Last Chance (Book Two In The Kingston Series)

Chapter Eighteen: Hold On Tight

Chapter Eighteen: Hold On Tight

"We have to-" I stop. My voice is thick with emotion. My heart beating fast. How can I be brave? How am I supposed to be strong? How can I be anything without them?

"Let's not worry about that." Kol says. My heart drops to my feet. If he says we can't worry, he worries about everything.

"I-" I let out a harsh breath. I shake my head. My whole body throbbing. "I can't- I can't- I can't-"

"You can, darl." Kaden says. His hand drifts across my face. My body shakes with sobs. I try to memorize his face. His jawline. His green eyes. We hadn't gotten enough time. "You are gonna go out there. You are gonna live. You're gonna eat, and breathe, and survive."

"I can't." I tell him. Confessing. "I can't do anything without you." I look around the spacious room. It wasn't our house, though. It looked to be the little cottage that belonged to Kelly.

"Don't cry, lover girl." Sebastian says. His voice filled with emotion. His expression so open and honest. He's sad. He's sad, and mad, and everything all at once. "You're going to live a long happy life."

"Not happy." I sob. My voice cracking. I wrap my arms around Sebastian. "Not happy." I promise.

"Are you crazy, baby doll?" Killian says with a smirk. The usual light behind his eyes gone. "Of course you'll be happy. You'll be safe. I'll be looking after you, my whole mafia with me."

I laugh through my tears. Dissolving into tears. I stand. Realising Sebastian. Wanting to be on my feet. "Maybe she's bluffing."

"She's not bluffing." Keith says quietly. I reach for him. We never touched as much as the others. Never even kissed. He pulls me into his chest. I smell him, he smells like fresh air and forests.

My tears stain his t-shirt. I clutch handfuls of the materials. "Keith, promise me you wont stop living."

"Jasmine." He says delicately.

"Promise me." I order. Looking up at him. He looks deep into my eyes. Memorizing them. I memorize his deep blue eyes. His closes his eyes. A single tear drips down his face.

"I don't know how to live without you."

My head drops back onto his chest. I sniff hard. "I don't know how to live without you, either."

I bite my lip hard. Tasting blood. Not caring about moving an inch. Two hours. What was two hours?

What could I say in two hours?

"I'm sorry I couldn't be strong enough to beat her." Keith pulls me in tighter. Not saying a word. Words didn't mean much to him. Or was it words that meant the most to him?

Music starts playing. Soft music. Delicate strokes of a piano. I turn, releasing Keith.

Finding Kaden standing there. We lock eyes. Both of us looking miserable and happy to be looking at each other. He grabs me around the waist. Spinning me three times before just holding me in place.I clutch at him. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too." I tell him. My voice soft. Incredibly soft and sad. "What am I going to do without your hugs everyday?"

"Cry. A lot." I laugh into his shoulders. His arms tighten around my waist. My feet aren't touching the ground. "I love your laugh."

"I hate yours." I quip. He laughs into my hair. "Your eyes crinkle, it's adorable on Kol, but it looks like shit on you. You laugh with your whole body too. It's unbearable. You throw your head back too. Like it's your job to laugh like a-"