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Alistair nods. He glances at me, his eyes burning and sharp before he turns them on Massimo and raises the gun to his own head.
Massimo’s lips pull into a lecherous grin.
“You know, brother,” he smiles cruelly. “When I’m watching you bleed out? I might finally consummate this marriage.”
Alistair’s nostrils flare. His jaw grinds.
Massimo grins wider. “I never did touch her. It felt weird before.” He shrugs. “I suppose I never had an inclination to put my dick where my own brother’s been before. But when you’re dead?” His smile curls. “Well, I think in that case, I could gladly?—”
BANG.
I’m still processing the image of Massimo’s head snapping back in slow motion, a mist of blood spraying out the back of it as he falls to the floor, when Alistair lurches to his feet.
I hear muffled yells from outside the room, and the heavy metal door being unlocked.
Alistair groans, dropping the revolver and scrambling over to Massimo’s body. He yanks the other gun out of Massimo’s jacket. Even as the door begins to open, and as Alistair raises the gun, the color fades from his face.
The gun drops from his hand.
His body slumps to the ground.
I don’t think, I just do. I scramble over, lift the gun in my hands, and aim it at the door as it swings open.
Point the business end at something you want to kill, squeeze the trigger, and try not to sneeze. Think you can manage that?
I spit at Massimo’s body. Yeah, I can manage that.
Fire erupts from the barrel of the gun in my hands. The first man through the door screams and slumps to the ground. The second comes charging through, then suddenly clutches his knee and topples to the ground.
“Eloise.”
I’m still staring at the two men lying on the ground as Alistair struggles to his feet and gently wraps a hand around the gun I’m holding. I let him take it, my whole body shaking as I watch him turn, grimace, and limp over to them.
“Don’t watch.”
I flinch and look away, jolting when two shots explode through the room.
I scream when arms grab me from behind. Then I’m choking back my tears as I realize it’s him, and I turn to wrap my arms tight around him. I let out a cry of relief as he cups my face and kisses me hard, over and over and over again as I collapse into his arms.
“I love you,” I sob.
“I love you too,” Alistair murmurs, holding me close.
“And…I…”
Both of us whirl to where Gabriel is slumped on the ground.
“Am still. Fucking. Dying over here,” he croaks. “In case anyone cares?”
EPILOGUE
ALISTAIR
“Is that all of it, Charles?”
My grandfather purses his lips petulantly.
“Do not make me ask again, Charles.”
