EZRA
I muttered under my breath, cursing the sharp pain that shot through my arm with every step I took. "This is it. This is my chance. I either escape now or rot in that damn room or…..I kill Lucius before he decides to kill me himself."
The mansion was eerily quiet, its usual chaos replaced by the distant echoes of laughter and low murmurs from the guards stationed outside. They were distracted, indulging in their smoke break, oblivious to the fact that their prisoner was slipping away. My body screamed at me to stop, to rest, but I couldn't. My arm was still bandaged and numb from being dislocated, my ribs ached, and my legs felt like lead. But I had no choice.
I pushed myself forward, limping down the dimly lit hallway, my breaths uneven. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blood….probably mine. I didn't care. The front door was just a few steps away.
I could already taste freedom.
My heart pounded as I reached the door, my trembling fingers curling around the handle. One deep breath. Just one push. Just one….
A sudden noise made me freeze.
Gravel crunching. The low rumble of an approaching car.
I sucked in a sharp breath and darted back into the shadows, pressing myself against the cold stone wall. My pulse thundered in my ears as I peeked out the window, praying that it wasn't Lucius.
The sleek black car rolled into the driveway, its headlights cutting through the darkness like knives. My stomach twisted. My escape plan dangled by a fragile thread. If it was Lucius…
But as the car door swung open, my breath hitched.
It wasn't Lucius.
It was Malachai.
My chest tightened as I watched him stumble out of the car, his usually sharp eyes dull, his body slumped forward as if it were too heavy for him to carry. His hand clutched his shoulder, blood seeping through his fingers, soaking his shirt, dripping onto the pavement. His face was pale, lips slightly parted as he sucked in shaky breaths.
I had never seen him like this before.
My legs moved before my brain could process it. My plan to escape? Forgotten. My fear of Lucius? Irrelevant. The only thing that mattered in that moment was him.
I sprinted toward him, ignoring the searing pain in my arm, ignoring the cold night air biting at my skin. "Malachai!" I called, my voice barely above a whisper as I reached him, my hands gripping his arms to steady him.
He groaned, his knees nearly buckling. "Ezra…?"
"I'm here," I whispered, my fingers ghosting over his bruised jaw. "What the hell happened to you?"
He tried to smirk, but it was weak, his strength drained. "Got… distracted."
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around him. His blood was warm against my skin, a cruel reminder that he was hurt because of Lucius. Because of this life. Because he stayed here when he should have left.
My heart ached as I reached up and pressed a soft kiss against his jaw, a silent plea for him to hold on, to stay with me. "You're bleeding too much," I murmured, my throat tight. "We need to…"
"Shh," he cut me off, his good hand gripping my waist, steadying himself. "You're not supposed to be out here."
"And you're not supposed to be dying in front of me," I snapped, my voice cracking.
He chuckled, but it was weak. "Not dying. Just… hurting."
I shook my head, pressing my forehead against his. "I don't care. You scared the hell out of me."
He exhaled softly, his fingers brushing against my cheek, leaving a faint smear of blood. "I scare myself too, Ezra. Every damn day."
I closed my eyes, my grip on him tightening. "Let's get you inside. Before you pass out on me."
He didn't argue. He let me hold him, let me guide him back inside, our escape plans buried under the weight of reality. And as I looked at him, at his battered face, at the exhaustion in his eyes..,I knew one thing for certain.
I wasn't leaving him behind.
Not now. Not ever.