Page 56 of A Cruel Kindness

Esme learned enough through eavesdropping that she knew when conversations would be picked apart by those listening to snap up the crumbs.

Elijah crossed his arms over his broad chest, turning his smile to Esme. “Living up to your reputation, I see.”

The only comfort I got was that Elijah seemed to be willing to extend charm to anyone. If he focused all of his attention on Bellamy, I would not be liable for what I would do in retaliation, promise not to give into the Bond or not.

“Glad you’re aware of it,” Esme shot back easily, standing and heading towards the back of the pub without another word. Elijah’s eyes drifted up to watch her walk away, only getting a second in before Ford stood and cut off his line of sight.

Elijah’s eyebrows went up, but he didn’t say anything as Ford followed Esme.

I leaned into Bellamy, making sure I got close enough that my nose brushed through the waterfall of her hair. “You’re getting up first.”

Wisely, Bellamy listened, standing and turning her back to Elijah. She looked down at me expectantly, and I could have kissed her right there and then if I didn’t think she’d yell at me for it.

I settled for another sort of touch, making sure my hand was planted right in the center of the tree trunk inked into her back, leading her to the back table. I heard something of a scoff from Elijah, and I restrained the urge to flip him off for good measure.

Halfway to the back of the room, Elijah’s voice boomed through the space. “Oh, how silly. I forgot to introduce my unit. Now that everyone is here, let’s do so.”

I turned, and what I saw made me blackout with rage.

Chapter 15

Bellamy

The Bond took over, slamming into the forefront of my consciousness and ripping the control of my body from me.

I jumped in front of Soren, pressing my hands to his shoulders to stop him from moving any further than he had. He almost took me down, before he realized it was me standing there.

His hands curled around my biceps, holding me to him tightly. Once I was sure that he would stay still, though he was still raking in heavy, angry breaths, I turned in his arms. He let me, simply rotating his grip. In fact, his hold hardened like he was using me as a shield.

He hurt him. Kill him. The Bond said, still in such control I took a step away from Soren in submission, my hand removing my knife from its holster at my thigh. If his hold hadn’t stopped me, I probably would have made it as far as drawing the knife to his throat.

The Bond was still thrashing with pain, twisting and bending in unnatural angles in my head.

Because Carson, Soren’s former Match, was standing with Elijah’s men.

The room had fallen silent again, because now it was the Vir soldiers who knew the history of the man standing before us.

“Soren,” Carson said, too little emotion on his face to make this even remotely okay.

Soren remained silent behind me, his chest hitting my back every few seconds with a heavy breath.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” Esme sneered as she hauled herself onto the bar and reached around to grab another bottle.

“Missed you, too, Esme,” Carson said, smiling. Esme’s lip curled into an expression of disgust as she flipped him off. Ford didn’t so much as cast Carson a second glance as he joined Esme at the bar and took the bottle to top off his glass.

Elijah, meanwhile, was basking in the silence and tension. He seemed rather full of himself. I had no choice but to work with him if he was my best connection to the Prince, but that didn’t mean I had to be happy about it. Especially when he seemed to revel in other people’s discomfort. “Maybe introductions are redundant where Carson here is concerned. Though, I suppose his new title may need to be clarified.”

“Traitor,” Ford growled behind a sip of whiskey.

Elijah’s smile only widened. “He’s—”

“I want to hear it from him,” Soren said, his voice more cutting then I’d ever heard it.

Carson held eye contact with Soren over my shoulder as he stood taller and answered, “Captain. Muli Special Unit.”

I could have sworn I heard Soren’s chest crack under the weight of that betrayal. Anger spilled into my limbs, so hot and potent, it let the Bond take over again.

It seemed that it drew on my darkest impulses, the ones that were kept suppressed from a lifetime of holding to decorum.