Page 120 of Doesn't Count

And I’ve accepted that.

I will not take another innocent life over my own again. I will not submit to the Devil’s demands. May promised to watch over Ash and that’s the most I can hope for.

The icy gusts of wind fight hard to bite through every inch of my skin, but I feel absolutely nothing.

That is until the flickering flames of torches cast a spotlight on the only thing that can break me, that can force me to feel more than I’ve ever wanted to; Ash.

She sits on her haunches, shoulders dropped forward, hands tied resting in her lap with her head bowed. Her golden hair curtains her hidden face, long and tangled with dirt and leaves.

As I approach with a caution I did not feel before, her head rises and her glassy blue eyes latch onto mine like a lifeline. Every single repressed emotion is a bullet to the chest, shooting straight for my heart. The crippling pain is enough to bring me to my knees.

The urge to crawl to her, lift her onto my lap, and cradle her until this is all over hits strong and hard. What also hits strong and hard is Bordeaux’s fist. The unexpected impact throws me to the ground, my already bruised face now weeping with more blood. Shock paralyzes me for moments on end and suddenly, I feel as if I’m underwater. Ash’s screams are muffled and my eyes blur. My body lifts in the air, feet hovering just above the ground as my face comes level with Bordeaux’s.

The scent of spoiled trash wafts from his mouth as his lips part to speak.

“That?” He points behind him to Ash. “That ain’t yours anymore.”

“Put the boy down, Bordeaux.”Fatherorders.

Reluctantly, I’m lowered to my feet as the world spins around me.

“Do you know why you’re here, son?”

Fathercreeps towards me and as he does, Bordeaux’s hand weighs my shoulder down enough to force me on my knees again. Black beady eyes stare down at me, his hands clasped behind his back.

I don’t respond earning a whack to the side of my head, a thick palm clashing against my ear, eliciting a groan.

“You have betrayed the family, Oliver. We took you in, we raised you despite all your deplorable sins. Do you think theworld would be so accepting if they knew of the vile things you’ve done?”

Things he made me do.

My head sags, the muscles inside my body struggle as pain bleeds into every nerve. I guess it doesn’t matter though because Bordeaux fists a handful of my hair, yanking my head to meetFather’sgaze.

“Oliver, you’ve been welcomed home with unearned grace. I am willing to offer you penance, grant you a second chance with your family. I’m willing to offer you a deal to repent for your unfaithfulness.”

My eyes flick pastFatherto Ash wondering how much it would hurt her should I still decide to die.

“Would you like to hear the deal, Oliver?”

I answer with a glare.

He crouches down, his red cloak bunching at the ground, his whiskered face inches from mine. My fingers twitch, aching to wrap around his sagging throat. There’s nothing I would love more than to steal his last breath, to watch as the life fades from his blackened eyes. To see how excited he is to spend eternity in the hell he’s worshipped.

“Rejoin your family, live the life you were always meant to live and this young dear-” he gestures to Ash without breaking his stare from mine, “-will keep her life.”

My eyes narrow, “That’s it?”

His smirk tells me it’s not.

“After you sacrifice what’s most important to you.”

Naturally, my eyes find Ash again.

“What do you mean?”

His head turns to stare at her as well, that smirk turning into a demonic grin.

“You can both live happily ever after. You with the family and the girl with me.”

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