Page 162 of Seizing Control: Part Two

My wife recoils at the vehemence in his voice. I can tell that she’s wavering between certainty in her plan and fear that she’s pushed us too far. Still, she rallies to fight for the success of our fucked-up love triangle.

“You also disappeared for a week with nothing but a riddle for an explanation.” Stepping away from Hunter, Cherub reminds him, “I had to use my bracelet to summon you?—”

“Told you I was already on my way home to you.”

“It doesn’t matter. An omission is still a lie. Riddles are still secrets.”

The futility that emanates from Lazarus in the wake of her rebuttal matches the sense of uselessness engulfing me. I jut my chin in a silent request for him to join me. My back is to the front door, making me the closest of the two of us to the exit. It’s clear that I need to be the first one to admit defeat since it’s clear that my sometimes-friend isn’t capable of being the man to do it.

He is desperate.

And desperate men do dumb shit.

In the same way he’s saved my arse recently, it’s my turn to protect him from his pride.

“Please,” Cherub begs. She swipes at her right cheek when a tear rolls from the corner of her eye. “Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.” After scanning Lazarus’ face, my wife turns her full focus on me. “You promised, Carter. Remember?” I incline my head, silently supporting her assertion. “I don’t want apologies, and I don’t want misplaced guilt. All I’m asking of you—” My duchess’ brilliantly blue gaze darts from me to her first love. “Both of you.” Locking eyes with me again, she continues in a beseeching voice. “Is for an acknowledgement of your past mistakes, and for the time and space I’ve requested to rebuild my faith in your promise to never lie, keep secrets, or leave me without explanation again.” She hiccups as a sob escapes her heaving chest. “I’m not blameless. I know that, but I am always the one who sacrifices her pride for peace. It doesn’t matter what you do to me, I come back. You lash out at me, tell me to go, yet I keep trying. Sometimes, I waver, but I never give up. Is it too much to ask that you give me that in return... for six months?”

The hangdog air around Lazarus as he comes to stand next to me is a sign that he’s conceding defeat. I pat his shoulder to gain his attention, then I scan the faces of the people who’ve risked it all to defend my wife from us. None of them are comfortable meeting my gaze, and that only bolsters my decision. They don’t know half the shit we’ve put her through, yet they still agree that we should give her the time and space she’s demanding.

Toker would put a bullet in us if he ever found out the true extent of our savagery. Except, I know that he will never discover the truth, because even when she’s laying a boundary around her heart, my wife still protects us from ourselves.

“We needa go, brother,” I mutter low enough for the broken man next to me to hear.

“I know.” His admission is empty of hope, especially when he repeats it a second time. “I know.”

My SAA pulls the front door open for us.

He stares at the ground as we depart down the ornate stairs.

“Don’t fuck this up,” he cautions. Lifting his head, he pins us with a serious look. “I think this is her final stand before she gives up on you two.”

I can’t help but take a pot-shot at him. “Might wanna take some of ya own advice there, Benny. Pretty sure, Delia ain’t gonna wait forever for you to man up and claim her.”

His derisive snort in response does nothing to salve my shattered soul. I am empty and bereaved as I lead Lazarus away from the woman we love. Our departure is at Cherub’s behest, yet it feels wrong. She needs us as much as we need her. That’s why she required backup to send us away.

“This is bullshit,” Lazarus declares when we reach the circular driveway. He stops. Snarling like a wild animal, the suited man spins around and glowers at the door we just left through. My wife stands in the doorway with tears streaming down her face. “You can stop this, Lily.”

“I can’t,” Cherub whispers in response to his shouted statement. Her voice is lost on the breeze, however I can read her lips. “Because I still love you both.”

Swallowing the lump that lodged in my throat at the sight of my duchess’ despair, I nod.

Rigid with rage, Lazarus glares, hands on his hips, up at his Lily.

His heart is broken.

Mine is bleeding.

It’s the sole boon in this situation.

Proof that we won’t give up.

We can’t give up.

Lilianna Hudson is it for me.

She’s just as vital to the man who died for her.

I’ll set fire to myself if that’s what it’ll take to restore my wife’s faith in me.

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