Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
With my mind completely gone and my heart utterly broken, I nuzzled her neck, kissed her cheek, then smashed my mouth to hers.
She froze.
She cried out.
She couldn’t stop me.
Another kiss.
Another stolen moment where I didn’t know which one of us would die.
My arms coiled around her until she gasped in pain.
Her slenderness, her heat, her strength—everything about her shattered the forcefield around my depressed-crippled heart, and I couldn’t do it.
Couldn’t handle loving this woman all while she hated me.
Couldn’t kiss this woman all while she accepted my abuse instead of fought me off.
As suddenly as I’d covered her, I ripped myself away.
Breathing hard, I shot out of bed and rubbed sleep and nightmares from my eyes. With trembling hands, I wrenched open the bedside table.
There.
Just where I’d left them.
Two birdcage cufflinks.
Snatching them into my fist, I charged for the door.
I ignored Ily’s sharp question about where I was going.
I did my best to shut down the sickness inside me.
As I bolted down the stairs, the evening came spooling back.
I’d ripped up the Diamond Kiss chit.
I’d left Ily before I could shatter and prowled around the castle all while a few early Masters reacquainted themselves with their chambers.
Victor hadn’t returned.
I hadn’t been summoned.
I’d waited until two a.m. before going back to her, grateful to find Ily asleep in our bed.
She’d faced my side.
Hugged my pillow to her chest.
I’d slipped under the covers and stared at her. I’d memorised every eyelash, then fallen asleep…
I shuddered.
My other nightmares had been of sisters I couldn’t save.
Mothers I’d abused.
They’d been absolutely agonising, but this one? This one tore me into motherfucking pieces.
She chose death over me.
She hates me.
I sucked in air.
I gagged on oxygen.
Smashing my way out of the fortress, I broke into a sprint toward the battlement wall. Moonlight splashed so bright, it lit up the gardens like a silver midday. Pewter shadows and monochrome grass blurred as I ran faster, faster.
She hates me.
Hates me.
Said my mind.
You love her.
Love her.
Said my heart.
Make it stop.
Make it stop.
Begged my soul.
Only one person could do that.
Only one brother who’d promised to end me.
I was ready for peace.
I wanted it over.
Reaching the wall, I sucked in huge heaves of oxygen and searched for the cameras.
No blinking red lights.
No guards and their snipers.
With all my strength, I hurled the cufflinks over the wall.
Victor’s satellite probably covered this entire island.
The cufflinks would most likely never send out their coordinates.
But if there was a chance.
A minuscule, microscopic chance.
I needed to try.
Because…I’m done.
Come find us, brother.
Save her.
Kill me.
Find us both…
Dropping to my knees, I sucked in gulps of moonlight.
My final act on this earth would be to get Ily the fuck out of here.
And then…I could die and finally be free.
Chapter Nineteen
………………………….
Ily
VICTOR ARRIVED FOUR DAYS LATER.
The friends he’d permitted to return flew in before him—as if they couldn’t tolerate being away for so long. They behaved themselves and didn’t cause any issues. They didn’t even play with any jewels, preferring to decompress by the pools and drink long into the night.
I managed to meet Peter, Faiza, Mollie, and Rachel one more time before we all decided it would be too risky with a full house once again.
We had our tasks. We had our timeframe.
We would continue gathering supplies, making presents, and hiding them around the castle where no one would find them until it was too late. Faiza had recruited three other cleaners who helped smuggle Mollie’s gifts under loads of laundry and trolleys full of fresh sheets and towels. They had instructions to ensure every Master’s room had at least one explosive hidden inside.
Everything seemed to be going as smoothly as it could.
Apart from Henri.
I touched my lips where I sat by our bedroom window, looking down at the gardens below.
That nightmare a few nights ago had been the worst one yet. He’d often woken me thrashing and tossing, but this was the first time he’d screamed.
His voice had cracked.
His hands had grabbed at shadows.
Pure despair poured from him, and I couldn’t let him stay in such misery.
I’d woken him.
He’d kissed me.
And then he’d bolted off and hadn’t come back.
Goosebumps erupted, recalling the way he’d ripped up the Diamond Kiss chit. The gesture had sent my heart flying. The clench of his jaw lit me up with hope.
I’d wanted to ask him there and then.
To finally test to see if he would be on our side, but…he’d avoided me ever since.
He never seemed to sleep.
He’d lost more weight.
His grey eyes always black with nightmares.
Each time I reached out to him, he shrank away as if my touch physically hurt him. Each time I tried to speak, he shut down.
The helplessness as he faded before my eyes drove me mad.
If I didn’t manage to break through to him soon…
My eyes strayed to the switchblade he’d smuggled here in the lining of his jacket.