Francesca Grey wants nothing more than to just take care of the Northern Dragons Mafia and carry on with her life as a famed womanizer. She wasn't looking to get married or to fall in love with anyone anytime soon, that kind of life wasn't for her...
"I've apologized a thousand times!" I yell and the tip of the knife drives itself deeper into my back.
"I don't care about your fucking apologies. It won't bring her back but at least you'll be punished for it. So, you have to pick between Alana and Diana." He smooths my hair back. "You choose between them and I'll let all of them go."
"Don't make me choose, Rory, please, do not make me choose."
"You'll have to, and quick from the looks of it," he gestured to Clary and Lexi. Lexi is the color of parchment paper and Clary looks so close to death that it's terrifying. I know I'm barely holding it together, now. "They're going out quick."
I think about my options. I don't have many, my parents are already dead. Lexi and Clary can still survive this, I just have to think. There's a sound that I hear, it's so faint but it's the sound of guns and my heart finally feels light. Anthony Cross here to save the day, finally.
"Diana," I call out to my friend. Her eyes find me and I know she doesn't understand what's going on. I don't think she even knows about Alana and I. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault."
She shakes her head as the man beside her holds her back by her long hair. She's always kept it cropped to her neck. I wonder how much of her has changed since we last talked. I'm sure it's a lot, I'm sure it's more than I think.
I look to Alana and somehow she knows what I'm about to do. She shakes her head rapidly and begins screaming. "I love you, Alana Grey-Salvatore."
He can't make them suffer if I'm dead.
I look at Brooklyn and I give her one last smile as I can hear the sound of boots slapping against blood encrusted stone. I like a dramatic end, so I time it perfectly. I risk Rory hearing them at the same time but Rory was basking in the glory of him winning. "You were right, B, I was always going to die first."
The door booms open and Anthony leads his mafia into the room. Everyone starts dropping like flies and Rory begins to panic. He yanks me back to shield him from any gunfire but I see my opening. I slam backwards into the knife and I feel fire erupt along my spine. Rory let's go of the knife im surprise and I spin around before kicking him hard in the stomach. He takes a step backwards with a pained groaning but I don't wait for him to come to his senses because I'm slamming the gun hard across his face. I hear the sound of bone breaking and it makes my skin crawl. I turn sharply and shoot the man holding Diana in place. He yells as he drops suddenly. Rory tries to regain his balance by gripping the knife in my back.
Everything goes black for a long moment, I can only hear my breathing and the absolute terror of screaming coming from my friends and wife and shooting. I get a grip on the gun before I shoot blindly in Rory's direction. Rory tumbles backwards and yanks the knife out of my back as my eyesight swims back into place. I have one second to throw my hand up and I feel the knife slice deep into my palm.
"Stop it," I groan as we lock onto each other, "Let this go before I kill you."
"Never." Rory hisses icily. I see his army beginning to fall and I know everything he's worked for is disintegrating in front of him. He has nothing left but his pride.
Tears prick my eyes and I confess my dark truth. "I don't want you to die...you're my baby brother."
Rory falters for just a second, just a second, I see him. I see the teenage boy that laughed like he would never stop. The one who hugged me during my first heart break and bought out a bowling alley just for me and him. It was always just him and I. I didn't want it to stop like this. I know I came into this believing that killing him was the only way, I know but like Brooklyn said it isn't as easy it sounds. "You're the reason I'm like this."
My heart shatters because it's the truth. "I know, I'm sorry, Rory, I truly am."
"I know," he says honestly, "but your sorry... it isn't enough." The knife leaves my hand and then he swings it back down across my cheek. I scream as the knife enters my shoulder that Luciano fucked up weeks ago, "You dying, that'll be enough."
"Francesca!" Diana yells and it's her duck voice. How I could remember what it sounded like after all these years, I have no idea but I don't hesitate. I'm dropping to the ground and two shots ring out.
I look at Rory and the two beautiful bullet wounds embedded in his chest and the splatter of blood leaking down his face. His clear, cold, eyes roll into the back of his head and his body crumples into a heap on the ground. I wait for him to move but he doesn't. He just dies — like that.
Someone rolls me over and I look at Diana — a smiling, tearful, alive Diana Salvatore. She holds me close to her as I try to breathe. "Ches, you can't die. He told me that my sister loves you. You can't die, Ches, I love you, my friend. I haven't gotten to threaten you to never break her heart. This will break her heart, Ches, please, hang on!"
I laugh because I can't speak anymore. It's too painful and honestly the laugh felt like a jackhammer in my chest. Then there are warm hands on my face and I smile as Alana comes into view.
"Baby," her voice breaks as tears roll off her nose, "Baby, please, please, you gotta hang on."
I look at her and find her hand and I squeeze. I squeeze because I need her to understand that it was worth it, every second of it. My eyes flutter close.
"Help, she needs help!" Alana screams as she pulls me from her sister and clings onto me.
"No! Chessy!" Brooklyn calls out to me. "Francesca, you bastard, open your eyes!"
"Help." Alana breaks down and I feel her lips press against mine. She's praying against my lips, "I love you, Francesca Grey-Salvatore."
"My Angel." Its a whisper, barely audible and I pray she can hear my last words. For the first time in forever, I pray. Then something sharp goes through me and I let out a breath. I can't help but begin to fall into a darkness that is not warm and beautiful. It is overpowering and numbing. I try to fight it but I can't, it has a hold on me that is impossible to overcome. I can't help but relent to the darkness as my Angel holds me.
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Let's all take a deep breath before you curse me, okay, breathe with me my lovelies.
