five of us tumble back onto the intact floor.

The moment Damian’s safe, I collapse beside him, chest heaving, tears streaking my face, relief flooding through me.

Suddenly, the door to the stairwell swings open again and four men come rushing out, guns drawn. Kai hisses as he yanks out his own sidearm, Isaak doing the same.

“Ishida-kai!” One of the newcomers barks. “Drop your fucking weapons!”

“Drop yours!” Isaak roars back.

The air crackles with tension, the moment hanging like a blade on a string. But then the girl with the coppery-blonde hair steps between everyone, her expression deadly calm. She gives the Ishida-kai men a look, her expression sharp as steel as she shakes her head slowly. She looks at the head guy and gestures to him in sign language. He scowls but nods and turns to mutter at the other men. Two of them rush over to a badly wounded Ryu, picking him up gingerly as he groans.

The girl turns to me, her eyes softening for a moment. She nods once, briefly, meaningfully. I nod back, feeling an overwhelming gratitude that I can’t even begin to express. “Thank you,” I mouth, my voice too broken to speak.

She gives me a faint smile, then signs something else before turning away.

She and the Ishida-kai men carrying Ryu disappear into the stairwell and the shadows.

Kai and Isaak both slump, breathing heavily, relief washing over them. Then, without any warning, Isaak turns and throws his arms around Kai, pulling him into a fierce embrace.

Kai does the same, embracing Isaak like they’re old friends.

I smile as Isaak turns his head and whispers into Kai’s ear before it looks like he…kisses his neck?

Wait,what?

But before I can even process that, Damian stirs, a low groan escaping him. My focus snaps back, my heart leaping. “Damian!”

I fall to my knees beside him, wrapping my arms around him, feeling his warmth and solidity. Tears spill over as I pepper his face with kisses, unable to hold back, to keep from touching him everywhere to reassure myself he’s really here.

He blinks, his eyes hazy as he looks up at me. There’s exhaustion and pain there, but he’s alive.

And he’s mine.

His fingers reach up, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his touch so gentle it makes me start to cry.

“Kitsune,” he murmurs quietly as I sob, lean down, and sear my lips to his.

I don’t let go. I just keep kissing him, holding him, letting my tears drip onto his face, as if stopping any of those things will mean I lose him all over again, for good.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers against my lips. “Ever.”

“Good. You’re not allowed to,” I choke, kissing him again and holding him tight.

“Hana.”

I look up to find Kai looking at me. My eyes drop to where his pinky finger is laced with Isaak’s. I glance up at his face again, a smile twisting my mouth as I eye him. He clears his throat, blushing a little, but he doesn’t let go of the small touch he has on Isaak.

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