Page 149 of Priest and his Anarchist

The words I never said.

The words she said.

My chest weighs heavy the closer I get to my house. The further away I am from her. As soon as I pull back up tothe front, I swing out of the car and climb the stairs. I don’t care about the people walking down the street. It’ll be another fucking gossip session for them to talk about at school come Monday.

“Priest, get inside.” Moose tugs on my arm, but I stop, looking down at my feet. A pool of blood glows back up at me like a taunting reminder of what I have possibly lost. I took her for granted. Every fucking time.

“She’s hurt…”

“Inside!”

“She’s hurt!” It’s a roar, my fist in his shirt. I can’t see straight. “This—this gavel, Moose—” My eyes shift around the room. I don’t give a fuck who hears. “It meansnothing!Nothing if I can’t protect the people I fucking love!” I swallow but it feels like sandpaper, the vein in my head thudding.

Dad’s shadow appears in front of me. His eyes rimmed red, his hair matted with blood.

“What happened?” My brows weigh to the center. “You were here?”

Dad doesn’t say another word, his throat tightening.

“Dad.”

“Get inside.”

I take a step forward and wince when pain radiates from my stomach. My head spins as I cover the pain with my hand. Dad’s eyes drop to my movement.

His face pales even more than it already had. Fuck. “Now. Doc is here to fix you up.”

“Shit.” I stumble through the door, my pulse pumping weakened blood from the alcohol. Dad catches me in his arms. The room tilts upside down as my whole body vibrates. Sweat shivers down my spine, the rush of people moving around me.

“Mom’s hurt. We have to find—find her—” I look up at Dad, desperate for anything. I could count on one hand how many times in my life I’ve needed him.

Once.

Now.

He squeezes the back of my neck, pulling me to him. “She is, but you’re worse right now and we can’t have a dead King.”

Laughter bubbles up my throat at his ridiculousness. “Death was bound to happen. After all…I’ve fucked with the laws of nature for long enough.”

“Priest…” Dad growls above, but he’s getting smaller, darker, farther away.

“Priest, I swear to God if you die on me during our first!” Evie’s cries are distant now. Ice burning through my veins.

Cold.

Ice.

“Priest, I swear to God!” The loud crashes become a distant memory. “Vaden! We’re losing—shit. Oh no!” Evie’s cries do nothing to keep me grounded. Everything around me slows and dims, as if the world turns quiet. I don’t realize how heavy the weight I carry is until I feel the pull of sleep calling to me through a black hole.

Air fills my lungs for the last time.

An overwhelming flood of warmth spreads over my cheek before a drip lands against my mouth. Lips touch mine, and a flame begins to flicker to life in my chest.

“Rabbit.” A gentle kiss. “Please don’t leave me.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

luna

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