Page 204 of Punishing His Runaway Bride
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 pierceeardrums. 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.
