Page 117 of Sin & Secrets

I close my eyes, bracing myself for the sudden rush of wind that will inevitably lead to my crushing death on the sidewalk fifty-three stories below.

My last comforting thought is that at least now, Cas will be free.

“Oh no, you fucking don’t!”

Something firm snatches at my wrist, nearly pulling my arm out of the socket.

My eyes snap open with alarm, only to find Teo half hanging off the balcony, face covered in blood spray and clutching onto me with sheer determination. Cas, at his side, anchors him, all the while trying to reach down to me, too.

I rally myself, operating on pure adrenalin, as I reach up to grab Teo’s forearm with my broken hand, willing my appendages to lock into place.

Teo pulls with a yell of agony, and then suddenly, another pair of hands are snatching at my shirt and pulling me up, too.

Between them, I make it up inch by bloody inch until they can roll me over the railing and back onto the safety of the balcony, completely and utterly spent.

By the sound of panting, I know the others have collapsed nearby as well.

“Cas? I…”

A small, shaking body slams into mine. Arms wrap around my neck, and I immediately hold her to me, wanting every part of her pressed into me, needing every reassurance possible that she’s alive and here and safe.

This beautiful, brave woman who is carrying my baby. Our baby.

“I’m sorry,” she sobs in my ear, only making me hold on to her tighter. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. We’re okay.” I bury my face in her neck.

“I should never have come here.”

I hold her for another minute before finally looking up to see Teo examining the blood on his hands.

“What happened?”

His eyes flash to mine. “I…might have followed you.”

Slowly, I pry Cas from my arms. But I can’t bring myself to let go of her hand as I approach my friend.

He watches me with growing alarm. “Don’t you dare give me shit for disobeying an order. Coming here on your own was the very definition of reckless, and I…”

I throw my arms around him.

“Oh.” Slowly, he relaxes into the embrace.

“You killed him.”

“I did.”

The feeling is a strange one. On the one hand, I’m glad it was him and not Cas. She already has enough blood on her hands, thanks to me.

But on the other, my father’s absence is both a weight lifted and a burden taken. Everything I ever worked for is now being thrown into question. Was there a world where the transfer of power wouldn’t end in violence?

I pull away from Teo and offer him a genuine and heartfelt smile. “Thank you.”

Teo smiles back before his eyes dart over to Cas at my side.

“I better start on damage control. I’ll give you two a moment to sort yourselves out.”

With that, he gets to his feet and brushes himself off.

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