I spin, hitting his chest with both fists. “Get your fucking hands off me!”
“The girl forgot her place,” Fallon shouts. The slick sound of his belt freeing from the loops slices through the room.
I freeze, hands on Viper’s chest.
“I said I’ll handle this,” Reaper says evenly. “Do not touch her.”
“I suggest you remind her to obey before I do.” Fallon shoots daggers in my direction then stalks from the room.
I heave out a breath, regaining some control, all my focus on Reaper. He rolls his shoulders, keeping my gaze. A few minutes later, the distant sound of the front door slamming echoes through the house. Viper lets me go, and the second his fingers leave my skin, I shove past Reaper and march for the doorway, anger creating a torrent of tears.
Fallon is right.
I cry when I’m angry. Scared.
When my chest might rip apart from betrayal.
Chapter 49
Delilah
Winterairblastsacrossmy cheeks as I burst through the front door and down the stairs, barely noticing that the space where the black car usually parks is empty. Dirt and gravel scatter as I stalk down the driveway, unable to rein in my emotions.
I know why Fallon did it. Pushed me. Why they allowed it. But it doesn’t help lessen the pain. It doesn’t help me see past the rage turning my vision blurry. I swipe at my cheeks, gritting my teeth as the tears continue to spill.
I’m nothing like him. I didn’t use her to feel safe. For my comfort.
I love her.
I willkillfor her.
Fallon used every scrap of love I have for them against me. He reminded me that my father is sick and cruel, then took that awful truth and punched it into my lungs.
Exactly what Rune would do.
“Get back here, Kitten,” Reaper growls, his tone frayed. Aggressive. His boots thud behind me, keeping up pace but leaving a few feet between us.
“No,” I shout over my shoulder. My feet carry me blindly, my body screaming to just get away. Away from the crushing weight of knowing I’ll soon face my father.
Lie to him.
Kill him.
Away from the truth that Cora is a knife he’ll twist in my heart if he finds out I betrayed him.
“Delilah!” Reaper yells. My name now. No more pet names. No more patience. No more passion and flares of hunger.
Just the raw, bitter truth.
We’re all in danger. And it’s up to me to keep everyone safe.
“You know what happens when you don’t listen,” Reaper growls, his voice growing even louder.
Goosebumps rise along my arms, from the subtle threat, lined with a dark and bitter fear. But I refuse to stop. He can beat my ass raw before I stop moving. Before I succumb to the traitorous ache searing through me that just wants this all to stop. For him to hold me like he did the other night. For them to protect me from Rune.
I don’t know why I’m so desperate for it now. They never have. They may have controlled the amount of damage caused to my heart, releasing information bit by bit, but they’ve never protected me from the whole, brutal truth.
“We had to.” It’s Breaker’s calm voice that makes me pause.
