Page 144 of Paper Coffins
His words unleash something in me I can’t explain. Threatened or antagonised, I can’t work out which, but I know my fury is one neither of us will miss. My fist balls, and I don’t stop the trajectory it takes to connect with his jaw. He staggers back, losing his footing to land solidly on his arse. Immediately, he’s rubbing his jaw, but his eyes regard me with such a level of malice I could almost believe this isn’t Andreas.
“For someone who knows me most, you should have seen that coming.”
He sniggers, dropping his hand from his jaw. “Yeah, well, we both seem to have that habit. And now’s my turn.” He pulls a gun from the back of his waistband and takes aim. “How the tables have turned, Tally.” He’s yet to get off the floor, but it doesn’t do anything to diminish his gameplan. “You made a fool out of me that first day back, and you made a fool out of me by making me expendable, but no one gets to do it a third time.”
He cocks the gun, steadying the aim on me, and then fixes me with a grin so full of deadly intent I know I need to move, but I’m not quick enough as the bang of a gun causes me to flinch, my body waiting for the impact of a bullet that never comes.
“Why are the cute ones always fucking psycho?”
I uncurl from my position and turn ever so slightly on the spot to find Sebastian putting the safety back on his own gun.
“Wasted beauty.”
“You shot him.”
“Wow, baby doll. Shocked much?” he mocks, nudging me with his elbow. “You always come before anyone else in this world.”
Continuing to blink at him, I wonder how it can feel like we’re back all those years and no animosity sits between us. I thought my story wouldn’t be heard, let alone understood, but Beckett and Sebastian have proven that our connection is still bone-deep.
“Can you lose the shell-shocked expression?”
I try but continue to look at him.
“I caught you kissing him only days ago. Now, you’re killing him...”
“Kissed. Killed.I kissed him. I killed him.” He shrugs as if it’s no big deal. “No one threatens anyone in my family. It’s my job, right?”
Slowly, everything feels like it’s coming back. Piece by piece, bit by bit, this life is reforming before me, giving me the confidence that my main goal—the empire—is still mine for the taking, and while I still need to clean house, I’m not doing that alone.
“So, you and Beck? You two reconciled?”
“I think so,” I admit, but can’t hide my timid tone. “But is it that easy?”
“Well, why not?”
Shrugging, I try not to feed the naivety of the matter. “Seems too easy.”
“Sometimes this life fools us into thinking everything needs to be difficult, but really, there are things not worth fighting against.” He brandishes a reassuring smile and pulls me from the room. “Let’s get whatever you need and go and find the main man himself. We’ll deal with Andreas at the same time.”
He holds his arm out, letting me lead the way. I enter the room, but something feels off. I don’t realise what it is until I see the glint of a gun, but I’m not quick enough to react when two bullets ring out. Sebastian’s body jolts with the hits he takes, and I feel the soft splatter of his blood on my skin before I watch him drop.
“About fucking time I got rid of him.”
I stare at the spot he fell, taking in the gunshot wounds inflicted on him—one to the heart, one to the forehead. No coming back from either.
“Sebastian?”
His name is wrapped in a gasp so heavy I can barely breathe. I make a move, knowing he needs me most right now, not willing to let myself believe he was dead before he hit the floor.
“Don’t even think about it, princess.”
I’m trying to pull on everything I know, but the shock of seeing Sebastian dead at my feet isn’t something I can easily overcome.
“You and Sebastian have always been a thorn in my side. I got rid of one but had to keep the other.”
“He was like a son to you.”
“But he wasn’t my son, was he? No, see, my son shares my DNA, and after tonight, we’ll have righted everything. All of the issues of the last few weeks will be gone.”