Page 128 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

A perfect thing to be protected, loved, cherished.

She holds out her hand to me and it’s an offer of everything I never knew I wanted, and everything I desperately need.

Her hand is a lifeline. Her hand is the future. And it’s mine.

Isn’t it?

I reach for it, interlacing my fingers with hers.

I smile, pushing my way closer to her, the crowd suddenly thick, suddenly trying to push us apart.

She’s being pulled away. Or pushing me away.

I don’t know.

Panic builds, beating razor wings against my bare and bruised body. Against my already bleeding flesh.

No.

Her hand is wet and slick. There’s red. Blood. I push toward her. I need to protect my queen, my Heaven.

I need to save her.

But there are too many people, and the meadow is gone. I’m in thick, wet quicksand, and it’s cold and dark and bitter. I can no longer see Heaven, just the slick red fingertips grasping and slipping from mine.

I fight the hunger of the muck that’s trying to pull me into a black, endless abyss. I fight to get to her.

There. I see her face again. But she’s not smiling now. A river of red runs down. My pulse spikes and I scream. It’s agony that rips at me.

And Heaven…

Dear God, Heaven.

Heaven’s lips part and a scream erupts into the air. I push through the quagmire, my legs sinking deeper and deeper the more I fight the seemingly inevitable.

The crowd fills in around me, watching me struggle, staring blankly when I yell for them to help Heaven.

I have to save her. But I need to get out of this first.

I can’t save Heaven if I can’t save myself.

She’s bleeding and she runs toward me, the bottom of her gown disappearing into the murk. It swirls around her ankles.

No. Not her.

Heaven will die if she comes any closer.

But she can’t hear me. And she won’t stop.

I yell and I yell for her to back away. I need to save her. I’ll give my life for her. I need her safe. I lunge for her, but the more effort I expend, the faster I sink. The quicksand rises around my chest, constricting my lungs.

The people surrounding us disappear one by one until we are the only two left. There’s no meadow, only the quicksand that threatens to swallow us whole.

My chest heaves and I draw in labored breaths.

She’s all by herself. I have to protect her.

She keeps coming, trying to reach me. It doesn’t matter that I betrayed her. She’s coming. And I can’t let that happen.

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