Page 70 of Unmasked

“I didn’t expect she’d come so soon. Your Majesty, please.”

Shoving him hard, I watched him sprawl on the floor, kicking his feet to scoot back further from me.

“If she gets sick—and she realizes what you’ve done—I will kill you.” My finger pointed, and I stepped even closer. “…You better hope that I can get to her in time, or you may very well die anyway.”

CHAPTER 22

Vaughn

I shouldn’t have been here. I had guards posted outside of his room and at both ends of the hallway. Theodore was protected. He was barely even conscious. But I couldn’t leave yet. Not until Lord Oxley got here so we could transport him to The Order.

Theodore had almost been murdered. It was lucky at all that Katia had given me the information when she did, or else Theo may have died in his bed, alone.

I could still see the bloody sheets and comforter from the video call from the guards. Theodore had been so pale. And he’d been unconscious. I thought he was dead. I thought—a man almost like a brother—someone else I cared for… gone.

But he wasn’t. Theodore had put up a good fight. Enough so that the man had fled. I did manage to get that through his bouts of consciousness. But he wasn’t okay. I shouldn’t even move him. I knew that. But what choice did I have? They’d come back for him. They’d kill him if they got another chance, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.

“You look like hell.”

My eyes jerked up, and I smiled at Theo.

“You, my friend, are the one who looks a little rough. Welcome back. Again.”

“I think I died. There was an angel. Red hair⁠—”

My laugh had him looking over, and he wasn’t amused.

“Is that so funny?”

“It is. That wasn’t an angel, Theodore. It’s your nurse. She has red hair.”

His head turned and he smiled. “So… there’s a chance.”

“No, there’s not, because I’m taking you to The Order.”

He didn’t fight. He didn’t even argue.

“How did you know?”

I got quiet, looking down at my phone on my lap. It was off, per hospital policy in our wing. I sighed, meeting his gaze.

“Katia. She said…” I lowered my voice. “King Lawrence put a contract out on you. It was pure coincidence she told me the same night. From the sound of it, it’s been out since Grove Square, although he may have put a pause on it. Apparently, he changed his mind. We almost lost you.”

“That son of a bitch.”

His eyes widened, and I dove forward to stop him from trying to get out of bed.

“Penelope. Have you checked on her?”

I paused, showing him that my phone was off.

“I’m sure she’s fine. She’s on the hunt. The Reeve and Mark will watch out for her. You, on the other hand, are not okay.”

He dropped his head, closing his eyes.

“You saved my life. Katia may have told you, but you didn’t hesitate. You came for me. Thank you for that.”

My heart got heavier as he opened his eyes. “That’s what we do, Theodore.” My hand rested over my heart, and he brought his shaky hand up, mirroring the action. The door opened, and Lord Oxley stepped inside.