Page 67 of Vengeful Union

I’ve never felt so fucking utterly helpless or scared before. I knew from the moment I saw Destiny that she was different. Before I even fucked her, I knew she was mine. I didn’t think love was an emotion I could feel for anyone but family, and with the shit I’ve seen and experienced, I never wanted it. But the blonde-haired beauty captured my heart.

"The men have Patrick. He's been restrained and is in the trunk," Dante tells us.

I give a nod, letting him know I've heard him, but right now I don't give a fuck.

"There," Denis says, his voice tight.

Since we watched Destiny fall into the water, Denis, Danny, and Malcolm have stood close to me.

"They've got her," Danny tells us, relief in his words.

I see her, her body unmoving in Stefan's arms. I'm moving toward the edge, needing to get to her, unable to quite comprehend what I'm seeing. Her body is soaking wet, her skin so fucking pale, and her lips blue.

"Boss—" Stefan says as I snatch my woman from his arms. "It's not good," he tells Makenna.

"She'll be fine," my sister snaps.

"Boss, she's not breathing."

I lay her on the ground, and Danny instantly kneels beside me and starts CPR.

"Someone call a motherfucking ambulance," Romero growls as he crouches down beside us and helps Danny.

I'm clutching at Destiny's hand. It's cold, lifeless, and so fucking small. The sound of her ribs breaking as Danny pushes against them fucking guts me, as well as the way her chest compresses with each push. He does it to Romero's count of thirty, and then I hold her nose, tilt her head back a little, and breathe into her mouth.

We repeat this cycle, but nothing. Not a fucking movement. Her body is completely rigid. So fucking still.

"Come on, baby," I whisper, my throat closing as tears fall from my eyes. "You've got to wake up. You're not allowed to fucking die on me." I press a kiss against her head as Danny continues to do compressions.

Never. I have never felt so powerless as I do at this moment.

I breathe into her mouth once more.

And then Denis takes over the compressions, letting Danny rest. Everyone gathers round, watching. Waiting. Some are praying. I ignore all of them. My focus is solely on the woman I love.

"Where the fuck is that ambulance?" Danny roars, his voice hoarse. I dread to think what mine will be like when I finally find the strength to say anything.

Denis pushes down on her chest, and then a bloody miracle happens. Her body bows, and everyone jerks back. I flip her onto her side as she coughs. Water spills from her lips, and her body becomes wracked with sobs and coughs.

Fuck.

I can't breathe. I gather her into my arms and hold her tight, unable to let her go.

This is my fault. She almost died because of my family.

I should let her go—to keep her safe. So something like this will never happen again.

But I can't. She's mine, and I'll do whatever the hell I can to ensure she's safe.

"Where's Cian?" Denis asks, and Destiny tenses in my arms. “Have him direct the fucking ambulance whenever it gets here.”

"What's wrong?" I ask, drawing her close to me.

"Cian." Her voice is barely a whisper. Fuck, it sounds like she's been screaming for a month straight. "He's Pat's partner."

I tense, my arms tightening around her. "What?" I hiss.

She releases a whimper, and I loosen my grip. "Pat told me Cian told him everything you discovered." She winces as she speaks.

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