Page 127 of No Saint

“Don’t look,” I rasp over to him, “Don’t let this be the last thing you see of me.”

“Baby.” Those were tears in his eyes. Tears on his cheeks.

His sorrow cut deep and true.

Asher wanted Gabriel to suffer, and he was doing the one thing sure to do it. Me.

Asher lifts his knife, bringing it to my chest. My breath stops.

“Asher, please,” Gabriel begs.

His cruel laugh is cut off when the door slams open so suddenly, I scream, the tip of the knife cutting into me as my body jerks with the startle.

Atlas fills the door frame.

His face thunderous.

Gabriel drops his head, defeated.

Had he hoped someone else would come?

“Atlas?” Asher moves away from me, distracted.

Atlas’s cold eyes slide to his twin and then to me, taking in the state of my body, the blood, the bruises, how I was exposed. I didn’t have it in me to care about dignity.

Atlas takes careful steps towards his brother.

“It’s about time,” Asher tells him confidently.

But then Atlas raises his gun, forcing Asher’s brows down at his brother in confusion.

There’s no warning, no hesitation as a shot echoes in the small space and blood splatters across my face. A warm, wet spray that lands on my lips and cheeks.

For what feels like several seconds nothing happens but then a body falls. Asher’s body, landing across my lap, still…lifeless…dead.

Silence falls as heavily as lead.

“Amelia!” Gabriel breaks it first, the shock wearing off as he rattles his chains furiously.

But I’m still in shock, everything hurt, I was covered in blood and Atlas, he stares at me with a mix of horror and sympathy. He tugs Asher off of me and I catch a glimpse of his face, the leaking bullet hole still dribbling blood down his face. His eyes remain open and I swear they watch me as he moves.

Behind Atlas I see Devon and Enzo thunder in.

Atlas moves quick, shielding my body as he moves my dress down, covering me.

“I’m going to untie you,” he whispers with a shake in his voice.

I nod.

He reaches around me, his face next to my ear as he gently tugs at the knot. His breath comes heavy and rattling, and I can sense he’s barely holding it together.

He’d killed his twin brother.

When my wrists are free and he goes to move away, I use the last bit of my strength and throw my arms around him.

“Thank you.” I whisper with a break in my voice.

He doesn’t hug me back, but I feel his body relax before he pulls away to help the others get Gabriel down from his chains.

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