"Eveline—no, no, no—stay with me!"
Gabriel's voice cracked as he cradled her in his arms, pressing hard against the gunshot wound. Warm blood pooled beneath his hands, soaking through her shirt and onto the floor. Her breaths were shallow, each one a struggle pulled from the depths of a failing body.
"Don't you dare close your eyes," he growled, voice shaking.
Around them, chaos unfolded in blurs—Kaden cuffing Jedrick, shouting into his comms for emergency extraction, and sirens growing louder as backup closed in. But all Gabriel could see was Eveline. Her face pale, her lips parted, blood-streaked fingers twitching weakly.
"Gabriel," she whispered, barely audible.
He leaned closer, his heart splintering at the sound of her voice.
"I'm right here, Eve. You're going to be fine. Just breathe. Just stay awake."
Her eyes fluttered open, glossy and dazed. "You're crying…"
