Page 317 of Wicked Brutal

He looks at Darla. “Save them. Please.” His voice breaks. “Please fucking save them.”

I reach blindly. My fingers find Mom’s hand. Someone tries to move me away from her. “No!”

“Ally—“

“DON’T TAKE HER!”

“We need to move you.”

“NO!”

“We need to get you to the hospital.”

“I’m not leaving her!”

“Ally—“

“ALL THREE!” My fingers lock around Mom’s. “I promised her!” Ryan is sobbing now. I don’t care. “I promised all three!”

The world starts turning black around the edges. Ryan grabs my face. “Stay with me.”

“Mom.”

“Look at me.”

“I can’t leave her.”

“You aren’t.”

“Don’t let Tobias see her.” Ryan goes still. “Please. He can’t see her like this.”

“He won’t.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

“He’s waiting for us.”

“I know.”

“He thinks she’s coming.”

Ryan closes his eyes. When he opens them, tears run down his face.

“He’s going to ask me where she is.” My voice cracks.

“I know.”

“What do I tell him?” Ryan can’t answer. “Ryan.”

“I don’t know.”

“I promised him. I promised I’d come.”

I look at her. My mother. Her hand still in mine. Her blood beneath me. Then my stomach. My blood. Two different reds running together across the white marble until I can’t tell which one belongs to who anymore.

“Ryan?”