Defining Darkness - K E Osborn Page 0,77

Eva away from him. She stumbles slightly with the force of his thrust. “If I can’t have them both, then I’ll take the one. You seem attached to the sister, so I’ll take the important one, and you can keep the other in a show of good faith.”

“Good faith? You think I’m gonna let you walk out of here alive and with Ivy?” I grunt.

“I think you don’t have a choice.”

My gun aims directly at Andrés, while his points at Eva. I have a second to decide. So, I make it. “Fine, you win… take the girl.”

Eva gasps. “No! Nycto, no. How could you?”

I lower my gun.

As Andrés moves off, Eva’s eyes well up, overflowing with tears. The hatred in her eyes for me is palpable while Trixie holds on to her tightly.

Andrés edges past me, and I bring my gun back up quicker than Andrés comprehends, pulling the trigger. The bullet slams into his leg. The instant pain triggers him lowering his gun, which goes off in the process. Andrés lets go of Ivy as I rush in, grabbing his weapon, kicking his knee out from under him. He falls to the floor in a wail of pain as I aim both guns at his head.

Andrés’ pleading eyes lock onto mine. “Just kill me, Nycto,” he pants.

I snicker. “I have something much, much better planned for you. You won’t get out of this easily.” I turn to Ivy. “I need to lock this asshole in your room for a while until I prepare the walls.”

A whispered whimper catches my attention. As I turn my head, Eva hunches over, falling to the floor. Her hand clenched to her chest as she gasps for air. My heart slams hard, then stops a beat as fear cripples me.

“Stace, help her,” I call out, my voice breaking slightly.

I need to get to Eva, but I can’t take my eyes off Andrés. So, I rush forward, grabbing him forcefully, shoving him in Ivy’s room and connecting his hands to the handcuffs hanging down from the pole. I slam the brick wall shut, entombing him inside, then race over to Eva. My breathing is sharp as I slide in on the ground next to her.

Ivy and Stacey are pressing hard on Eva’s chest as blood pools from the bullet hole. Eva’s eyes meet mine as the blood seeps all over her shirt like a goddamn river.

“Fuck, Eva! Stay with me!” My hands tremble as I pull Ivy’s palms back to assess Eva’s wound.

She’s been shot in the upper chest.

I have to get her to a hospital.

Adrenaline soars through me as I bend, hoisting Eva up into my arms. “Ivy, keep pressure on the wound. Stacey, Trixie, Pepper, I don’t fucking care who, race ahead and get Nerve, tell him I’m coming in hot.”

All three club girls run off as Ivy and I race toward the stairs.

“C’mon, Eva, you’re okay,” I tell her.

Ivy’s eyes flood with tears as we take the stairs together. Her sister means everything to both of us, we can’t lose her now. Not like this.

We reach the top of the stairs as Nerve is rushing over with Trixie. “Put her on the table. Let me assess what we’re dealing with,” he instructs.

I lay her flat as Trixie pushes the condiment shakers off the table. They clang on the floor as I lay her down. Her writhing body makes my muscles tense as I watch her, knowing there’s absolutely nothing I can do to help her right now.

Nerve shoves me out the way, stepping in to assess her. I step back running my bloodied hands through my hair as everyone rushes over to see what’s going on. Luckily, the fighting up here has stopped. Ivy moves to my side, wrapping her arms around my waist for security, with tears streaming down her face as she watches on. Normally, the move would make me uncomfortable, but right now, I can do with some comfort.

We all stand back as Nerve works on Eva. “I can’t do this here, Prez. The bullet’s in too far. We have to take her to my clinic.”

“Do what you have to, Nerve. You know how fucking important she is to me.”

His eyes meet mine. There’s nothing but reservation in them, and it scares the absolute shit out of me.

I grit my teeth, needing to get my point across. “Let me be clear, Nerve. You save her. She dies, there will be hell to pay.”

“Spark, grab the cage, I need a