Page 142 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

She could’ve sworn that Ryker had locked the balcony door and closed the curtains before they went to sleep, but now the fabric was cracked open.

That was odd. Maybe the air conditioning blew them apart? They didn’t appear to be secured by any fabric.

Frowning, Brynleigh extricated herself from her husband’s grip. She slipped off the bed and moved towards the window. Grabbing the curtains, she shut them tight. She was about to turn around when the hairs on her neck prickled.

Releasing shadows from her palms, her spine stiffened as she spun on her heels.

A large tabby cat, nearly twice the size of a house cat, sat on the TV stand. A bag dangled from its front paw, and it stared at her. The animal was unfamiliar, except…

Those eyes. She knew them.

Brynleigh swallowed the scream rising in her throat as a flash of white light erupted from the cat. Her heart pounded violently against her ribs, and she stumbled back a step.

The feline disappeared, and Zanri took its place. He was naked, and the bag that had looked so big against the cat’s paw appeared much smaller now.

“What the actual fuck?” Brynleigh whisper-yelled, her gaze darting between her handler and the bed where Ryker slept soundly. “Why are you here?”

Panic caused her thoughts to run at a million miles an hour. She was supposed to have until the morning. They’d all agreed on the plan. It was still early, and the sun hadn’t yet risen. How did they know? What had she done to give herself away?

Zanri looked at Brynleigh with something akin to pity in his eyes. “The fae is still alive.”

Not a question. Was there… sadness in his voice?

Maybe Brynleigh could lie her way out of this. Maybe it wasn’t too late. “Yes, for now.” Zanri opened his mouth, but she continued, “I’ll still do it, Z. The timing just… wasn’t right.”

It would never be right.

“Because you were fucking him.” The shifter’s knowing gaze swept over her.

Now, Brynleigh wished she wasn’t naked. The way Zanri looked at her made her feel dirty, like she’d done something to be ashamed of. But she hadn’t.

“No. Well. Yes. I…”

I wasn’t ready.

I think I might love him, which scares me.

I’m not going to kill him because his sister is really the one who caused the flood, and I can’t bring myself to hurt her.

I want him.

He’s mine.

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t say any of them in the end.

Instead, she stepped towards the bed, trying to get between Zanri and Ryker. She didn’t think Zanri would hurt the fae, but she wanted to be sure.

The shifter watched her carefully. “Jelisette knows.”

She furrowed her brows, and her confusion wasn’t faked. “What?”

“Love makes us do stupid things.” Zanri reached into the bag, and there was a snapping sound. “I should know.”

Brynleigh’s eyes widened, and she reached for the shifter. “What? Don’t?—”

“I’m sorry, B.”

“No—”

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