Page 111 of Beneath His Robes

Jack ran out the doors of the church. His laughter echoed in my ears. I screamed, pushing my body up and running to reach Elias. He was falling farther down, his frail skin unable to handle the weight of his body.

I tried to see through my tears and I looked desperately for the hammer used to nail him up there.

I couldn’t find it, and I was wasting more time.

Regretting it the minute my mind knew it was the only option, I jumped onto the cross. The flames behind us were already too close, and they singed my skin with the heat.

“I’m so fucking sorry,” I said, gripping Elias’s hands and ripping with all the force I could.

He screamed as his hands ripped off the nails, a hole remaining from the silver metal.

I couldn’t focus on his pain, I had to free him. This was killing me, breaking my soul, but I had to free him. If I didn’t we truly would burn to the ground.

“I love you.” I said, doing the same to his beautiful, mangled dick.

There was barely anything remaining. Just a bloody tear of skin. I felt sick, trying to contain myself, to hold up the man I loved as he bled. I draped his chest over my shoulder, trying to be as quick as I possibly could with his feet. His screams broke more and more pieces of my soul. But what hurt the worst was when his sounds of agony got quieter.

Finally freed, I searched blindly in the smoke and rising flames for the exit. With Elias on my back, I held onto him as if my own soul was tethered to his, willing him to be okay. I couldn’t let go. I couldn’t fail him. I had to move forward. I was so close. So close to getting out of this hell.

As if an angel showed me the way, I finally found the door and smashed our bodies as hard as I could, knocking free the last pulls of the nails carelessly stuck into the door.

We fell onto the ground. Elias barely made a sound, and I scrambled, crawling away from the fire and pulling him away with me close to my side. He was so quiet.

He must be in shock. Anyone would be. I would help him through this. He would be okay.

“You’re going to be okay. I got you.” I said, using every amount of my strength to pull him to safety.

“Ronan…” his voice was weak, so fragile.

I couldn’t think about that.

I had to get farther away.

The fire was still too close.

When I finally got us on soft grass far enough from the church that we couldn’t feel that lingering heat, I took a deep breath and pulled Elias closer to my chest. He felt cold despite the blazing fire we just fled.

“It’s okay,” I said again, angling his face to look into my eyes. “We’re safe. We’re safe now. I love you. It’s okay. Talk to me, okay?”

His eyes were hazy. That vibrant blue I knew and loved so much was fading.

“Elias…” I said louder, brushing my blood-soaked thumb over his lips. “I’m here, baby. We made it. It’s going to be okay now.”

He reached a shaky hand to hold my chin, a message in his eyes that I didn’t want to accept. I shook my head, tears blurring my vision as I couldn’t hold back my sobs. That tether that held us together. The undeniable bond and light we had from the moment we were kids was…fading.

“Don’t you dare, Mon Pur,” I begged, my words barely audible through my sobs. “You don’t get to run anymore. Not now. You can’t leave me again.”

Elias smiled. It was weak but no less breathtaking.

“Don’t cry. I will…never…leave you…Ronan. I’ll always be here.” His hand fell from my cheek and rested on my chest. The empty, hollow heart I felt torn in two.

“Please…Don’t go,” I cried, holding him in my arms, pressing my lips into his, willing for my life to enter him.

Begging a silent prayer to take me instead. To leave him here as he was always meant to be. This wasn’t fair. None of it was fair. I needed Elias. I couldn’t do this without him.

“I…choose you…I am…sorry…I…was…too…late.”

No!

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