Page 97 of Stroke of Shadows

“So, what now?” she asked. “Are you taking me back to the estate?”

“Fuck no,” he replied with a frown. “Why would I take you back there?”

Her brows pinched. “But you agreed to give up the bond?”

The back of his neck heated, agony shooting through his chest like a slice through his heart. “Harper, look at me, darling.”

It took her a second, but she finally turned back to face him. “Why didn’t you tell me about the bond? Or simply explain what it meant?”

Fuck.

“Because it’s not something I planned.” He looked over her shoulder, seeking help that didn’t exist. How could he explain to a woman who’d never had her own voice that she was destined to be his?

“Then what does it mean?” she pressed, large eyes unblinking.

“It means my… soul chose yours.” She wasn’t ready to know of his beast just yet. “It’s not something I could control.”

“Is that why you agreed to give it up?” she asked again, but he couldn’t miss the crack in her cool expression, or the flash of hurt that leaked through. “Because it’s something you didn’t ask for?”

“Agreed to give it up?” His palm cupped her jaw, but she was rigid beneath his touch. “Fucking hell, is that what you think?”

He wanted to snarl and curse. To kiss her until he erased every lasting doubtful thought.

“The bond’s not so easily broken. But if the choice was between your life or mine, I’ll always choose yours.”

Her lips parted, and he brushed his thumb along her lower one.

“Don’t I get a choice in this?” She shivered at his touch, her expression so raw he wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. She’d had her whole life being told to be someone she wasn’t, and now he couldn’t wait to see who she truly was.

He just hoped he got to be a part of it.

“Of course.” His hand brushed along the side of her throat, her head tipping back as he moved closer. “I have the rest of our existence to convince you to choose me. Because mating bond or not, you’re mine, Starlight.”

Sythe eyed the flat, lips pressed into a thin line as Harper kneeled in front of his Church of the Light altar. She’d immediately lit the candles, the flames lazily dancing light across her serene face. She hadn’t said a word to him since they’d arrived, and he didn’t want to interrupt. She’d just been told her entire life was a lie, and if praying helped, then who was he to judge?

He should have taken her across the city back home, where his brothers could help protect her. But then again, introducing her to them while she was like this might actually terrify her enough to run away.

He dragged a hand down his face, his phone going crazy enough, he was tempted to throw it across the fucking room.

“I think we need to talk.”

Sythe lifted his head, finding her watching him. “Do we now?” His lips tipped into a lazy smile. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Tell me why you’re working with Wyatt.”

“Fucking hell, we’re going straight at it then?”

She nodded, her hair brushing forward across her face. Dark circles still sunk beneath her eyes, but her colour wasn’t as pallid as before. Whatever Ilzake had done, it was working.

Sythe tilted his head, his beast wanting to reach out and touch. “Okay, but we’re going to play a game.”

“A game?” Her brows pulled together in confusion.

Sythe went into the kitchen, pulling out a few chocolate muffins he always kept. Back home he’d beg Eva to bake for him, but only when Kace wasn’t in the room. He wasn’t stupid enough to risk his brother’s wrath when it came to his mate.

“A game where I’ll answer every question, and you’ll eat.” She hadn’t eaten anything in hours, his need to care for her overwhelming. “Fair?”

Harper let out a puff of air. “You’re being ridiculous, Mr Black.”

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