It's not going to buy us much time, but it should buy me enough to figure out how to save Noah.
If he's even going to want me after this.
I start to walk backward toward the car as he holds his thigh, trying to get the bleeding to stop. "I'm sorry, but I can't watch you do this to them, so if this is what you want, you're welcome to it, but if you want to come with me now, I can save you."
He's not going to listen to me. I can see it in his eyes. Getting revenge is always going to be more important than I am.
It breaks my heart.
"You made your choice," he hisses through clenched teeth, fury in his eyes. "Leave."
And for what might be the first time, I listen to him, getting in the car, my heart ripping its way out of my chest.
All I can do is hope I'm right about what my brother wants; otherwise, I've just made the worst decision of my life.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
NOAH
This is goingto be the day I die, and Summer can't even be bothered to be by my side while it happens.
Well, maybe it's not that she can't be bothered. I've been on a path of self-destruction for as long as I've been alive. It's the only thing I know. The only thing I've ever been taught to know.
Take power at any cost.
Even your life.
The car whips around, engine roaring, as I try to feel the bullet in my leg, footsteps on the ground growing louder.
I look over my shoulder to see Aiden drawing closer.
Fuck.
I dig deeper into my thigh.
I know the bullet didn't come out the other side, but I can't feel it. There's no way I'm going to be able to dig it out and run, but still, I grit my teeth harder, fingers pushing deeper.
At the very least, I have to stay alive long enough to see Summer one last time.
I glance over my shoulder again, Aiden getting too close to me.
I get to my knee and start crawling. More blood runs out of my body, pain exploding through my leg. I stop and roll onto my back when the pain gets too bad.
It doesn't feel like my day to die, but then again, what do I know? I didn't think I'd be here and in the middle of bleeding out. I didn't think Summer would be the one to shoot me and leave me bleeding behind.
Maybe she's right, and I should've gone with her.
But then this wouldn't be about to end. I wouldn't be about to die.
I don't want to die.
Though, some days there's this large voice in the back of my mind telling me that I should be dead. That it's strange I'm still alive after all the things I've done, the enemies I've made, and every other horrible part of my life.
I'm alive, though. At least for a little while longer.
Aiden stops in front of me, his gun raising slightly like he's not sure if he's going to shoot me or not.
I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Summer's wrong to think that her brother wants me whole to beat me back down.