Page 109 of At the Edge of Surrender

Justin laughed, that horrifying, disgusting sound.

Right before he jumped on her and took her to the ground.

“Get up. Get up. Get up,”Kane begged himself from somewhere inside the swimming of his mind. He had to get up and help her.

But he couldn’t do anything.

He could only listen to the grunts and kicks then a piercing scream.

One second later, Justin climbed to his feet.

The silhouette of a beast in the night.

Staring down at Kane’s mother who writhed on the ground, before the man dropped the knife that hung from his hand to the ground.

It clattered on the hardwood floor before he turned and ran for the front door. It banged against the interior wall as he threw it open and fled.

The sound of his truck roared as it was turned over before it sped into the night.

While Kane struggled to crawl to his mother.

Terror gripped him when he saw the front of her shirt was completely soaked with blood.

“No. Mom. No.” It poured out of him on a prayer.

No, no, no, no.

She blinked up at him, the emerald of her eyes too bright and glassy in the night.

“You’re such a good boy, Kane. Such a good, good boy. My favorite boy.” His mother garbled the words, and a smile flickered at the edges of her bloodied mouth. “Don’t ever change. Don’t ever let that beautiful light fade. Fight for love and what’s right. I know you will…because it’s who you are. And always, always take care of the ones you love most.”

A moan pulled from the depths. “No, Mom, no.”

He pressed his hands to the hot wound on her abdomen. Pressing hard. Tears burned and bled, and he begged, “No. You’re going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.”

Her fingertips fluttered to his face, brushing soft and slow. “Take care of the ones you love most. I’m sorry I didn’t return it.”

“Mom…” He gulped, then he shouted at the open door, “Help! Someone help! Please!”

On his knees, he gathered her up in his arms, grief clogging his throat as he begged, “Please,” as the last petal wilted and fell from the rose.

TWENTY-SEVEN

EMERY

Dragon

Is she asleep?

I was proppedup in bed with the lamp on the nightstand glowing, the candles on the shelves flickering and dancing to the quiet sounds of the night.

Kane had left this afternoon on hiswork trip.

I didn’t know what it was that unsettled me about it. What set me so off kilter when he’d packed his duffel and promised he’d be back in two days.

When he’d told me again and again how thankful he was that I was here to be with Maci, all while he’d posted his friend Theo out front.

A terrifying, menacing security guard.

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