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I climb the rocks to where Leif is checking Cillian.

“Go get them,” I growl, moving Leif aside to take over CPR. “I’ve got him.”

I immediately interlock my fingers and start chest compressions.

One, two, three, four…

I pinch his nose, press my lips to his, and breathe into his mouth. “Cillian! Breathe! Come on, baby, breathe!” I plead, followed by more chest compressions.

One, two, three, four…

I keep the cycle going, one after the other.

Over and over again.

And the more it takes for Cillian to wake up, the more my hands shake.

“Wake up, you fucking annoying brat! You can’t come into my life, make me love you this much, and then leave me!” I scream, breathe into his mouth for the eighth time, and Cillian coughs.

“Cil!” I turn him sideways as water surges from his lips, and I check his pulse with my fingertips.

Oh, God!

He has a pulse!

It is weak, but it is there.

Exhaustion and relief hit me at the same time as I drag him against my chest. I kiss his forehead and bury my face in his hair… and for the first time since my mother passed, I cry.

— ¤ —

I am sitting in a hospital chair, holding Cillian’s hand as I study his sleeping face. I know light skin bruises ten times more easily than mine, but this is too much.

There are patches of purple, blue, yellow, red, and green all over Cillian’s beautiful skin, and it breaks my heart.

My sexy Casper must be in so much pain.

Cillian’s fingers suddenly tighten around mine, his body shifts, and a painful groan slips past his lips.

“Cil?”

His eyelids flutter open.

“Knox?” he murmurs. I immediately get out of the chair, leaning over and stroking his cheek.

“I’m here, little Prince.”

“Julian is…”

“We know. Julian was your cousin and your stalker… He is also dead.”

“Are you sure?”

“Oh, pretty sure,” I say, glossing right over the part where I blew him up into fish food.

“Leo…” Cillian whispers, his body shaking as tears spill down his cheeks. “…He is dead.”

“Aww! Are you crying for me?!”