My mind struggled to comprehend was Sin was doing. He was leaving himself defenseless, protecting me.

I wanted to stop him but I couldn’t utter a sound. Mack’s eyes gleamed triumphantly.

“I thought you were strong but you are weak,” Mack spat at Sin.

Sin didn’t flinch he remained steady in his choice. Facing the danger that had only moments before been aimed at me.

“Drop the gun.” Mack commanded.

Sin shook his head slowly.

“If you don’t kill me in one shot and I fire a shot. Who knows what I might hit. Are you willing to risk the chance I might hit Taylor?” He was enjoying this sick game.

There was a tense moment before Sin slowly lowered the gun and set it down on the floor.

“Kick it over,” Mack added.

Sin did it and Mack picked up the gun still keeping his concentration on Sin as he placed it on the desk.

“Sin,” I managed to whisper, my limbs felt too heavy to move. I couldn’t let him do this.

“It’s okay Tay,” Sin soothed, without looking back at me.

There was nothing okay about any of this.

“Don’t do this,” Sienna pleaded. “Please Mack.”

She looked between Sin and her brother.

“All I wanted to was keep you safe, to keep you protected,” Mack said.

“Look at what you’re doing Mack. You have a gun aimed at Sin and only moments ago you had it aimed at Taylor, who has never done anything to you. This isn’t keeping me safe.”

Mack frowned. “I kept you safe.”

“I know you did the only thing you believed you could to keep me safe. But this life, the life you created isn’t safe. There is nothing safe about being surround by crime and murder.”

I swallowed, hoping that none of what she was saying would set him off. Mack was unhinged and unpredictable.

“Is it so terrible of me to want something else? To have a normal life. I want to get married and you know maybe have a baby. To live in a world where I don’t have to have security and bullet proof cars or fear for my life.”

She took a trembling breath. “I can’t live like this anymore Mack. I just can’t. I’m suffocating. If I don’t get out I won’t make it. I’m slowly dying inside.”

Her words were stark.

“I did everything for you,” Mack argued.

She nodded. “I know.” Tears gathered in her eyes.

“I would take every life if it meant you were safe.”

“I know.” She looked torn. There was love and fear combined in the way she gazed at him.“That’s why I have to stop you.”

Mack stared at his sister. “You can’t stop me.” His eyes gleamed.

A tear slid down her cheek as she moved on hand from behind her back and in her hand she held a gun.

“I have to,” she whispered. “I can’t let you kill anymore people Mack.”

“I did it all for you.”

More tears began to stream down her face. “And I did what I had to.”

Mack frowned. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

I wasn’t sure what they were talking about.

“Yes. It was me.” She gulped a breath.

“You ratted me out to the cops?” He looked at her with disbelief. Like he still couldn’t believe what she had admitted.

She nodded.

Mack shook his head. “You betrayed me.”

There was a finality to his voice.

“I had to find a way to stop you Mack.”

He shook his head.

“Mack listen to me. I love you.”

“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

Mack’s aim at Sin wavered as he glanced at his sister. “If you are still here after I fire this gun, the next bullet will be yours.”

All I could was watch in horror as Sin launched himself forward and tackled Mack. They end up on the desk and I could not move when they dropped to the floor, still wrestling for the gun.

Sin yanked the gun from Mack and stood with it pointed at him. His chest was heavy with each breath but he was okay. Relief flood through me, leaving me breathless.

“You are full of surprises today Sin.” Mack seemed unfazed as he sat up on the floor.

He was still so confident even when he was staring at the barrel of two guns. One Sin held and one Sienna held.

Sin looked back at me, still holding the gun at Mack.

“But so am I,” Mack added.

I heard the shot. Someone gasped. My mind confused, trying to figure out what was going on. Where had the shot originated from. Then I heard a second one.

Mack slumped limply to the floor before I saw the bullet hole in his head. He was dead. I looked to Sienna. She was crying as she lowered the gun. Her teary gaze moved past me.

“Sin,” she murmured, horrified.

That’s when my attention turned to Sin. He was facing me. The white shirt began to expand with a circular spread of crimson in his stomach.

No. This couldn’t be happening.

I moved to him and he stared down at his fingers that touched the wound. He was bleeding. Sin was bleeding.

The enormity of what meant began to seep through slowly. Everything felt like it was so far away.

“Sin,” I murmured and he looked to me. His eyes glazed in shock.

Sienna moved to him. “We need to stop the bleeding. Call an ambulance.”

“Lie down,” she helped Sin to the floor. Her hand pressed against the wound and Sin hissed in pain.

The sound vibrated through me.

My limbs felt heavy and clumsy as I searched for my phone. Even the simple task of trying to dial a three digit number was difficult. My mind couldn’t concentrate on the task of answering questions when the operator answered.

My mind was muddled but what I could not look away from was the blood pooling beneath Sin.

“What the fuck happened?” A voice asked.

It was Kai as he surveyed the room, trying to figure out what happened.

“I need help,” Sienna said, instructed.

She was so calm for someone who had just shot her brother.

My hand shook as I pressed the phone tightly to my ear. The operator assured me help was on the way.

Kai lowered himself to his knees beside Sienna and began to check Sin’s wound.

Sin gasped in pain.

“Please,” I murmured, I was shaking, trembling.

“They are on their way,” the operator assured me again.

“Tay.”

The sound of Sin’s voice calling my name brought me out of my haze and I rushed to kneel beside him.

He gave me a weak smile.

I dropped the phone and took his hand in mine. “I’m here.”

He was the only thing that mattered.

“I’m sorry…” he murmured.

“There is nothing to be sorry about.” A calm I couldn’t explain, came over me and the only thing that mattered was him. I even managed a half smile.

“This…wasn’t…” he struggled to finish his sentence.

“He is losing a lot of blood,” Kai said to Sienna.

I could hear the sirens closer. They were coming.

“Just hold,” I told Sin with his hand tightly enclosed in mine. Like my hold was the only thing that was keeping him with us.

His eyes fluttered closed as I watched on in horror.

“Stay with me. Please stay with me,” I whispered, unable to keep the fear that I was losing him.

He reopened his eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Don’t leave me I wanted to beg him but I couldn’t put my fear into words for him to hear.

I couldn’t voice that I was scared he was going to die. If I said it would take hold and unfold.

“You’re fine,” I murmured, touching his cheek.

He smiled, that smile that made my heart quicken.

“Liar.”

I wanted to hold him so tight that no one would ever be able to pry him from me but with a strength I did not know I had. I released his hand when the paramedics stormed into the room and started to work on him.

His eyes held mine as I backed away, folding my arms around my waist.

I watched as he mouthed. “Always.”

And then his eyes closed slowly.

No. No. No. This could not be happening.

I wanted to wake up and for it to be a nightmare. But there was no waking up from this.

The noise surrounding us was chaotic but the only thing I saw was him. The man I loved, the man who had put his life on the line to protect me.

I couldn’t breathe.

I backed away as the paramedics continued to work on him.

My back hit the wall and I lowered to fold my knees to my chest. My chest felt like it was going to explode and the tears broke free. I sobbed.