Chapter 29 #2
"I want you to kneel."
I didn't move.
"Kneel!" His voice sharpened. The blade pressed closer. A thin line of blood appeared on Olivia's neck. Bright red against her pale skin.
I stared at that bloodline. My fists clenched.
"I'll count to three. One."
My knee bent slightly.
"Ezio, don't!" Olivia's voice cracked.
"Two."
"Don't kneel!" She struggled. Ropes dug into her wrists. Blood seeped from the cuts. "He's not worth it!"
Sebastian's arm tightened, choking off her words. Her face flushed red, but her eyes stayed on me. Tears, defiance, something that made my heart clench.
My knee nearly touched the ground.
"Three."
Excitement flashed in Sebastian's eyes. His knife hand loosened for an instant.
That instant was enough.
Olivia moved.
Her elbow slammed backward into Sebastian's gut. He screamed. The knife slipped from his hand. His arm loosened for one moment.
One moment was all I needed.
I charged. Left fist crashed into his face. He staggered back. Olivia broke free from his grip, fell to the ground. I didn't stop. Second punch to his temple. He slammed into a metal rack behind him with a dull crash.
He collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth. But he was still smiling.
"Still so fast," he gasped. "All our lives, you've been faster than me at everything—"
I kicked the knife away, grabbed his collar, and hauled him up.
"You lost."
"I know," he said, looking at me. That fire in his eyes had died, leaving only emptiness. "I've known for a long time."
He suddenly smiled. Light, like sharing a secret.
"But you know what, Ezio? There's one thing I knew before you did."
"What?"
He looked at me. A flash of malice in his eyes.
"Did Olivia tell you? Leo is your son."
Something exploded in my brain.
Leo was my child?
What the fuck?
I lost focus.
Just one second.
But it was enough.
Sebastian's hand found the knife on the ground, slashed upward. The blade cut across my arm. Blood poured out, dark red, warm, dripping down my fingers.
I stepped back, left hand covering the wound. Pain snapped me back.
He staggered to his feet, knife in hand stained with my blood. He was gasping, blood all over his mouth. But smiling.
"You lost focus," he said. "You actually lost focus."
"Sebastian, you bastard!" Olivia's voice was shrill enough to pierce eardrums. She scrambled up from the floor, ropes still on her wrists, blood seeping from the cuts. But she didn't care. Just glared viciously at Sebastian.
Sebastian looked at her. That fire in his eyes had died, leaving only emptiness. Then he looked away, back to me, lips curling.
"All our lives, you've been better than me at everything—fighting, shooting, reading situations, controlling emotions. Always the best. Always the one I couldn't catch. But you have one weakness, Ezio."
His gaze shifted to Olivia.
"You care about her too much."
I took a step forward. Blood dripped from my arm, pooling darkly on the floor. But my left hand was steady.
"You done?"
His smile froze.
"You're done," I said. "My turn."
I charged. He swung the knife. I dodged, left hand grabbed his wrist, twisted hard. He grunted. The knife fell. I punched his face. He staggered back, hit the metal rack.
I didn't stop.
Second punch. Third. Every blow landed on his face, his body. Blood sprayed from his nose, his mouth, splattered on my hands, my clothes.
He collapsed in the corner. Couldn't stand anymore.
I stood over him, breathing hard. The wound in my arm throbbed. Blood still flowing. But I couldn't feel it anymore.
"You lost."
He lay there, face covered in blood. But smiling. Light, faint, like a flickering flame.
"Yes," he said softly. "I lost."
The warehouse door burst open. Carlo rushed in with his men. At least a dozen. Guns aimed at Sebastian.
"Sir!" Carlo shouted.
"I'm fine," I said, voice hoarse. "Take him away."
Carlo's men moved forward, dragged Sebastian from the ground. He didn't resist. Just looked in my direction, eyes hollow.
"Ezio," he said softly. "If I wasn't your cousin—"
"You'd have died ten years ago."
He smiled. Bitter, resigned, something I'd never seen on his face before.
"Thank you," he said. "For showing mercy."
They took him away.
I didn't watch him go. I turned toward Olivia.
She knelt on the ground, ropes still on her wrists, blood seeping from the cuts, dripping on the floor. A thin line of blood on her neck from the blade. Her lips trembled. Tears in her eyes. But she was smiling.
I knelt before her, used my left hand to work at the ropes on her wrists. The knots were tight. My right hand was useless. Left hand pulled at them slowly.
"You're bleeding," she said, voice shaking. "Your arm—"
"It's nothing."
"Liar. You always say it's nothing—"
Her tears fell. I lowered my head, caught the knot between my teeth, pulled hard. The rope loosened. I yanked it free. Her wrists showed deep red marks, flesh bruised purple.
I held her hands, looking at the marks.
"Does it hurt?"
"No."
Her lips trembled. "Ezio—"
"Let's go home," I said, voice rough. "The kids are waiting."
She nodded, gripping my hand. Her hand was cold. But tight.
I stood, helped her up. My arm throbbed. Blood still flowing. Couldn't lift my right arm at all. But I could still stand.
We took two steps.
Then my legs gave out.
Darkness rushed in from all sides like a tide. I heard her screaming my name, voice shrill and unlike her.
"Ezio! Ezio!"
Her face was close, but I couldn't see clearly anymore. Darkness swallowed everything.