Page 90 of Overkill

I would take him with me if it meant Marcus would have the wool pulled off his eyes. If it meant he would finally see what his friends really were. Spineless, traitorous, limp-dicked brats who did nothing to earn their standing, their reputation, or their wealth.

I would die for my siblings. Because they were part of me. Part of Mom.

Marcus and Miriam could have everything, and that was enough. I pressed forward, my fists still clenched around his wrist and around his collar. I would push him over or pull him down with me. One or the other. But neither of us would survive.

“Melody!” My mind imagined Greg shouting my name. “Melody!”

It was a mercy to hear his voice. For his words to be the last sounds in my head. It would have been tragic to die hearing nothing but Ian.

This was likely my mind protecting me from the darkness to come. What did I care?

With another heave, I pushed us over, letting our combined weight drag us into the nothingness of free fall.

My eyes snapped to the cars as we fell.

He was running, his hands out and reaching for me.

I smiled.

Greg wanted me to live. And that was so, so nice.

“Melody!”

Ian squeezed the trigger. I screamed, yanking his arm right as the heat of fire ripped through my thigh.

I murdered Ian Gray.

Chapter 31

Aunt Daisy

Vedder

I dove in after her.

This wasn’t how it would end.

I took a deep breath as the water rushed up to meet us, tilting so I broke the surface first. I didn’t let her go, even as the tide pulled us under and I kicked and flailed, the water around us turning pink. Blood poured from her thigh.

My damn boots were too heavy. With my arms tight around her waist and my hands clutching cloth and denim, my legs struggled twice as much to make up for my lack of arms.

I kicked to the surface, gasping as we broke through. The cold wind smacked us as we were dragged down once again, throwing us over rocks that slammed into my body. I kept her close, my larger form protecting her smaller one from sticks, stones, and rocks as we were knocked around.

I swam towards a bank, but the furious water rushed to meet the current. The closer I got to land, the harder it became. But I fought, grunting as my body and muscles ached with the heat of effort, my skin freezing from the cold.

I kicked blindly, afraid she wasn’t breathing. Terrified she was already gone. But I kicked and kicked because I had to get her out of the water. I couldn’t save her in the middle of fucking rapids, so I threw everything I had into getting us out. Until we finally landed on a bit of dirt.

Hands grabbed me by the trousers, yanking me up. I coughed, but I didn’t care. Melody was too pale.

“You’re a heavy son of a bitch!” Griff still had the back of my trousers while Daria dragged me by the collar. The side of her face was lit. Her phone.

I felt hot rain on my fevered skin as they pulled me back from the brink with Melody in my arms.

“Ready?” Daria asked. On three, they both heaved, pulling us completely up and out of the water.

My arms were wrapped around Melody’s torso, but she’d gone limp.

“Melody!” I would not lose her like this. “Melody!”