Page 96 of Beautiful Ascension

My blood turns cold. No, Ariah will forgive me. I just need to—we need to explain everything. “Shut the fuck up, Samantha. Your time is about to expire. I’d run if I were you,” I bark, then open the door. I look up and down the hallway, but my angel’s gone. That’s when I see it—a trail of red. “Fuckkk! This can’t be happening,” I mutter as I run in the direction of the path of blood while Samantha’s mocking cackles chase behind me.

44

LEV

“Fuck, fuck, fuuucccckk!” I shout, losing the battle on my composure. Everything was perfect. Not a minute out of place. How did we screw this up so badly?

“You’ll make her understand,” Teagan encourages.

I loosen my bowtie, then unbutton my collar, hoping the foot compressing my throat eases. “How can you know that for sure?”

“Because of the love in that girl’s eyes. You’ll all have to fight hard for it, but she’ll see reason once you explain.”

Trying to take solace in Teagan’s words, I work harder to finish the last stage to deactivate the chip. Even though neither Samantha nor anyone else with a detonator can blow Owen up, we still need to ensure it’s safe to remove. “I can only hope you’re right, Teag. Ariah has changed each of us for the better. Her love made me confront my demons because she could never truly have a place in my heart if I wasn’t up to doing the work to heal. None of us are even halfway, but we’re closer than we’ve ever been before,” I confess.

“And that’s exactly why I have zero doubts that you’ll earn her forgiveness. You’re all willing to do the work—it’s not just lip service. Each of you wants to be worthy of her,” I hear her sigh. “Now get the fuck out here and go see your girl. I’ll finish this, and then I have an idea I want to test.”

I don’t wait for her to change her mind or ask if she’s sure. I pull my earpiece out and jump from Owen’s Jeep, racing inside to meet the guys. Ariah’s already en route to the hospital, and I have no intention of arriving far behind them.

45

OWEN

I’m nearly to the end of the hall when I have to stop short. Reign, Elias, and Fernando are blocking my path.

“Move, I need to get to her,” I growl, then step back to avoid Reign’s fist.

“You think you deserve to see her after what you caused?” Elias barks.

I don’t have time for any of this. I can still see the crimson trail on the carpet. “We’ll explain everything later. Now, move the fuck out of my way before I make you.”

“You assholes have done more than enough. We did warn you, and while Ariah is like a sister to us, that doesn’t mean we can’t still remove you from her life until someone she deserves comes along,” Reign snarls. “None of you are good enough to drink her piss.”

I grit my teeth and shout, “You don’t think we know that? You don’t think each slice to her heart is like fifteen to ours for having to be the ones wielding the knife? She’s our everything!”

“Cut the shit. Whatever you did tonight could cost her the twins. Nothing you say will convince any of us your intentions are pure,” Elias glares at me in disgust. “What the hell were you thinking? We distinctly told you at her doctor’s appointment if you all fucked this up, we would never let you close enough to hurt her again.”

I don’t have time for this shit. I need to get to her.

“Ariah was just checked into Labor and Delivery,” Wyatt states. I almost forgot I have the earpiece in.

“Keep me posted. I have the three musketeers in my way at the moment,” I inform whoever else is on our line. Curling my lip in frustration, I stare down the wall blocking my path. The idea of pulling out my throwing knives and making them bleed is very tempting, but I know that won’t endear Ariah to me. “Look, you can hold each other’s balls for all I care—just do it out of my way. This is your final warning,” I spit.

Fernando stalks closer from the right as Reign and Elias come from the left, leaving me enough room to dart between them. Wasting no time, I run past the three of them to meet up with the guys.

46

WES

Samantha rushes down the hallway, and I stick my foot out, tripping her, secretly hoping she breaks her nose or her lips deflate on impact.

“What the fuck, Wesley,” she shrieks as she rolls to sit on her ass. Her shrill voice almost bursts my eardrums.

She tries to get up, but I put my foot on her forehead, pushing her back down. “Did you enjoy your little power trip while it lasted? You thirsty bitch,” I seethe. “Did you and your brother feel justified in your quest for power?” I press the heel of my onyx Crockett and Jones Highbury dress shoes down so hard that I know it’s cutting into the flesh of her forehead and will also leave a beautiful bruise.

“Let me go,” she screeches her demand.

I tilt my head so she can see the five-alarm blaze in my mahogany eyes. “Did you let us go?” She closes her eyes, attempting to turn her face, only for her to hiss in pain. Smirking, I watch as scarlet droplets roll down her face. “That’s what I thought.”

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