Page 238 of Damsel in Disguise

“I… I almost got you killed.”

“You didn’t. I brought you there.”

“I went voluntarily, but you jumped in front of me.”

“Yeah, but you could’ve died.”

“Probably,” his answer comes without hesitation. “So could you.”

My throat tightens. I hate him a little for saying it so simply.

As though the two possibilities had always weighed the same.

Asher clears his throat. “I’m going to say something deeply uncomfortable.”

Adrian stares at him. “Must you?”

“Unfortunately.”

He looks directly at Alistair. “If you ever make my sister cry again, even if by taking another bullet, probably in your arm or something, I’ll throw you out of the nearest window.”

Alistair nods once. “You sure you can do that?”

“Don’t forget I’m two inches taller than you,” he puffs out.

Before I can laugh at his silly comeback, Adrian steps forward.

“If you break her heart, I’ll personally find the other researchers of that Triarch fucking Dominion and finance the operation to turn you into those Synthetés or whatever you were creating, and disfigure you in the process.”

“Also reasonable.”

“That’s a good one,” Asher slaps his back. “I hate that creepy smile,” and eyes Alistair. “And no, I still don’t like you,” he says to him.

Asher starts. “And if you disappear without any explanation—”

“I won’t.”

The answer comes too quickly.

Asher studies him for a long moment. “You sound too certain for your good.”

“I believe that every important person eventually leaves. However, I also believe Ariella is exceptionally stubborn to stay.”

I lift my chin with haughtiness.

“I suspect if I attempt to disappear, she’d simply find me, and might as well end my miserable existence,” he says with a tap on his shoulder where I stabbed him with a shear.

“And she’d probably bring legal documents this time too,” a ghost of a smile touches his mouth.

Asher exhales. “I cannot believe this is happening.”

Adrian claps him once on the shoulder.

“Our little sister trapped a genius.”

“I didn’t trap him.”

The two brothers look at the marriage certificate.