AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But he's not listening. The gun is leveled at my chest, his finger tightening on the trigger. I close my eyes, bracing myself for the pain, for the end.
But the shot never comes. Instead, I hear a shout, a scuffle, and the sounds of a struggle. My eyes fly open to see Axel, his face a mask of fury and determination, grappling with Damian for control of the gun.
"Axel!" I scream, my heart in my throat. "Be careful!"
But he doesn't hear me. He's focused solely on Damian, on ending this threat once and for all. They wrestle for the weapon, a deadly dance on the edge of the bridge.
And then, with a sickening crack, Damian's head slams against the railing. He staggers back, his eyes glazed and unfocused. The gun falls from his hand, clattering to the ground.
Axel turns to me, his chest heaving with exertion. "Sasha, are you alright?"
I nod, too stunned to speak. He runs to me, his hands gentle as they cup my face. "I'm sorry," he whispers, his forehead resting against mine. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you everything, should have trusted you with the truth."
I want to be angry, to feel betrayed. But all I can feel is relief, a bone-deep gratitude that he's here, that he's safe. "It's okay," I murmur, my fingers clutching at his shirt. "We'll figure it out, together."
But our moment of respite is short-lived. Behind us, Damian stirs, his hand groping for the fallen gun. Axel spins around, his body shielding me from the threat.
"It's over, Damian," he says, his voice steady and sure. "The police are on their way. There's no way out."
Damian's face twists into a grotesque mask of rage and despair. "No," he snarls, his fingers closing around the gun. "No, it can't end like this. I won't let it."
He rises to his feet, his movements jerky and unsteady. There's a wildness in his eyes, a desperation that borders on insanity.
"You ruined my life, Creed," he spits, his voice dripping with venom. "You took my brother from me, left me with nothing. And now you get to just walk away?"
He raises the gun, pointing it not at Axel, but at his own temple. The metal glints coldly against his skin, a stark contrast to the feverish light in his eyes.
"Damian, don't," Axel pleads, his voice tight with tension. "This isn't the answer. Your brother wouldn't want this."
Damian laughs, the sound harsh and grating. "My brother is dead because of you. You don't get to tell me what he would want."
His finger tightens on the trigger, and I feel my heart stop. In the distance, the wail of sirens cuts through the night, growing louder with each passing second.
"It's too late," Damian whispers, his voice suddenly calm, almost peaceful. "I'm sorry, brother. I tried."
And then, with a deafening bang, he pulls the trigger.
I scream, the sound tearing from my throat like a wounded animal. Axel catches me as I stumble, his arms wrapping around me in a fierce embrace.
The world blurs around us, a kaleidoscope of flashing lights and shouting voices. The police swarm the bridge, their radios crackling with static. Paramedics rush to Damian's side, but it's too late. He's gone.
And as I stand there, clinging to Axel like he's the only solid thing in a world turned upside down, I feel a strange sense of emptiness, of finality. It's over. The nightmare that has haunted me for so long is finally over.
But even as the relief washes over me, I know that the scars left behind will take much longer to heal. The secrets, the lies, the betrayal—they'll linger long after the crime scene tape has been taken down and the headlines have faded.
I pull away from Axel, my eyes searching his face. The pain and guilt etched into his features are a stark reminder of the chasm that's opened between us. The trust we once shared, the unshakable bond—it feels fragile now, like a piece of glass ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
"Sasha," he starts, his voice rough with emotion. "I know I've hurt you. I know I should have been honest from the start. But everything I did, I did to protect you."
I shake my head, tears blurring my vision. "I don't need protection, Axel. I need truth. I need to know that the man I love, the man I trust with my life, isn't keeping secrets from me."
He reaches for me, but I step back, wrapping my arms around myself like a shield. "I don't know if I can do this," I whisper, my voice cracking. "I don't know if I can trust you again."
Axel's eyes flash with pain, with desperation. "Sasha, please. Don't give up on us. We can get through this, together."
But even as he says the words, I can feel the doubt swirling inside me, the fear that our love might not be enough to overcome the wounds we've inflicted on each other.
I take a shaky breath, my gaze drifting to the horizon where the first light of dawn is breaking through the darkness. It feels like a metaphor, a promise of new beginnings, of hope rising from the ashes of despair.
