"You think it's too late?"
"Will you ever forgive me for what I did?"
I breathe out a laugh. "Honestly? I don't think I can not forgive you. I adore you, rat or not."
"Okay." Her voice clogs with emotion so she clears her throat before continuing. "Will you ever trust me again? Like you did before?"
The answer comes instantly. "No. Never."
"And Mateo and Gabriel are dead now because of me—"
"They are not. Their deaths are not on you. Don't reduce their lives to revolve around your mistakes."
"Right," she swallows. "Then they're dead and what I gave up helped in that."
"It probably did."
"So, yeah, I think it's too late. Nothing will ever be like it used to be."
"Before wasn't exactly rainbows and sunshine."
"But we were all alive. That was enough."
"So what?" I turn to her. "You came to try and make up for letting your brother be taken and probably being a part in why it happened?"
The tears pool at her eyes. "A new level of pathetic even for me, right?"
"So much that it's pitiful."
Veronica scoffs, "asshole." She wipes a sleeve over her eyes, a grim smile stretching her mouth.
"Rat." I let my own grimace-smile show.
Lights shine on us like a spotlight. Veronica's tears glitter on her face as her eyes flick over to the cars approaching. She turns back to me, face fighting to stay stoic. "I know it's not ever enough, but I'm sorry."
"I know."
"They're here."
"I know."
"I'm scared."
I swallow back the lump. "Me, too."
Rayaan and Jonathan come up behind us. "I've got you," Jonathan reassures with a squeeze to my shoulder.
"Thank you."
Rayaan offers one curt nod and that's that. I turn my back to them and step further into the forest, stopping by the threshold between tree and open space.
There's three cars on Santino's side. The middle one opens a door and out comes the spawn himself. Sporting a smile as cruel as his father's, Santino stops in front of his car and leans against it.
"I'm sorry I'm late," he yells. "Traffic, you know."
I don't say a word.
"I see you brought reinforcements." My pulse stops. My whole body goes cold in an instant. "Trusting of you to only bring three. Well, two and a four-legged rodent."
Behind me Rayaan whispers in confusion. "What?"
Veronica holds back a whimper.
"Normally," I advance one small step, "exchanges are private matters. No more than a few trusted people."
His eyes, even from the distance, twinkle with amusement. "Oh, I'll bet.
I can't take it anymore. "Where is he?"
Santino laughs, like a claw tracing down my spine. "I suppose we can make this quick."
He snaps his fingers and immediately all his people get out of the cars. There aren't many of them. A little over a dozen, from the looks of it.
YOU ARE READING
Final Call for Mercy
Action*Book 3 of Queen of the Underworld Series* It's do or die for Anastasia and her family as an old foe disguised as a new threat circles them like a shark would its prey. Round and round and round they go until it's face-to-face and the end is a bulle...
