Page 79 of No Saint

Amelia.

I move quickly, withdrawing my weapon as I thunder through the house. I’d been holding a meeting to discuss the shit going on with the city, I thought she’d be safe for half an hour. I was wrong.

The child’s scream continues but her voice, it has gone silent.

“Amelia!” I roar, following the sound of the scream. My blood runs cold at the view of the pool door open and I can just make out a small, wet hand on the tiles. Lincoln. Behind me I hear my men, ready for war.

I come to a screeching halt, finding Lincoln drenched and crying but then my eyes go to the pool, at the blood in the water and the dark shape of Amelia beneath the surface.

“Amelia!” I dive into the pool, swimming down to her where she sinks, unconscious, her dark hair wrapped around her face and a steady stream of blood coming from her head. She didn’t look alive.

I grip her, bringing her to me before I use the bottom of the pool as leverage to get to the surface, breaking it and instantly moving her hair out of the way.

My first thought was that she’s been shot.

Not my Amelia. Not my wife.

When I see it’s a gash and not a bullet wound, I relax a little, “Amelia!” I shake her. “She’s not breathing!”

My mother enters the room last as I am swimming to the side, Amelia limp and lifeless. No. No. No.

She can’t die.

My chest was caving in, the feel of her lifeless body in my arms breaking my soul in half.

“Get Devon!” I roar. “Now!”

Pulling her out of the water, I push her wet hair away from her face, the blood streaming down her too pale skin.

“Mondo mia,”I whisper, “Amelia.”

Her chest doesn’t move, there’s no life.

“Come on, baby,” I plead, starting CPR, “Come on.”

Her small body seems too fragile to take the powerful thrusts against her chest and I know I’m going to break something, but I can’t lose her. “You can’t leave me yet, please.” I beg.

I keep with the CPR and rescue breaths until suddenly she coughs up water, vomiting it over herself. I help her onto her side while she continues to hack, bringing more and more up. “That’s it baby, breathe for me. Come on.”

She falls still, eyes closing while she battles to stay awake, “Where is Devon!?”

“He left,” someone informs me, “We have it on the security check that he signed out ten minutes ago.”

FUCK!

I gather Amelia into my arms, cradling her wet body to my chest and search for her son, finding him being soothed by my mother. Her head rolls, falling back. I cup the back of her skull, “Stay awake,mondo mia,stay awake for me.”

Her lashes flutter but do not open.

People move out of my way as I barge through them, carrying her against me, curling my body to protect her and then I’m in my car, her curled up in the passenger seat.

“Amelia…” I reach across, feeling how cold her skin is, “leonessa.”

“Gabriel,” she whimpers in a hoarse voice.

“I’m here, Amelia. Stay awake for me.”

“I’m so tired,” she complains.

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