Page 55 of The October Trials

Bang.

The gunshot is so loud it makes my ears pop.

Blood… There’s blood… and brain matter on the wall behind her.

Her body drops, the gun clattering to the floor.

My best friend.

The girl who stayed up with me through every panic attack freshman year. Who stole cafeteria cookies for me when I was too broke to eat.

I want to drop beside her, hug her one last time, but I can’t. I’m so close to the end, and I can’t break.

The room is still in fucking chaos. Guards shout over one another as they scramble to subdue Dimitri, but he tears through them like they’re nothing more than paper. Archon is yelling orders. The men on the screen erupt into cheers.

And I…

I see the gun Sloane used to off herself.

I stare at it for half a second, heart slamming against my ribs. Everyone is focused on Dimitri—or what’s left of him. This is my chance.

Except one person isn’t looking at Dimitri.

Cage is looking straight at me.

Our eyes meet.

And I move.

I launch myself out of my chair, ignoring the pain flaring hot in my side. My boots slam against the floor hard as I sprint for the gun. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cage move too. But I’m faster.

Because I’m more desperate.

My hands close around the grip. Yes, yes!

I spin, raise the barrel, and fire a single shot into the ceiling.

Shards of wood rain down in a fine cloud of dust and soot. The room freezes for one heartbeat, realizing that I’d sacrifice either one of them to make it out of here tonight.

“Don’t,” I warn, voice raw. “Nobody fucking move.”

19

Cage

She’s pointing a gun at my head.

And I’ve never been more turned on in my life.

She’s holding the gun like she was born for it, and all I can think is how fucking beautiful she looks right now.

The image of her standing there, ready to kill or be killed, sinks straight into the darkest part of me and lights every nerve on fire.

God, if she decided right now that I needed to die, she could put a bullet between my eyes, and I’d go down hard with her name still on my tongue.

My cock hardens instantly, heat flooding my groin.

Not the fucking time, but I can’t help it.