The Survivor (Book 2)

Chapter 35

I walked with my shoulders set back and I had a hand on the hilt of my sword as I approached Saint. There were tears in his beautiful white eyes, and I glared at him.

“Treble, Treble, please,” he got down on his knees. “Please, I truly had no clue she would do that. Please forgive me. I was blinded by her. She was my mother, and I wanted to believe that she was right about everything.”

“Saint, do you know what it’s like to live without an arm?” I asked. He shook his head. “Then get up unless you want to find out,” I spat. He got to his feet, wiping at tears. “I don’t believe you. I hate you, and I’ll never believe a word out of your mouth.”

Saint gulped. “What do you want? I’ll give you anything–everything! I need you to believe me, Treble. I don’t want to die.”

“So that’s why you’re here,” I rolled my eyes. “You want assurance that you won’t be hunted down and killed.”

“I want to start over. I want a clean slate, Treble,” he sniffled.

“Denied,” I chuckled. “I was gonna start hunting you down later today. You would’ve been dead before the sun started setting. Why on earth do you think I’m going to let you walk away from this?”

“Because I can help you get him back,” Saint said softly.

“We’re working on it. He’s got some of my soul,” I said through my teeth. “Stop talking about him. You don’t get to talk about him.”

“Treble, you’re a smart woman,” he said. “You know there’s something about me–something different–that you can’t let go to waste. You know I’m worth more than death.”

I was quiet for a second. He was right. There was something about him that made him so unlike any other Being I had ever met. Something that was positive, and yet, negative. Something that both frightened me and excited me. He smiled gently.

“You see it. You know you do,” he said softly. “Just one last chance, Treble. I swear to God, I will not screw this one up. I won’t.”

“Treble!” Taylor nearly screamed. I jumped, spinning around. He jerked me back away from Saint. “What the hell are you doing just standing around?! Kill him!”

“No,” I said softly. “We do not kill him. Not yet, anyway.”

Taylor blinked at me, “Are you out of your damned mind?!”

“Probably,” I said under my breath. “Let me talk to him. Alone.”

“Zack wouldn’t let this happen.”

“Yes, he would,” I said through my teeth. “Zack does not, nor has he ever, controlled what I do and when I do it. I have been autonomous since I met him and every day after. Zack would let this happen because he can trust me to defend myself.”

“If you’re so damned autonomous, then why do you look so lost without him by your side?” Taylor grumbled under his breath.

I blinked. “This is how we’re going to do things. You’re going to walk away and stop being such a dick to me because I’m stronger than you and I have friends in stronger places than you. You’re going to go see your daughter. You’re going to tell her you love her more than anything, and you’re going to tell her that you will support her every last decision no matter what. You’re not going to treat her like you treat me.”

Taylor blinked at me, “I’m sorry.”

“Apologizing wasn’t on the list of what you’re going to do. I’m going to try to calm down and find it in myself not to take your head off of your shoulders. I’m going to talk to Saint and figure out what I’m doing with him. I’m going to go talk to Zack, and I’m most definitely gonna rant about you.”