“Why are you here?” I ask.
“Did you really think you could hide the McKenzie heir from me?” He smiles, but there’s no warmth. It’s mocking and sinister. “I always find out.Always.”
He emphasizes his point with a flick of the wrist, the subtle movement of the gun next to Delilah’s temple enough to make me flinch. My mind races, calculating odds, looking for an angle. But with Delilah’s life at stake, my options narrow to almost nothing.
My gaze darts to her face, finding it pale, her bottom lip trembling. Seeing Delilah so utterly terrified while trying to mask her fear ignites my rage.
“What do you want?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“Tell me where you’ve hidden the McKenzie heir. And once he’s lived out his usefulness, I want you back where you belong, by my side as my heir to continue the Donovan legacy.”
“Xavier, don’t,” Delilah whispers. “He’ll kill Ben.”
My father digs the barrel of the gun into her head to silence her. Her gaze settles on the weapon, then finds mine, seeking help. The chilling presence of the firearm so close to Delilah’s temple slices through the air, and a trail of cold dread settles in my chest. I lean forward, ready to intervene, but immediately halt at the look on my father’s face.
“That’s where you’re mistaken, bride,” he says, his gaze on me. “Xavier was the one tasked with killing the bastard once the heir unlocked the vault. Isn’t that right, son?”
Delilah’s gasp fills the room as her eyes widen with disbelief. Then they narrow on me, seeking answers that I’m not ready to give. When I remain silent, a flash of betrayal crosses her features, the hurt underneath identical to the night I stabbed her.
I say nothing, trying to think of ways to diffuse the situation before it ends up with us dead, while my father watches me with sick satisfaction.
“My time, like my patience, is limited,” he says. “Make your choice.”
Delilah holds out her hands in supplication. “Xavier, don’t do it!”
“I don’t have a choice,” I say.
“There’s always a choice to do the right thing!”
I look at my girl, my reason for breathing. She’s right. There always is a choice, it’s just not one I’m willing to make.
“Right or wrong, I will always put you first,” I say to her.
Delilah releases a sob and wraps her arms around herself as tears slide down her cheeks. I look to my father, lifting my chin, my mind made up.
“If you hurt my bride, I’ll kill the McKenzie heir. It’s that simple.”
My father lifts his hand, moving the pistol away from Delilah’s head. Though we’re far from danger, it eases a bit of the tension streaming through my body.
“Very well, son,” my father says. “I’m leaving this mercenary behind to watch over your bride and ensure you don’t change your mind.”
“I won’t.”
My father nods, and the man steps forward, his presence a silent but unmistakable threat. Knowing Delilah will be under surveillance, facing constant danger in my absence, has my hands shaking with the need for violence.
I look at Delilah, my gut twisting at the sight of her trying to compose herself, her body wracked with sobs. She meets my gaze, her eyes wide and scared, but beneath that fear, there’s the fire I fell in love with. The one I need her to stoke and keep alive until I return.
Closing the short distance between us, I reach out to gently touch her face. “Tibi semper sum, little raptor.”
Turning, I face my father, steeling myself for what comes next. “Let’s go,” I say, my voice devoid of emotion. I don’t look back as we leave the room. If I do, I might not be able to leave her side.
Outside the door, a set of nurses rush up to us. My father is quick to dismiss them, easing their fears about the gunshots with a stern word and a not-so-subtle warning. My father’s reputation extends to all empires, not just ours.
We continue on, and the hospital corridors are a blur as we walk in silence. My mind races, plotting and planning. I’m playing a dangerous game, but it’s one I have to win.
Losing Delilah isn’t an option.
I step into the elevator with my father, the doors closing with a soft ding. He clears his throat. “She will never be your wife. Not as long as I’m alive.”
