Love And Betrayal | ✔️

52. Cloak and dagger

In Omnia Paratus.

Ready for anything.

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G R E Y H O U N D

ANGER WASHES OVER me like a tidal wave. In two long strides, I'm behind her, grabbing her by her arm, breathing down her neck.

"You kissed me first. You don't get to fuck with my feelings and then walk away like nothing happened."

Her fists clench by her sides.

Her heartbeat quickens.

"Let go."

"No." I grind out. "Not until you tell me what the actual fuck is going on with you."

She spins around, eyes flashing. "You really want to know? Fine. What's going on with me is my mate is a psychopath who kills people for fun. And regardless of this, my stupid heart has a mind of it's own. Whenever I'm around you, it stops functioning. I end up doing things like kiss you, hug you... when truth is, I should be running in the opposite direction."

"You shouldn't have tried to mark me." She continues heatedly, shaking her head. "That's what went wrong. I got carried away but so did you. We have a deal remember? I stay here for a week and then decide if want to continue living here or not. Had I let you mark me, that choice would have been taken away from me."

Very well then.

I hold out my hand.

She arches an eyebrow. "What?"

"The book." I say. "Hand it over. That was part of the deal too."

There's a brief pause, while her free hand move towards her back. The sound of zipper being pulled follows.

"Here." She thrusts the book into my hands.

"Where did you hide it?" I frown. I don't remember her holding it in her hands when she broke the rogue out of his cell, or when she fell out of the portal.

Something glimmers in her eyes. "You keep your secrets. I keep mine."

Fair enough.

I point to the stone stairway.

"Upstairs." My voice comes out robotic and emotionless. "West wing. The room with the library. I'll have the servants prepare the bed for you."

I let go of her arm and turn away before she can see an emotion other than anger on my face.

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It takes me twenty minutes to compose myself.

Another twenty to accept the fact that she and I are under the same roof.

My mind is still wrapped around that thought when I step out of my room and into the open corridors where a commotion below draws my attention. From the balcony, I watch pandemonium unfold.

A number of soldiers are rushing towards the dome laboratory. There's an uproar of cries and shouts. Gunshots are fired. Blood splatters taint the stone walls.