Page 133 of Goldsin

Mimicking hers.

But her eyes close next, and mine remain wide-open as I watch her get picked up from my arms and carried away by paramedics.

I continue to watch.

Is this the last time I’ll get to see her? Will this become a haunting memory or a distant one?

My tears fall silently, mixing with her blood on my skin.

And in a beat she’s gone.

For how long?

“Julian.” Adrian turns me toward him. “Listen to me. I’m going with them to check on Mom. Can you stay here and take care of Dad?”

I feel utterly helpless.

He doesn’t wait for an answer. He takes off behind them, and I’m left standing in my parents’ room with the one person who hates me the most, while the only one who ever loved me fights for her life.

Adrian’s figure disappears, and in its place appears Valentine.

As composed as always, he looks over my shoulder at the resting body of his boss.

Ex-boss.

I am his boss now.

“We’ll take care of him,” he says.

“Where is she?”

“Who?”

I push past him without another word.

“Julian!” he shouts after me.

Shouts.

The only time you shout at a member of the leading family of the Inferno Consortium is when you’re getting tortured by them.

I ignore the blatant disrespect and rush down the stairs, my mother’s blood drying on my skin, and in an instant I’m in front of her apartment. Barging in.

She’s sitting on the couch chewing on her lower lip, but she stands immediately at my appearance. The light speckles in her eyes are visible from this far away as her eyes widen in shock, taking in every brush of crimson on my clothes. On my skin.

“Julian—”

“You promised.”

She flinches, regret in her eyes.

“You promised me.” This time I growl. “And you still went and did it.” My mouth pulls down in disgust.

She moves around the coffee table, and I hold up a hand.

“Don’t come near me,” I spit.

The sight of her twists my stomach. My hand shivers slightly, and I clench it back down, not wanting her to notice.

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