He made himself a way out. Or down, really.
He grabs the rope and moves toward the railing. He wraps a strap around the painting to attach it to the rope, but he doesn’t get the chance. I snatch the end of the rope, wrapping it around my back, using my body weight to get it away from him.
He snarls, setting the painting down tofight. I beat him to the punch, kicking his side. He throws a fist at my side, but I spin in time to avoid it. I use the taut rope to trip him, and he falls against the railing with a growl.
He lunges for me, but I match his momentum and slip past him. He turns his angry, evil eyes on me. I grab onto the balcony railing, and using the leverage, propel my foot into his stomach. He howls and bends over, and for a split second I think I’ve finally disabled him enough to gain the advantage. I drop the rope, prepared to end this. But a glimmer of light reflects off the blade still in his hand. He thrusts it at my leg, and I throw my body against the railing to avoid a cut to my artery.
“You’re getting on my nerves. You and those girls.”
“They’re pretty special.” My smile is short-lived.
Two things happen in the next moment. I’m shoved over and off the railing, but before I go over, I see those two special girls swinging a huge metal wok down on the man’s head.
Chapter 30
Maya
Thatwasn’tsupposedtohappen.
The terrifying Giant was supposed to get knocked out, yes.
But not—
“Soren!” I race to the edge of the balcony, pain and fear consuming my lungs, coating my stomach, threatening to choke me. “Please, no.” I plead with the night sky as I search for him. What if he’s—
“Miss me?” He’s twelve feet down, hanging treacherously by the rope that’s wrapped around his foot, but despite that, he still beams up at me with that familiar smirk.
“What were you thinking?” I scream, aware it’s the wrong reaction for the moment.
He grunts as he reaches up to grab the rope wrapped around his foot, the only thing keeping him from falling to his death. But his fingers are still a few inches away. Oh gosh, what if it doesn’t hold him until he can grab it and pull himself up?
“Grab the rope!” I yell.
“I’m trying!”
I glance around for something to save the man I love. I can’t pause and evaluate that emotion because his life is literally hanging in the balance, but it’s true. I love him. Over and over, again and again, I love him.
He reaches for the rope at his foot and misses. “Why are my nails pink?” he asks.
“Bella.”
“It’s not bad.”
“She did some of her best work.” My mouth is moving; words are coming out. Words that don’t make any sense because how are we joking about nails at a time like this? That’s the funny thing about the end: time slows and little things seem to matter far more than they should. I love the way he’s always protected me. How weird he is about his nose being touched. How he’d give the shirt off his back to anyone, but also might steal a shirt right off someone else.
“I can’t find anything,” Bella says, yanking me back to the harsh reality. She runs up to me, grabbing onto the rail like she’s going to spider monkey her way to save him. I hold on to her so she can’t, but more so to keep myself in place, too. My heart is no longer in my chest; it’s down there, swinging dangerously around with him.
“Hold on, we are going to find something…”
“You can’t pull me up.” His words come out with more struggle.
“Yes, we will.” Tears slip down my cheeks without warning. “Because I love you.”
“Really?” Bella looks up at me in disbelief. “You’re doing thisnow? Read the room, girl.”
Soren laughs, but the sound is weird, almost gone from the pressure of extra blood to his brain. And what about his cut? How badly is he bleeding? Is he going to bleed out? I have to keep him with me.
“Do you hear me? I love you, Soren Stapely!” I shout.
