Fierce King by Ivy Mason

Twenty-Five

There wasa thunk on the floor, like the sound of a gun dropping behind me. But that couldn’t be true, could it? Who would get rid of their gun in a moment like this. But I didn't turn to look, my eyes were trained on Dimitri.

"Rose," Coulter's voice quivered. "Don't do this. You can’t believe Dimitri.”

"Coulter." Rose's voice was so soft, so goddamn sweet, I couldn't bear to hear the pain in it.

I was regretting everything now. From holding back, and to not telling her the truth sooner.

For not admitting the truth about how I felt about her to myself earlier.

I was such an idiot.

I could feel the pain, hear the agony behind me, the heartbreak.

The low, heartbroken moan of Coulter as Rose kissed him.

I swallowed down the knot in my throat.

She was kissing him goodbye.

Then it was quiet and Dimitri's face morphed into a satisfied grin.

There was a soft touch on my arm, gently tugging it downward.

Still keeping my eyes on Dimitri, I lowered it only quickly enough to grab Rose, pulling her into my side. Then I put it back up again, aiming my gun at Dimitri but curling my arm to encapsulate Rose into my embrace.

"Rose," I breathed, trying to keep my emotions out of this, but I couldn’t manage to hide the desperation in my voice.

Even though things were going to shit right now, everything felt so incredibly right. Rose was so perfect in my arms.

I wanted to hold her there forever.

"It's okay, Bourbon."

"It's not--" I shook my head. "It's not, Rose. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the entire truth before. And you need to hear it, but not right now. And not like this." My heart was in my throat. “Don’t go. There’s a way out of this, I swear.”

“Bourbon, look at me." She pressed her face into my cheek, her hand moving over my chest in a soothing motion.

If I took my eyes off of Dimitri for one second, he could pull the trigger and kill her.

I licked at the sweat on my upper lip, shaking my head. "Not happening."

"Bourbon." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Please look at me." The trembling, begging in her voice ripped me apart. “Please, Bourbon.”

At the pleading in her voice, my shields dropped and I glanced at her. She cupped my face, staring into my eyes. Pain and concern reflected back at me in her gaze.

Her lips lowered to mine and she kissed me softly. I groaned into her mouth, squeezing her tightly to me. I couldn’t let her go. Not now. Not ever.

Her kiss was tender and loving, the kind you give to your lover after spending hours of staring at them as they sleep.

The kind you give to the person you love when you want to tell them goodbye.

"No," I growled out against her lips. "You're not just going with him like this. How can I protect you if you leave?"

She pulled back, brushing her lips over mine briefly before opening her eyes. "I believe you, Bourbon. Whatever happened, I know you didn't mean to do it. I forgive you.”

"No." I gripped her tighter, but she moved deftly, slipping from my arms, taking a step back. “Rose. Don’t. Please.” I’d never begged a woman in my life, but I would do it now.

She shook her head, staring into my eyes. I stepped forward, ready to grab her again but she stepped back again. Two of Dimitri's men rushed forward and grabbed her, yanking her back behind the wall of his men.

Both Knight and I stepped forward, guns drawn, with Coulter at our backs.

"Now, now," Dimitri tsked his lips. "You wouldn't want her to get hurt, would you?"

We didn't drop our guns and I kept my sights on his stupid, ugly face. "If you hurt her," I growled, "I will come after you and everything you hold dear. You will wish you'd never stepped foot in Vegas."

Dimitri sneered, gripping Rose and pulling her back, barking out a command in Russian.

His men immediately reacted, grabbing her and dragging her out of my room and into the hallway.

She gasped at their harshness but she moved willingly, stumbling with them until she’d disappeared.

My chest ached. I couldn’t breathe. God, I couldn’t breathe.

Once she was gone, I felt Coulter behind me, moving forward, and Dimitri's gun moved from being trained on my head to his.

"What are you going to do now?" he growled out. "You think you can just walk out of here without repercussions?"

“No," Dimitri sneered, “I’ll make sure you'll be too busy to worry about me. Your mother made a deal for your life," suddenly his eyes moved back to me, "but even your own father has said that he doesn't need all of his sons."

Shock made me coil, and Dimitri pulled the trigger, his gun aiming right at me. Coulter shoved me forward. Both mine and Knight’s gun went off at the same time.

I fell to the ground, and Coulter’s body convulsed as three bullets hit him in succession. Then he fell to the floor.

A piercing cry wailed through the air, and then I heard Coulter's mother being dragged from the room.

Rose was screaming down the hallway and Knight stepped forward, his gun still going off as he aimed it at the group now rushing out to the hallway.

There was a sucking, gurgling noise.

I twisted, panic slamming into me as I crawled towards Coulter’s body. The sight of blood spreading under him made me sick.

I grabbed him, rolling him onto his back, and shock coursed through me at the pale face staring up at me.

"Coulter,” I growled, staring into his eyes. "Don't you fucking die on me."

He just shook his head, his eyes growing wide with the realization that it could actually happen.

"Knight, get the fucking doctor here. Right now!" I screamed, and jumped to my feet. I ran to the bathroom, yanking the first aid kit from under the sink.

I ran back into the room and fell at Coulter's body again. The next few minutes were critical.

Yanking the gauze pack from the kit, I pressed it to his wounds.

He stared up at the ceiling, trying to pull in ragged breaths.

Oh God. Oh God.

My world crashed around me. Everything slipped through my fingers.

For only a few brief hours, I had everything I ever wanted.

And now, it was gone in seconds.

Pressing the gauze to his wounds, I held Coulter’s stare, yelling at him to keep it together.

Inside I was raging, making an oath to the world.

I was going to save Coulter.

Then Rose.

After that, I was going to slice Dimitri into little pieces and feed him to the fucking fishes.

* * *

To be continued…

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