Page 53 of The Villain

So I said exactly nothing as I waited for the first blow. A fist cracked across my jaw a moment later, sending a shockwave of pain down my spine. I hit the ground with a thud, and the blows just kept coming. Boots slammed into my gut, my face, my legs. Someone stomped on my left arm, and I bit back a cry of agony.

I didn’t speak. I didn’t say a single word.

Because if I did, they would stop. And I didn’t want them to stop—not if Cian was no longer a part of this world.

I’d gladly join him in the afterlife.

FIFTEEN

Cian

Voices floated above me like smoke. Jace’s angry, staccato bursts. Rhys’s low, soothing murmur. I tried to move my lips. Tried to use my own voice.

D—

De—

Dev—

But nothing came out. My lips closed around hard plastic. My thoughts drifted away, and the voices evaporated as I was pulled back under.

When I woke again, warmth blanketed my arm. I lifted my hand to sift through the soft waves of Devlin’s hair, but the texture was all wrong. This was?—

“Cian,” Jace breathed. I opened my eyes to a blurry, pale face. Honey-brown eyes blinked at me. The tube in my mouth wasgone, and I could move my lips, but my tongue struggled to form any words.

Jace’s head turned away. “Rhys! His eyes are open.”

A shadow shifted to my right. Then Rhys was at my side, his brows drawn low and his jaw tight. “Ci.”

I took a few deep breaths as I fought my way to full consciousness. Pain had settled into the left side of my body like it belonged there, a bone-deep ache that grew sharper every time I swallowed. I was in my apartment. There was an IV stand next to my bed and a needle in my arm.

“Hey. Don’t move.” Rhys’s hand settled on my thigh. “Dr. Bev said?—”

I gathered my elbows beneath me and lifted myself into a reclining position. “H—” Only a whoosh of air came out. Fire raced through my throat as the muscles tightened. “How long?” I forced out.

“Two days.” Jace stood over me now, hands fisted at his sides. “You got shot, brother, right where your shoulder meets your neck. Luckily, the bullet went clean through. An inch or two over and—” He choked on the rest of the sentence, his voice rising with an angry tremble. “You almost bled out. She had to use two fucking bags of blood on you—” His voice cracked, and he turned his back to me as he tore his hands through his hair.

Rhys’s gaze shifted from me to Jace. He stayed still, watching my brother until Jace finally turned back around, eyes wet. I lifted a hand to his face, and he leaned his cheek into my palm like a cat. My hand scraped against his patchy stubble. Kid still couldn’t grow a beard.

“Well,” I croaked with a grimace. “I’m alive.”

Jace’s lips pressed into a thin line. “But you almost weren’t.”

“Almost isn’t dead.”

You promised. You promised me you’d be the last face I’d ever see. You have to stay alive and keep that promise.

I could feel the ghost of his warm hand in mine, his broken voice lingering in my ear. “Wh-where’s Devlin?”

“Don’t worry about that fucker.” Jace’s tone made my heart pound. I turned my head, and even though the small motion made my body lock up with pain. Jace’s eyes flickered. “What?”

“Where is he?” I was breathing harder now.

“Cian…” Rhys spoke in a placating tone that set me on edge. “Just focus on healing?—”

I gritted my teeth. “Where. Is. He?”

“Come on?—”