Page 73 of Thunder

"Listen," I say to Lia, my voice low and urgent. "They’re about to break through the door. It’s fucking cheap wood and it won’t hold long. When they get close, I’m going to make a distraction, and then I want you to run. Don't look back, don't hesitate. Just fucking run."

"Marcus, I—"

"Promise me, Lia," I interrupt, my eyes still glued to the door. "Promise me you'll run."

"Okay," she whispers, barely audible. "I promise."

I glance over at Lia, smile despite the sight of her curled up like a frightened child; in these last moments, I have to take what I can get, and even the sight of a frightened Lia is stillLia. Still the woman that awakened my heart in a way that I’d never thought possible. No other woman on earth that could make me feel ready to die, as long as it helped them. Before, I was always the one ready to cut ties and run on to the next conquest, the next one-night stand. Now, I’ll give every breath in my body just to keep her safe.

"Listen," I choke out, throat tight. "Lia, it doesn't look good. There's something I need you to know—"

"Don't say it like that, Marcus," she interrupts, her voice trembling.

"Listen, I love you, Lia. Like I've never loved anything or anyone. I've been a selfish asshole before with women. They've come and gone and I've never given a damn. But you, I love you and I need you just like I need air to breathe. You're it for me. That's the truth. So, however this ends, I need you to remember that."

Tears well up in her eyes, and I see the love she has for me reflected in their depths.

I wish I could hold her, comfort her, but there's no time. The pounding outside grows louder, heavier, the bathroom door ready to give way.

My phone buzzes like a warning siren. It's Bullet: 'One minute. Hang in there.' Sixty seconds stretch before us, each one a lifetime.

"Get to the window, Lia. Don't argue, don't hesitate, just go."

The bathroom door groans under the force of the men outside, its hinges crying out in protest. Time's running out.

"Hey, Antonio!" I shout, my tone mocking. "You sure know how to knock. Maybe you should try something more subtle, like a bulldozer!"

"Fuck you, Marcus!" Antonio snarls from the other side, his voice dripping with venom. Laughter bubbles up inside me, even as my heart hammers against my ribs. “You’re dead, you know that? Fucking dead. I’m going to chop your fucking corpse to pieces in front of your weeping little bitch. How’s that make you feel, you pathetic piece of shit?”

"How kinky. Still not even close to the shit I did with your mother. That bitch knows how to bang," I retort, focusing on the door, waiting for it to give way.

The door creaks and groans, cracking, splinters of wood flying like confetti at a twisted celebration. It’s time. Time for Lia to run; time for me to die. At least for once in my life—the last time in my life—I can do something selfless. Maybe that’ll be enough to get me into heaven. Maybe I really will get to see my grandmother in the afterlife.

"Go, Lia! Now!" I shout, as I fire off another round, the sharp crack of the gun echoing in the small space.Three shots left.A pained roar erupts from the other side of the door.

Lia doesn't hesitate. Leaping to her feet, she races to the window with all the grace and ferocity of a gazelle.

"Marcus, you'll pay for this!" Antonio roars, his voice contorted with agony.

I smirk, the taste of defiance sweet on my tongue.

"Maybe," I admit, firing again. "Maybe I will pay. But you know what? I didn’t have to pay when I fucked your mother."

I watch as Lia leaps through the broken window, her body disappearing into the night. A surge of relief washes over me, followed by a renewed determination. I won't let them win. Not while there's still breath in my lungs and fire in my veins.

The door gives way. I take one last breath and I smile. It’s time to die.

"Come on, you bitches," I challenge, my voice laced with grit. "Show me what you've got."

Chapter Thirty-Two

Amelia

The cold metal of the fire escape presses against my bare feet as I land with a thud. My breath comes in short, frightened gasps, and I feel like a cornered animal. I glance around, eyes darting between the shadows cast by streetlights below and the dark corners where threats may lurk.

I could run, slip away into the night and find safety, but the thought of leaving Marcus behind is unbearable. His words of love still echo in my ears, and I know this might be our last moment together. I can't just leave him to die.

"Is this it?" I think, clutching at the railing. "Is this how we go? One of us running, one of us trapped like a rat in a bathroom, waiting for the end?" Desperation creeps up on me, threatening to consume me whole. There's so much more I wanted to do with Marcus—a lifetime's worth of possibility. I want to have him by my side as my career takes off; I want to see him proud of me; I want to share every morning, every afternoon, every night with him; now, I won't have any of that.

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