Present
Nolan’s eyes don’t leave mine as he drags the knife across my cheek until he brings it to my throat, the sharp edge cutting into my skin, and I tense.
I don’t mind dying, I just don’t want to do it in front of my girl.
“Taking the easy way out, huh? You know you’re no match for me, so you wait until I’m weak and kill me off that way?” I ask, raising my brow as I don’t look away from him. I know I’m riling him up, but the longer I stall, the more time it gives me to try and think of a way out of this for Sloane.
Fuck, who am I kidding?
I’ve been trying to figure a way out for her for the past week, and the only thing I can come up with is trying to wait it out for as long as possible until my family show up. I’m far too weak to take him on right now, and I’m only growing weaker by the minute.
I can see the worry in Sloane’s eyes when she looks at me, and she’s not wrong to be worried. I’m trying to hold on, for her. But I’m not sure how much more my body can take before it finally gives in.
“Okay,” Nolan says, nodding and removes the knife, only to place it against Sloane’s stomach.
Terror like I’ve never felt before rushes through my veins and I finally fucking snap as those images from years ago, when I could see her tied up in her father’s warehouse, rush through my mind.
I use every ounce of energy I have to reach out and grab his wrist, pulling it and the knife away from Sloane before I push it towards him. The knife barely knicks the skin on his chest before he catches up to what’s happening, and he takes control once more.
He lunges towards me, knife tightly in his grip and I use the last of what energy I had to shove Sloane sideways to make sure she’s completely out the way. Sloane screams as she sees what’s about to happen, but the cabin door is busted open at the same time, my brothers both barging their way in to the space.
But it’s too late, because Nolan is already plunging the knife into my gut and twisting. A commotion ensues, but I honestly have no idea what the fuck is happening. I’m too busy looking towards Sloane to make sure she’s okay.
The horror written all over her face worries me until I realize that she’s just scared for me.
“Marco,” she chokes out as tears stream down her face. I beckon her closer to me, needing her close one last time.
She sniffles and scoots closer to me, the fighting and raised voices of my family in the background drowned out by the sound of her cries.
“I love you,” I say, my voice weak as my pulse thuds in my ears.
“Don’t you fucking dare leave me,” she growls as she starts putting pressure on the hole in my stomach, though I know there’s no point. My body’s been through too much.
“I love you, Sloane,” I say again, needing her to know how much I mean it.
Because I do. She was my sole reason for living. I can rest easy now that my brothers are here with the knowledge that they’ll take care of her.
I know she’ll hurt, and I wish I didn’t have to leave her, but she’ll get through it.
She’s the strongest person I’ve ever met, my little warrior, and I’m convinced that this woman can get through anything.
“You can’t fucking die on me,” she sobs, and it breaks my heart to see her in so much pain.
“Who’s dying?” I hear Luca’s voice say, and I turn to find him crouched next to me. “Because I’m sure as fuck not letting you die on us, little brother.”
I give him a weak smile before turning my attention back to my girl.
“You’re going to be okay,” she mutters and repeats the phrase over and over, though it gets more distorted and muffled each time. I stare at her, unable to do anything else but look at how fucking beautiful she is. Even covered in cuts, bruises, dirt, and tears, she’s still the most goddamn beautiful woman to ever exist.
“I love you, Marco,” she whispers, and I finally fade away, a smile on my face from hearing Sloane say those three words I’ve waited over a decade to hear.
