He pulled up his jeans and buckled them. Without a word, he slipped off the hay bale and helped me stand. We hadn’t talked about what would happen now, but I already knew. He meant to send me back.
He’s leaving me again.
Sadness and fear tingled my spine.
I can’t go back.
But I had no choice.
I’ll break.
But I had to remain strong.
I couldn’t look at him as he smoothed down my nightgown, readjusted my coat, and plucked wayward strands of straw from my hair.
Say it. Tell me we’re about to go our separate ways after everything that’s happened.
Jethro stiffened, obviously sensing my frustration and terror.
Time would come between us again. I would hate it all the more.
“Nila…stop.” Gathering me in a hug, he kissed my cheek. “You already know what I’m about to say. I feel it.”
I snuggled into him, despite wanting to shove him away. All that talk of keeping me safe, yet he expected me to return to the monster’s den without him.
Please, don’t do it…take me with you.
“What are you going to do?” I inhaled his skin, flinching against the strange scent of antiseptic and musk. He normally smelled so delicious but now he reminded me of death and toil. “Whatever you’re planning, don’t. We could still leave. Tonight.”
Time doesn’t need us apart again. It’s had its fun.
I wanted to create my own time where we became immortal and lived a safe, happy existence forever.
But you know he’s right.
No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t leave Vaughn and he couldn’t leave Jasmine. And if Kestrel ever woke up, Jethro owed him a safe home to return to. As much as I wanted to scream and beg, I forced down my weakness. I was on his side—I would do what he asked of me, even if it was the hardest thing I’d ever do.
Damn obligations and common-sense. Hadn’t I deserved some fantastical ideology where we could run off into the sunset and exist happily ever after?
Why couldn’t life be like storybooks?
Jethro sighed, hugging me hard. His muscles vibrated; his heart thundered. He was alive, in my arms, and his orgasm was drying on my inner thigh.
He’s alive.
I had to trust he’d stay that way to carry out whatever he had planned.
“I need to end this, Nila.” Jethro pulled away, looking into my eyes. “You know as well as I do that we can’t be free until it’s dealt with.”
The cuts on my breastbone flared, agreeing with him. We’d suffered enough—it was their turn.
My eyes fell to his waist. It hadn’t escaped my notice that he refused to take his t-shirt off. However, he couldn’t hide the small pinprick of blood coming through the light grey material.
I reached for it.
He jolted back, clamping an arm around himself—glaring at me, daring me to question his conviction that he was strong enough to do this. “One day, two at the most. I’ll have everything in place and we can finally be happy.”
I shook my head. “Something will happen. It always does.” Tears rose. I hated that I was weak but I couldn’t deny it—the thought of going back to Hawksridge alone petrified me. “I can’t go back, Kite. Please, don’t make me.”
So much for not begging.
“They’ve hurt me. They almost won. I know you believe in me but I honestly don’t believe in myself anymore. Please…please don’t make me go back.”
I couldn’t stop shaking. I didn’t have the power to walk back there.
Jethro kissed the top of my head. “You’ve been so damn strong—stronger than me by far. I sent a note to Jasmine telling her what I’m planning. I asked her to make up an excuse to keep you in her room. She’ll watch over you. She’ll say you’re teaching her how to sew or something.” His voice dropped with love. “She’ll make sure you’re safe and out of their hands for two days.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that Jasmine’s power was minimal, slipping further on a daily basis. Bonnie had her ways to restrict Jasmine. I wouldn’t put it past the old witch to poison her for going against dear ole’ granny.
If Bonnie ever finds out Jasmine’s working against her...
“What are you going to do? Two days is too much time.”
Time again.
The enemy to us all.
The sands of hell.
“I’m going to call for help.” Jethro’s jaw twitched as if the thought of admitting he needed others frustrated him.
“Who?”
He frowned. “Just leave it to me. Don’t worry about it.”
“Tell me. I want to know.”
“You need to get back before they find you’re missing.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t climb up the drainpipe. Go through the front door and ask Jasmine for a key. She’ll wipe the camera footage in the morning.”
I took a step backward, needing to distance myself so I could walk out of there without kneeling and begging to go with him. “You’re changing the subject. Tell me what you’re planning.”
He exited the stall, forcing me to follow him down the aisle. “What do you want to know?”
Why couldn’t he see that by asking me to trust him and willingly return to the Hall, he owed me everything?
It’s taking everything that I am not to show you how terrified I am. How lonely. How defeated. You have to give me something to cling to. Something that will keep me strong.
“I want to know what you mean to do.”
He looked over his shoulder, holding his side.
Was it just me or was his skin whiter than before? A fever kissing his brow?
I wanted to strap him to a bed and nurse him back to full health. He still had a long way to go—no matter how adamant he was.
His golden eyes flashed in the darkness. “Fine, I’m going to call Kill. The guy you met at Diamond Alley. I’m going to enlist his help.”
“And he’ll give it?”
“Let’s just say, we have an agreement. He’ll come.”
“But he’s in the States. It’ll take him two days just to get here.”
Jethro spun around, coming to plant his hands on my hips. “I also plan to contact someone else. Someone who’s been doing a great deal of conspiring over the past month. Someone who has had enough like me.”
My heart skipped. Vaughn? “Who?”
Jethro kissed my cheek, brushing aside my hair with gentle fingers. “Your father.”
I froze. “Tex?”
He nodded. “Arch has been busy the past few weeks. While I’ve been healing, I’ve kept an eye on him. He’s gathering an army, Nila—not just media this time, but a proper bought team. He’s ready to hunt and I’ll give him the perfect target.”
“How—how do you know that?”
His teeth gleamed with anger and commitment. “I looked into his background. Pulled a few favours to find out if there’s been inconsistent spending in his accounts.”
“Wow—”
“Eh, Jet?” A figure appeared from the blackness.
I jumped. However, instead of cowering behind Jethro like I would’ve a few months ago, seeking protection and others to save me, I unthinkingly placed myself in front of him. My arms up, fists curled, teeth bared in defiance.
I might be almost broken, but I protected those I loved.
The hunchback came closer, skulking from the shadows. “Impressive stance, Nila. But if you mean to follow through with a punch, make sure your thumb is on the outside of your fingers. Otherwise, you’ll break it.”
I narrowed my eyes as the figure dumped two duffels from his shoulders to cobblestones. The dense fabric slapped loudly in the night silence.
“Flaw?”
A low chuckle reached my ears as he stepped from the darkness. “Hi, Nila.” His eyes skated over me, widening with understanding of what Jethro and I had gotten up to.
Jethro hugged me from behind, planting a kiss on my cheek. “I didn’t think I could love you any more than I do. You just proved me wrong. Thank you for protecting me.”
My heart burst.
Letting me go, he skirted in front of me and held out his hand. “Once again, you’ve earned my thanks.”
Flaw nodded, shaking Jethro’s grip. “Jasmine’s been told. I’ve got what you asked, and nobody is the wiser.” His eyes fell on me. “I can take you back to the estate, Nila. Give you an alibi if anyone’s up at this ungodly hour.” Fishing in his pocket, he held up a key. “I have the key to your room.”
Jethro rubbed his chin. “That might not be a bad idea. Just think up a decent excuse.” He narrowed his gaze in my direction. “You’ve been sick with the flu—you can’t deny it—I can still hear it in your lungs. Use that as a reason for midnight wanderings. You needed medicine.” His face darkened. “Which I doubt you asked for while you suffered.”
I looked away. “What I do when you’re not around is my business. Just like you getting shot and making us all believe you were dead is yours.”
Hear what I’m saying? That I’m not a victim anymore—I’ll stand up for myself regardless if you’re there to help me or not.
Jethro clenched his jaw.