Page 48 of Uncrowned

“V?”

A breath left him. Then another. And suddenly he was laughing.

“It’s not funny.”

Harder, he laughed.

“How is that funny? V, stop this right now. You’re sick. You’re truly paranoid and overreacting. No one will hurt us. If we got you some—Stop laughing right this minute or I will take this mask off.”

“Don’t—” Still, he laughed.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m so glad you find your mental health amusing. I don’t. I’m truly worried for you. You killed people.”

“I did.”

The amusement was thick in his tone.

“And that’s bad. It’s against the law to murder someone, or don’t you know? I bet you right this very minute they’re searching for you. I bet the entire city is up in arms.”

He made a sound I wasn’t sure of.

“What does that mean? What was that sound?”

“Penelope, I told you, there’s not a manhunt because there are no bodies. Your parents are missing. You are missing. That’s all anyone knows.”

I frowned.

“You’re sick, V. I want to help you.”

“I’m not sick.”

“You are! There are no people out to try to kill us. We’re not going to get attacked or threatened if we go out in public.” I reached out, connecting and holding to his shoulder. “Please, listen to me. Let’s leave here. Let me show you that no one will hurt us.”

He let out a long breath.

“Are you done?”

“Are we going to leave here?”

“No. Because I’m not crazy, and you have training to do.”

My hand dropped from him.

“Fine. Have it your way. You’re worried someone is going to hurt you, and I’m going to prove you right. But it’s not someone outside this room. The only one who’s going to hurt you is me.”

“You promise?”

“You just wait. Maybe it won’t be tonight. Maybe not even a week from now. But just mark my words… I’m going to hurt you, and when I do, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Maybe I’ll drug you and take you out of here. I can cuff you to a bed and get you the help you obviously need. And trust me… you need a lot of help.”

“I’ll tell you what.”

I yelped as he spun my chair in his direction. “If you best me in a fight, I won’t just prove to you everything I’m saying is the truth. I’ll show you. I’ll take you there.”

CHAPTER 18

Vaughn

The laughter. The warmth of her against me. The unbelievable cravings to keep it exactly like this. I wanted to stay in this moment forever. Even as I put my mask on and took Penelope’s off, I knew that couldn’t happen. She was healing, and if I didn’t start training her now, I may never. Neither of us could afford that. She’d become my mother… and me? I’d be dead, just like my father—just like our bloodline. I would not be the cause of that. I would not fail.