Page 23 of Forever My Saint

My miracle.

My Saint.

The confusion is clear as he tries to focus. He’s fighting to stay awake, so I give him all the time he needs. Caressing over the apple of his cheeks with my thumbs, I lock eyes with the other half of my heart, the half that has been missing until now.

He wets his dry lips, flinching when he tongues over the wound. He examines me closely, and at first, it appears he doesn’t recognize me. But when those black orbs spark a vibrant green, the darkness ebbs away.

“??????” he whispers, his disbelief clear as he blinks intermittently. “You’re here?”

“Yes, I’m really here,” I affirm, brushing back his hair as I sniff back my tears. To hear him utter that name completes me.

“How?” he cries, leaning into my touch. “You should be gone. Back home.”

His vulnerability crushes me, but now is not the time to tell him his sacrifice was for nothing because his sister thought she was doing the right thing. I need to get him down. “It doesn’t matter. I’m here now, and I’m getting you out of here.” I tug at the restraints again, cursing when it’s evident they’re not coming undone without a key.

He grunts in pain when I touch his wrist, sharply turning his cheek. And when he does, I see something which changes the course of everything. In the deepest, darkest corner of my mind, I knew this happened, but seeing it…is something else.

Gripping Saint’s chin, I turn his cheek so I can take a closer look. I am sickened beyond belief.

I never knew what anger was until this moment. I never thought I was capable of taking another human being’s life. But the raised, red bite marks along the column of Saint’s neck have me envisioning ways to kill Oscar. And kill him slow.

“Wh-who did this to you?” I stutter over my words, tears of fury burning me raw.

When realization hits Saint, he instantly recoils from my touch. He lowers his head, using his hair as a shield. Something…ugly passes over him.

His detachment confuses me. “Saint—”

But I never get to finish.

“Get her out of here.”

“What?”I gasp, certain I’ve had a lapse in hearing. “What are you saying?”

Every part of me is crumbling.

“Leave. I don’t want you here,” he snarls. “I said go!”

His anger and newfound vitality burn me, and I stagger backward in confusion. “I’m, I’m not going anywhere.”

I don’t know why he’s pushing me away. But when he slowly lifts his chin, I see it…he’s ashamed. “Saint—”

But he violently shakes his head, screaming in pain when he violently yanks against the chains. Wrapping my arms around my middle, sporadic sobs spill from me because I don’t understand what’s happening. “Let me h-help y-you.”

Tears are streaming down my cheeks, but he stubbornly won’t let me. He says something in Russian. He is breathless, and his body trembles uncontrollably.

Am I causing this reaction? Am I causing him more pain?

Placing a hand over my mouth, I watch on in horror, never anticipating our reunion to pan out this way. We lock eyes, and I see the darkness has won. Saint’s demons have triumphed once and for all.

“Come, you heard him. He doesn’t want you here.” When Oscar grips my bicep, I recoil violently.

How dare he.

Spinning around, I’m primed on killing him. But the gun he holds reveals it’s a fight I won’t win. But that doesn’t stop me as I glare at Oscar even though I’m addressing Saint. “I’m coming back. Whether you want me to or not.”

Oscar’s lips twist into a sick, victorious smirk. This is what he’s always wanted; for Saint to send me away. But I soon wipe his smirk clean.

Standing on tippy toes, I coolly rest my hands on his shoulders and murmur into his ear, “And I’m coming for you too.”

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