Page 150 of His Juliet

Guilt clawed at me.

I burst through the door, ignoring Spiro’s bloodied corpse as I sprinted to Juliet’s side. I did a double take when I noticed a tiny black cat curled up on her chest. The kitten let out an outraged meow when I moved it away, but I ignored her as I gathered Juliet in my arms.

“Sweetheart, I’m here.” I pressed my fingers to either side of her jaw, squeezing tight enough to part her lips. My hand trembled as I unstoppered the antidote and poured it into her mouth.

“Wake up, angel. I need you to wake up for me. Come on.”

Each second that ticked by was an eternity. I kissed her forehead, cheeks, and lips, begging her to wake with each one.

The kitten crawled back onto Juliet’s chest, purring loudly. “Don’t worry,” I said to the cat. “She’s going to wake up. She’s not gone.”

The door opened behind me and people entered, but I didn’t look up. Nothing could tear my gaze away from Juliet.

Yet her eyes remained closed.

Despair drenched every cell in my body.

I was too late.

And then I felt it—a whisper of a touch on my arm. I looked down in time to see Juliet’s hand moving.

“Juliet, can you hear me?”

Her eyelids fluttered.

I choked out a watery laugh. “Wake up for me, stellina. Let me see those pretty eyes.” I cradled her in my arms, pressing her tight against my chest. She would be lucky if I let her get more than two feet away from me ever again. I brushed her hair out of her face, rocking her back and forth until her eyes finally opened.

“Juliet,” I choked.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in. Tears streamed down my face and dripped onto her skin.

“Romeo.” Her hoarse whisper was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.

I pushed myself up and wiped my cheeks. “I’m here. I’m never leaving you again.”

The kitten shoved its way under my wrist and curled up on Juliet’s chest.

“Queenie,” she said. “You’re here.”

“Queenie?”

“She kept me company in my cell.”

All the color that had leached from the world since she was stolen from me flooded back in with a force that took my breath away.

“How’re you feeling?”

“Tired.”

My chest tightened as her eyes drifted shut again. “Don’t close your eyes. Keep looking at me.” I tried and failed to keep the panic out of my voice.

She opened them, but the massive effort was clear. “I’m dizzy.”

“Okay, angel. Okay.” My fear returned in full force. What if the antidote wasn’t strong enough? What if I hadn’t gotten to her in time?

“She’ll be fine,” Elira said from behind me. My lips curled in a snarl. This woman was responsible for hurting my love. I held my girl tighter, shielding her from Elira’s view.

“They forced her to take a drink,” she continued. “This was never a part of our plan.”

---