Page 18 of Poison Vows

Her soul is so fucking pure that she sees the beauty of life clearly.

Spider said she linked her life to me, but the simple truth is, I fastened my entire existence to her!

She was the first person to ever tell me to my fucking face that life is worth it.

I almost died three times while she was away, but I hung on for her.

To see her again.

To hold her hand silently when she’s asleep.

To hear her melodic voice, see the incomparable twinkle in her eye when she gets excited, and capture the heart-stopping smiles she reserved just for me.

I held on for her…

I don’t say any of this to Spider. It’s no use trying to explain my already defeated argument.

I can’t haggle with a protective brother that rightfully blames me for the danger upon his sister.

Not when I don’t ever budge when it comes to Angel’s safety either, nor do I negotiate, even with myself.

“I understand.”

Spider looks at me with slight shock in his eyes, but it quickly turns into resolve.

“You do?” he asks silently.

“I know what to do.”

Spider stares at me. I don’t know what he sees on my face, but he comes round the side and pats my shoulder.

“I know I have no right to demand this of you. If I were anyone else, hell, if I were King or Montreal who said all this to your face like this, no matter how skilled I am, I know you’d have me die a thousand deaths a million times over,” he says quietly. “I know you are sparing me solely for the sake of my sister.”

I don’t say anything.

Is there anything I can say when it has all come to this?

“For what it’s worth, I was rooting for you, but…” Spider trails off.

“But you never trusted me, nor do you dare to trust someonelikeme.”

“You’re not an ordinary man, Emmett,” he says softly. “Nor are the Eastons just a regular wealthy family. And your health…”

Silence falls in the kitchen, but I can’t crash out now. I have the rest of my painful heartbeats for that.

I turn to look at Spider fully. “Thank you for clearing those Russians. I had all traces of you wiped cleaned. Nothing will come back to you.”

Spider looks at me with a bit of pity that vanishes quickly.

He nods, and says, “With your particular way of doing things, I’ve figured that if anyone finds a trace or knows what you’re up to, it’s solely because you intentionally want that person to know. Likely for a spectacular trap.”

I neither confirm nor deny that.

I just silently stand there, feeling the waves of agony surging in me from what I’ll have to do from now on.

Spider abruptly looks at me with a strange light in his dark eyes. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“What?”

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