Page 100 of Silk and Sirens

A complete contrast to the tension running through me.

“You’ve been telling me to run for years,” I said, opening my eyes to offer him a strained smile.

The crease between his brows only deepened. “Yeah, but you’re not the one running. Are you?”

“It’s a backup plan.” I flipped through the documents quickly, making sure everything looked perfect, then slipped my handwritten letter inside before handing the folder back to him.

Fletcher stared at it as though it were a death sentence. “This feels like you’re giving up.”

“I’m not.” I looked across the green, at the kids playing football and the old couple walking slowly along the path. Normal things I ached to experience but was unlikely to. I turned back to him, voice steady despite the tightness in my chest. “This is the last resort. If everything falls apart, if my plan with Caden fails, you get them out. You make sure Selene can never touch them.”

Fletcher held my gaze for a long moment, jaw tight.

“Promise me,” I whispered, needing to hear him say it out loud. Everything I’d ever done was to protect my sisters. Every decision. Every death at my hands. I couldn’t save Mira, but I sure as hell was going to save Brooke and Darya. This was the last thing I needed in place to secure their safety.

Fletcher exhaled sharply, eyes widening just as a shadow moved behind me. “Red⁠—!”

A flash of steel, and I turned just as a sharp sting sliced across my shoulder. I stumbled back with a gasp, hand flying to the cut and gaze locking on the knife that had been aiming for my throat.

“Vivienne sends her regards,” the man dressed in black grunted, sneering with his teeth. He lunged for me, the blade of his knife glistening with red. But before he could take another swipe, Fletcher was there. He slammed into the man with his full weight, tackling him to the grass in a brutal collision. The attacker twisted violently beneath him, wrenching his arms free as he drove the knife upward.

Fletcher grunted, body jerking hard as I screamed. The blade had sunk deep into his side, the attacker pulling it out only to stab him with it once more.

“Hey!” I screeched, the sound causing the attacker to look up.

I punched him, the pain along my knuckles immediate. He snarled, jumping up with the bloody knife aimed towards me. I tensed, my ribs aching with how fast my heart raced.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I went to brace, but an arm encircled my waist from behind, throwing me to the side. I barely managed to catch my fall before Langdon stepped between me and the attacker, his head cocked to the side like some great cat out hunting. His fingers moved, signing something that neither I nor the attacker could understand.

“Fuck you,” the attacker sneered, but before he could do anything, Langdon had reached for his wrist and promptly broken it.

A pained shriek, and the knife fell to the ground. Langdon kicked it away, and I didn’t have a chance to blink before his fist connected, a dull, heavy sound that made me flinch. But I couldn’t stop them, instead crawling towards Fletcher. He still lay on his back, unmoving, his eyes closed and blood oozing from his side. I immediately added pressure, looking back over to find Langdon fighting viciously, each punch landing harder than the last.

“Get help!” I screamed, and Langdon turned to me. It gave the attacker a moment to run, his shoes slipping on the grass as he scrambled for his escape.

Langdon watched as he disappeared into the trees, his expression thunderous when he turned back to me. He gestured angrily, but when I snarled at him once more, he finally threw me his phone and crouched beside me. His usual chaotic energy was promptly replaced by a focused intensity as he took over the pressure.

I fumbled with the phone, hands slick with Fletcher’s blood, and dialled nine-nine-nine. My voice shook as I gave them our location, eyes never leaving Fletcher’s pale face.

“Stay with me,” I whispered, stroking my fingers through Fletcher’s hair. “You don’t get to die on me.”

I couldn’t lose him.

Not now.

Not when I was this close.

Chapter 41

Caden

“Mum, are you still in here?” I called, pushing her bedroom door open a crack. “I practiced. Can I show you?”

When she didn’t answer, I opened it wider. The room was dark and empty, but the en-suite light was on, and I could hear water running.

“Mum?”