AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Phil surprisingly nods, agreeing to my terms.
Turning around, I know there will never be an adequate amount of time to say goodbye to Quinn and Tristan. So I have to make do with the minimal minutes I have.
Throwing my arms around Tristan’s neck, I inhale his fragrance one final time. “I love you, Tristan,” I cry, holding back my tears.
It’s the only thing I can say that’ll express how much he means to me.
Pulling away, I lightly kiss his stunned lips and stroke his cheek with a smile.
The kiss is chaste.
Tristan nods, understanding it’ll never be any different between us.
“I love you, too. I’ll come find you, I promise,” he swears, but it’s all in vain.
Where I’m going—no one will ever find me.
But I nod, and then, then I look toward Quinn—my prince in blood-splattered war paint.
“I wish it could have been different for us. But for what it’s worth, each moment spent with you have been the best moments of my life.”
The sob I have been trying to hold back breaks free, and a river of broken tears spills down my cheeks, and I cry ugly, thunderous tears.
“Shh, Red. I’ll never let you go,” Quinn promises, wrapping his arms around me and giving me his strength before I evaporate into the blood-soaked earth beneath me.
“Oh, Mia, no need to get all sentimental,” Phil suddenly says, and his smug tone has my body shivering in fear.
“What?” I ask, turning around to face him, not caring that he can see my tears.
“Choose,” he simply says.
“Choose what?”
“Choose brother one. Or choose brother two,” he arrogantly replies, pointing his gun toward Quinn and then toward Tristan.
“No! That was never part of the deal!” I cry, shaking my head in fury.
“Well, things have changed. Now that your mother’s life hangs in the balance, I need to know that you won’t rebel if she…doesn’t make it,” he concludes, his eyes glancing at her quickly.
“No!” I snarl, my fists bunching by my sides, as I would never jeopardize either of their lives this way.
“If you don’t choose one, then I shoot them both!” he screams, spittle covering his chin, and I know he’s sick of this game.
“Why?” I scream back, as I need to know what he’s got planned.
“I use one for collateral, of course. You don’t do as I say, I shoot him. You go to the police, I shoot him. You try and run, I shoot him. You—”
“Okay, enough! I get it!”
But how can I choose?
I can’t.
How can I condemn one when I want to save them both?
“Red, I’m coming with you,” Quinn angrily states, no doubt hurt as he sees me mulling over my decision.
“No!” I shout, turning around to face him.
