Page 155 of Hostile Saint

Lynx’s heart refused to quit beating for me. “We never give up. Hear me?”

Was he not seeing what I saw? That I no longer needed air in my lungs? He, of all men, should understand. “But, my… Pretty Girl.”

As if I had bled out, too, my mind floated to the memory of the sun on my toes… The same sun I knew had been touching her, too.

Now, the sun no longer shines…

My ears rang, but I still heard Dagger trying to reach me, “Kid, look at me.”

Blink. Blink.

I was utterly confused when I saw Lynx standing next to me, ripping the bottom of his t-shirt into strips.

“That’s it, kid,” said my VP as he lifted Lacey’s hand so my Prez could wrap her wrist tight with the material. “We fight until there ain’t nothin’ left to fight for.”

Drenched in dripping tears, my lips tried to move but failed.

Is there hope?

The father figure in my life worked his large hands on my wife’s tiny wrist, tying binds that went so much deeper than her skin.

Dagger swore, “She’s alive. Her pulse is strong. Her heart is strong.”

I couldn’t even breathe, daring to believe him.

As if my face bore more pain than Dagger could handle seeing me in, his blue eye watered. “She’s still here, kid.” He swallowed. “The blood,” he swallowed again, “Minimal.”

Fighting to not crumble and lay next to my Pretty Girl, I swayed.

Lynx took a knee next to me and grabbed my shoulders. “Noble.”

My name…

“My boy, think.” He gave my shoulders a shake. Whispering aggressively, he told me, “We found you in much more.” When he blew out a shaky breath, I finally realized what he was saying. Compared to the blood loss I had experienced, Lacey had lost so much less.

“Modified.” Sucking in air, he nodded, trying to smile. “You’re special.” He peered at her. “So is she. The blood where she had been that night, it was more. That’s how she made it here. Special.”

Behind Lynx, Vice was crossing the room to retrieve his camera by the window. “I was there, kid. We had no idea how she made it.”

There is such strength in allowing yourself permission to be different.

Air rushed back into my lungs.

Determined, he gave me another nod. “We haven’t lost her. I’m not trying to trick you to live for me. If she were gone, I’d respect the fuck out of you if you followed her.”

Lace… I looked back at her. You’re alive?

Needing to move us forward as these men had taught me, Vice was already out of the room and Lynx was at the door when he told me, “Son, pick up your girl. Let’s get ‘er home.”

Home…

I looked to Dagger, a man to whom I would forever be grateful, and did my best to be the man they hoped I would become. “Can you please get her journal from the nightstand?”

He smiled at me as if I was making him so fucking proud. “You got it, Lycan.”

That is the very second in which my name made complete sense to me.

Me; Noble. Lynx; Duke.