48

My mind screamed, and my body reacted instantly. One moment, I was pushing people out of my way, and the next, I was standing in front of a breathless Artemis, her wild gaze fixed on me as she held a loaded gun.

"What are you doing?" I questioned, making her blink in surprise. My heart pounded uncontrollably, and the adrenaline rush made me forget any pain. The only thing I could feel was the gun—and Matias behind me.

"Ryuuji," Matias murmured in warning.

"Get out of the way, Ryuuji," my half-sister ordered, her body tense, eyebrows furrowed.

"No! Put that down, now," I demanded, raising my voice.

"Ryuuji, move," Matias pleaded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his bruised face and the deep cut on his forearm. I shifted my gaze back to Artemis, her eyes still burning with rage and determination.

"I told you to put that damn gun down," I repeated, my voice hoarse.

"I told you I would make things go back to how they were before, and for that to happen, he needs to disappear," she declared, making me shudder.

"You won't touch him. I won't let you," I assured her, hearing Matias shift behind me, trying to stand.

"Damn it! Get out of my way!" she shouted, moving, but I moved with her, following the barrel of the gun.

"Ryuuji," Matias murmured, nervous.

"You think I'm an idiot? That I don’t know what’s going on?" she scoffed, keeping her arm steady. "I know you've been screwing Matias. That you've been neglecting the Hebi because of him. That you and Shin are fighting. And because of your blind obsession with this boy, Dad hasn't slept in days... He's the reason for all of this!" she explained, catching me off guard. She took a step toward me, and I felt myself recoil.

Young Hebi aren't allowed to train with guns until they turn eighteen. It was one of our father’s rules. Only Kenji, Shin, and I could use daggers because of the Hataki tradition. Artemis wasn’t supposed to have access to that gun, and she definitely shouldn't be so comfortable holding it.

"Artemis..."

"You asked me how far I would go to keep this family together. How far I’m willing to go to protect the only thing I’m desperate to belong to," she cut me off, her voice firm, making my body vibrate. "And this is what I’m willing to do. This is what I will do to keep my family together. I won’t let the Hebi fall apart because of your sick feelings for him. I won’t lose my family again. Now move, Ryuuji," she commanded, her gaze burning.

"Don't be an idiot, Ryuuji, get out of the way," Matias muttered, touching my shirt, but his touch only made me stand firmer. I knew what would happen the second I stepped aside.

"Now!" she shouted.

"I'm not moving," I declared, holding the weight of her gaze. "You can shoot me if you want, but you won’t touch him," I stated, feeling Matias tighten his grip on my shirt.

"Ryuuji," Matias warned.

"What do you want?" I asked urgently.

"What?" Artemis questioned, confused.

"What do you want? You can ask for anything, I'll give it to you," I assured her, keeping my eyes locked on hers. "But you won’t take him from me," I warned, my voice barely above a whisper.

Artemis shook her head in disappointment. The world seemed to stop as we stared at each other. I felt Matias's heavy breathing against my neck, his comforting warmth brushing against my back. My body and mind were acutely aware of his overwhelming presence.

I’m not losing this.

I’m not losing him.