Page 128 of Poisoned Promise
Small stones and debris cut up the soles of my feet, the rising smoke claws into my lungs with every frantic breath, and the heat of flames creeping over the edge of the roof threaten to take me out before I reach her.
I run like I’ve never run before.
“Go!” Caterina yells at her pilot and she slams her hand against his helmet. “What are you waiting for, fucking go!”
“Caterina!” I’m five feet away and closing. “Get back here you cunt!”
“You’re fucking crazy!” she screams back. “Fuck off and die!!” She ducks her head and reaches for something under the seat but she doesn’t have a chance to get it because I’m right at the edge of the helipad.
Launching myself forward, I collide with her and we crash into the helicopter seats together.
“You crazy bitch!” Caterina screams and her perfectly manicured nails claw down my face. “Why won’t you fucking die!? How many times are you going to keep coming back?!”
Scrambling over her, I lean up and ball my fist, then I punch her as hard as I can.
Again and again the blows land while a deep sense of satisfaction settles in my gut.
Finally I can give her what she deserves.
“You tried to kill me!” I roar at her with another punch. “You murdered my family. You tried to kill my son! There’s no future for you, Caterina!”
“Me?” She coughs up a mouthful of blood, then catches me on the chin with her thin, sharp elbow. I reel backward, then fall further as the helicopter lurches and starts to lift. Caterina slams her heel into my gut as she tries to kick me out.
“You killed my son! My baby boy! He was mine! I wanted you to feel an ounce of that pain. And then you came back and killed my lover! You’re a fucking cockroach, Dove. Die, bitch! Fucking die!”
She kicks me over and over with each blow landing hard in my gut. Clinging to the door of the helicopter to stop myself from falling, I have no choice but to take the blows until the next one misses due to the struggle of the helicopter trying to take off with such an updraft of heat from the fire.
I grab her ankle and let my weight shift to try and drag us both out of the helicopter.
Caterina screeches and grabs onto the belt buckles to stop herself falling while doing everything she can to kick me free.
“I’m ready to die here,” I snarl at her through bloody teeth. “I’ll do everything to keep Alex safe if I die while killing you, it will still be worth it!”
“You’re insane!” She screeches so high her voice cracks, then she slips and finally reaches for whatever she wants under the seat. With a grunt, Caterina twists her torso to look at me clawing my way up her leg, then she aims a gun at me.
“I wanted to kill you slowly,” she pants as the helicopter lifts. “But this will do!”
The helicopter lurches suddenly as Caterina fires her shot and her arm jolts wide, but before I can register the pain - or lack of - the helicopter suddenly careens to the side as the pilot screams and screams.
“You shot me! You fucking shot me!”
My stomach lurches up into my throat as the helicopter tips to the side, then sparks fly while metal screeches and creaks as each helicopter blade smashes into the roof. The entire vehicle shudders and Caterina locks eyes with me.
It’s the last thing I see before the helicopter flips over itself and I’m thrown into the air, landing several feet away with a crack echoing through my ribs and hot pain blooming across the back of my skull where my head cracks on the ground.
Distant gunfire fades in and out as the world around me blurs to darkness.
A loud pop follows, then heat washing over my body as if I’m basking in the sun. Then… silence.
It’s rather blissful.
Wind brushes over my bare legs and catches on the hem of Felix’s shirt, followed by another rush of heat that’s too strong to be comfortable.
Blood coats the back of my tongue and I’m forced to swallow it as I slowly open my eyes.
I’m near the edge of the roof with the carnage and chaos spilling out of the Estate and across several streets below. Bree’s teamseems to be winning, judging by the impenetrable line of black cars, and… is that a cement mixer?
A crunch on the ground next to me draws my attention away from the battle below and I slowly roll my head.
