CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CASPER
I failed her. I fucking failed her.
The promise I’d made to protect her had been broken. Watching this sick son of a bitch violate my flower had done something to me. He uncovered something I hadn’t known dwelled within me. Something far more sinister than my dark side. Something that belonged in the underworld.
Lying there on the floor with a bullet in my abdomen, I had a split-second to make a choice. Stay there and die or get up and make sure this fucker got what was coming to him before the gods took me.
Even if it took my dying breath, I would do everything I could to make sure he never touched Luna again.
She dropped to her knees beside me, whispering my name over and over while pressing a hand over my bleeding wound. “You’ll be okay, Casper. Please hang on. Please don’t die. I need you to not die.”
Her words came in a rush as she babbled. Absolutely terrified for me despite what she’d just endured. I placed a hand over hers, a silent vow that I wasn’t going anywhere. Not like this. When I died, it would be on my own terms, not Jace fucking Ford’s.
Smiling through the bloody mask that covered his face from the beating I’d given him, Jace held the gun on both of us. “Either of you move and I blow your fucking heads off. Did you think I didn’t come prepared for this? I was thinking ahead.”
Jace went to the wooden box in the corner of the basement, flipping the lid open. I struggled to sit up. Inwardly I cursed when I saw the contents of the box. A fucking homemade explosive. What the hell was wrong with this fucking idiot?
Both Luna and I sat there on the cold floor waiting for him to get to the point. Was he going to blow us up? Clearly he had a plan here.
“I can see that you’re both dying of curiosity, so let me be clear.
” Waving the gun at Luna, Jace said, “I’m going to go outside.
Before I go, I’ll set the timer. You’ll have two minutes to take the gun and shoot your boyfriend in the head.
Do that and I’ll let you out before the bomb goes off.
Fail to kill him and you’ll both stay down here and blow up together. ”
Luna’s mouth dropped open. She watched in quiet shock as Jace tossed the gun well out of reach, hit a button on the explosive, and darted for the stairs. Immediately the ticking of the countdown clock began. A sound that made me sick with the finality of every tick.
Pain slashed through my abdomen. Every breath hurt like hell. Blood soaked through my fingers. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping me from passing out.
As Jace beat it for the stairs, Luna sprang into action.
She snatched up the Taser he dropped when I attacked him with the chair.
Her limber legs carried her quickly as she chased after him.
He’d only made it halfway up the stairs when she jammed the Taser into the back of his leg.
He dropped onto the stairs, giving her the opportunity to hit him with it again in the middle of his spine.
Knowing we didn’t have much time, I clenched my teeth and forced myself to stand up. I staggered across to where the gun lay on the floor. Picking it up, I gripped it in one hand and went to help Luna drag Jace down the stairs. I didn’t hesitate to fire a bullet straight into his crotch.
His scream echoed throughout the basement. Loud enough to make my ears ring. Again, he screamed, watching in horror as the blood gushed through his pants. I would’ve loved to take more time with him. To slowly make him regret ever touching Luna. This would have to do.
Leaving him here to die in his own explosion while slowly bleeding to death would have been justice. However, it wouldn’t give Luna the closure she needed. Even though I was doubled over and fighting for every breath, I pressed the gun into her hand. She needed to finish this. For herself.
“Go ahead, flower,” I signed with bloody hands. “Close the door on this motherfucker.”
I remembered screaming her name. In the heat of the moment, overcome with the need to get to her, to save her from him, it had burst out. Now I was lost for words again. Unsure how that had even happened. I wondered if I would ever be able to say her name again. I hoped so.
Luna glanced nervously from me to Jace. She held the gun tight, her hand shaking. “I don’t know if I can do it.”
This had to be her choice. Staring down at the whimpering, wailing piece of shit, she must’ve remembered everything he’d done to her. Her hand stopped shaking, her jaw clenched as she claimed her power.
“I hope you burn in whatever hell will take you.” Staring into Jace’s eyes, Luna pulled the trigger.
She wasn’t quite ready for the kickback. I grabbed her before it could knock her off balance, taking the gun. Together we stepped over his body, making our way up the stairs. I wasn’t sure how much time we had left. Possibly only a matter of seconds.
The pain in my gut grew immensely with every step. Every breath felt like it might be my last. I stumbled partway up the stairs, falling to my knees. I waved a hand for her to keep going without me.
“I’m not leaving you behind. Get up, Casper. We’re getting out of this house together.” Despite my much greater weight, she did her best to help me stand.
Clutching the stair railing, I dragged myself up each stair. The ticking of the explosive below followed us as we reached the main floor. The front door felt so far away despite the house not being all that large. Again I stumbled, almost falling before we made it out.
“Come on, Casper. You can do this. For me.” Luna held tight to me, refusing to let go.
Finally, we emerged from the house. I didn’t think we would get to the car. We didn’t have that kind of time. Knowing the explosive would blow any second, I pushed her to the ground beneath me at the edge of the yard, covering her with my body.
Then it happened. An explosion that shook the entire house.
The worst of it had been contained to the basement.
Still, the upper floor sustained some damage.
Pieces of siding, roof shingles, and various chunks of debris rained down on us.
Something slammed into my back, knocking what little breath I had left from my lungs.
I didn’t care. As long as Luna was safe.
Knowing that it was over meant no longer having to fight the pain ripping through my insides. I had no idea how bad it was, but I knew it wasn’t good. The world began to fade away. Vaguely I was aware of Luna shoving me off her, frantically calling my name.
Then I was gone.