Page 102 of Stroke of Shadows

“I didn’t think my beast would mate with you so quickly,” he added. “I wanted to do this properly. I wanted it to be your choice.”

A knife hung over their heads, one she couldn’t ignore, even with his confidence. Not once had she ever dreamed of finding someone who’d love her, and now she’d found him, she was terrified of letting him go.

“I have to go back.”

Sythe stilled beneath her. “You can’t. What if they find out you’re—”

“They already know.” All of Wyatt’s teasing over the years made sense. “They’ve always known. The golden key Angel wears around his neck unlocks a secret door in his study. Inside is evidence, maybe even enough to get a conviction.” She tried to keep her voice steady. “But, also inside are the remains of my mother.”

Her mother had been beautiful, even in her death. But no human could ever look like that once decomposed.

“So I can’t leave, because if I do, they’ll never be stopped. They need to face the consequences.”

“Then I’ll kill them.”

Harper cupped his jaw. “You can’t kill everyone that hurts me.”

“I’ve already told you, Starlight. I’m not the good guy.” His eyes steadied on hers, never looking away. He always did that, looked at her like she held his entire attention. It was more intimate than sex, a connection between two adults that cared for one another.

“Death is too quick. It’s a mercy they don’t deserve.” She’d seen too much violence at her family’s hands over the years. She wanted them to rot behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Sythe went to argue, but she pressed her fingers to his lips.

“Years, I’ve been working on this. Don’t let everything I’ve done, everything I’ve suffered be for nothing. They need to hurt for every life they’ve ruined, and I want to be part of what takes them down.”

Chapter 35

Sythe

Knuckles connected to his face, and Sythe grunted from the momentum. He allowed his body to fall, landing on his arm.

“Where the fuck were you?” Wyatt leered over him. “Hours I’ve been calling you, and not a single fucking response.”

“Told you I was coming, didn’t I?” Sythe spat the blood on the floor beside him.

“Show it to me.” There was no friendliness between them. Just business.

“Calm down, rich boy.” Sythe stayed where he was, not wanting to piss Wyatt off any further. “I’ve brought you the fucking chalice, just like I said I would.”

“Then where is it?”

Sythe nodded towards the bag left by the stairs.

“Lor?” Wyatt didn’t take his eyes from Sythe.

Lorraine said nothing as she searched inside the bag. “It’s here.”

Wyatt’s face cracked into a teeth-baring smile, and Sythe accepted the hand held out. “Fucking hell, I was starting to worry there.” He pulled Sythe to his feet.

“When have I ever fucked you over?”

“Not you.” Wyatt’s face twisted with a grimace. “Harper.”

Sythe barely stopped himself from reacting at her name. He’d spent the majority of his childhood being trained and tortured, yet watching Harper walk away from him was the hardest thing he’d ever done.

“Everything’s ready to call him,” Lorraine said, her attention entirely on Wyatt.

He grabbed her by the back of her neck, drawing her closer for a violent kiss. “You know what needs to be done,” he whispered, the words meant for her ears alone, but Sythe caught every word.

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