Page 160 of Taint My Soul

“I’m not leaving without you, Saint.” He says.

“If these fucking soldiers get here, they’ll kill you.”

“You have the power to stop them, but if you don’t, fine. At least I’ll die knowing I tried to save you.” I watch as he pulls out a second gun and takes off the safety. “I’m not losing you. Not when you’ve given everything for me.”

“What have I given to you? Look at me. I’m worthless. I’m fucking broken.”

“You’re the next king of the syndicate, that’s what I know.”

“Elio.” I move toward him and snatch his arm. He faces me and looks at me. His eyes have been one of the things that pulled me in the very first moment I saw him. And goddamn, the way he looks at me right now. Eyes filled with equal parts of anger, fear, and want. And it subdues me. This man right here has power over me. And every second I spend with him this close to me reminds me of everything.

Everything we have been through together. How he became my safe space. How I let myself accept him as my safe space.

I’m fucked.

“Whatever horrible things he said to you, it’s not true. You are not what he thinks you are. You’re different. In my eyes at least.”

Light flashes on the other side of the hall. Footsteps stomp as the soldiers approach in an intimidating wave.

I swallow hard, bracing myself for what’s coming. I did all of this for him. I stood up to my father. And he’s here for me. He’s here for me. He came back for me. He learned how to fight for me.

Elio prepares himself. He’s about to hoist his gun up when I pull him closer. My chest heaves for air as I grab his face, grunting from the pain of the bullet wound. Father had instructed a doctor to take out all the bullet shards and clean the wound after he left me behind.

I begged him to take me back.

I tore myself apart just so he’d look at me like I mattered. But he didn’t. He never did.

“I… Elio… I thought I wouldn’t see you again.” I give in to all of it. All the scorching desire running through me. The desire to have him all to myself. Wrong or not. “If I burn for wanting this, then fuck, let me burn.” I shake my head. “I choose you.”

His eyes soften, but the emotion on his features is short-lived when the team enters, except it’s my youngest brother, Cross, leading them.

“Stand down!” Cross holds up his hand.

My head spins with pain, and strength spills out of my bones. The steel walls warp in and out as my knees give out, and I collapse on the floor.

CHAPTER SIXTY

SAINT

Antiseptic floods my nostrils as my eyes blink against the harsh fluorescent light. I try to move my body, but every part of me aches, my left arm, most especially my ribs. Beside me, the heart rate monitor beeps relentlessly. My head spins, and I shut my eyes and take in a deep breath, air spilling into my lungs as my chest expands.

Then Elio’s voice comes in an inaudible murmur. My head snaps in his direction, vision blurred, head pounding with an ache. His hands settle against my chest, and a soothing chill runs down my spine. Velvet and hypnotic.

He nudges the visitor’s seat closer and whispers under his breath. “Take it easy, baby. You’ve been out for almost two weeks.”

I swallow hard and take in a sharp breath that punctures my lungs, returning life into me. My eyes slide over to him, taking him in. I don’t know how long it has been. But waking up next to him already makes me a happy man. He leans forward and takes my hand, squeezing lightly.

“What happened?” I choke out. I don’t really remember much, probably because I just woke up from a coma.

“You’re safe.” He reassures me with a smile. “That’s all that matters to me. Just rest.”

I give him a tight nod and slip back into the comfort of the hospital bed, quietly slipping back into the arms of rest. When my body comes back to the light again, I hear him speaking with the doctor about my health, but their words are almost inaudible.

I don’t fight the drowsiness clogging my vision. I trust Elio to do what’s best for me.

When I wake up again, I recall everything that happened in the Red Vault. I remember my father turning his back on me even when I begged him on my knees. And the intensity of that memory makes my chest squeeze with hurt. The heart rate monitor spikes up, and Elio invades my space, face contorting with worry.

“I’ll get the doctor.” He tries to get on his feet, but I hold him back. I take a deep breath, my vision finally focusing on how beautiful he is. Wherever I was, I definitely missed looking at him. And I love that I’m here with him because he makes it all better.