Dante’s weight sagged against me as if the bullet had turned his entire body to stone. He was so big, so heavy, but my arms clamped around him anyway, my fingers slick with his blood.

“Stay with me,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Stay with me, damn you.”

His eyes fluttered open, dark and molten, trying to focus on me. “Move,” he rasped. “They’re not… all gone.”

“I’m not leaving you,” I hissed back. “Don’t ask me to.”

He tried to push me away, but the movement sent another wave of blood seeping from his side. He gritted his teeth, jaw tightening, but his hand reached for mine anyway, clamping...