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I glance at Henry, trying to piece together a plan, but with the gun to my face, every option leads to disaster. Julian... Harper... I might never see them again.
I fight back tears; I won’t let Andrew savor my fear.
“That asshole tricked you, made you think you loved him. You don’t. I know you love me, but you're too scared to admit it. Admit it, Poppy,” Andrew’s voice is a harsh whisper, grating against my ear.
I want to scream, but Henry’s pleading eyes catch mine, his desperation clear. I give the slightest shake of my head, the movement restricted by the gun pressed to my cheek. The grass beneath my heels feels unsteady, but my resolve is firm.
“I never loved you,” I manage to say, turning my head slightly to ease the gun out of my flesh, my voice firm despite the tremor I feel.“I feared you. Fear isn't love.”
“Fear is respect. Respect is love,” Andrew hisses back, his logic twisted and dark.
“Just do it,” I spit out, my patience fraying.
“Oh, baby, you don’t understand. Let me make it clear,” Andrew's laugh is cold, devoid of any real humor.“I’m a dead man walking; I killed my father, and The Obsidian Order is after me. I burned down my entire empire for you. For us. Killing you with a single bullet is too easy."
My body starts to shake, forcing Andrew to hug me tighter. "After I killed my father, I thought to myself, what could I take from you? Punish you for ruining everything? So I took your house, which got you here. I vandalized the graves, and you walked right into my trap. I even killed the maintenance man; his body's in the shed." Andrew claims nonchalantly. "That got me exactly where I needed to be. But that wasn’t good enough.” He hisses.
His words swirl around me; his plans are grotesque and twisted. I glance at Henry, my heart sinking. If Andrew shifts his aim towards Henry, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.
“I wanted something none of them could take or fix." Andrew spits. "I'm going to own a part of you none of them can have. I'm going to take your past, present, and future. Your memories,” Andrew gleams.
“Turn around and straddle me," Andrew orders me.“Try anything, and I’ll blow your beautiful fucking jaw off. You’ll survive, but with a face, not even a mother could love.”
I shake my head.
“Do it.” He presses.
“No,” I cry out, tears finally breaking free.
“I’m not going to fuck you in front of your brother. I’m not that deranged,” Andrew grunts.
“Says the man with a gun to my face,” I retort, anger boiling over.
“That’s all your fault. You push and push, and then you complain when I push back,” he snaps, twisting a lock of my hair around his finger.“I said I’d take your memories. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do, baby. Turn the fuck around before I take your face too. A bullet to the jaw. You'll never smile again.”
I know how I'm going to die. Andrew's going to blow my brains out. Take my memories. It will be quick.
I mouth to Henry that I love him, then I do as Andrew says and turn in his lap. I do this only so Henry won't see the final look on my face.
I dig my fingers into Andrew’s shirt, hoping I draw blood. I wish my nails were longer so I could try to pierce his heart with my claws.
I close my eyes, waiting for the end.
Andrew laughs again.“You still don’t get it, baby. I’m not going to kill you, Poppy."
I open my eyes.
"We'll be together again one day," Andrew claims with such assertion it has me seeing double. "A love like ours doesn't die. It lives on. You will always think of me,” Andrew smiles, eerily relaxed as if he's lounging on a beach instead of desecrating a grave. "Like I said, killing you wouldn't punish them. And I want your brother, Julian, and that annoying as fuck friend of yours to suffer." He tilts his head, "I even want you to suffer, baby. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. You cornered me, took everything from me, and took our future from me. Julian did, too, so I'm going to take his future from him. He's going to suffer slowly, with much more agony and pain than if I just killed you now."
He reaches up and brushes the hair off my forehead, well keep a steady hold on the gun pressed to my jaw.
“I need to make sure I take all your memories. I need to make sure you can't make happy ones with Julian.”
I blink, unable to grasp the full extent of his madness.
“I love you, Poppy Moore. I love you,” Andrew declares as if those words could still mean anything to me.
Andrew's eyes settle into a look of serene resolution.“You’re always going to think of me. Of this moment, of what you drove me to do, how you destroyed me.” He tips his head back and grins, a sight that chills my blood; then his expression snaps to one of predatory anticipation.“Kiss me,” he commands.
