Page 198 of Juliet & Her Romeos

Neither of these Alphas is holding back now.

Silvanus staggers, before he steadies himself. “So, why’d you want this rematch? Are you a masochist who simply wants his ass beat? What are the stakes?”

The two men are dancing around each other as they talk.

“You choose.” Ambrose dodges another hit, weaving to the side.

Fear shoots through me.

That’s not what we discussed.

Swan hisses out a breath. “What’s Amby doing? Silas could ask for his balls on a silver platter.”

Vito stiffens next to me as well. “Can I call a time out, sir, so that we can talk about this?”

Ambrose ignores him.

“I said,” Ambrose attacks Silvanus with a flurry of blows that drive him back against the ropes, “Silas chooses.”

Silvanus is breathing hard, but finally, his eyes flare with interest.

Then I understand what Ambrose is doing because I understand my cousin.

Even this fight isn’t enough bait. Silvanus has to be fully invested.

He has to be offered the opportunity towreckAmbrose.

Not to win a single match buteverything.

Hasn’t every risk that we’ve taken been an all or nothing play? Isn’t Ambrose exactly the type of self-destructive Alpha, who’d put everything into the final throw of the dice…just like Silvanus is?

He knows how to trap Silvanus because he’s been raised in exactly the same manner.

They’re both uber Alphas, dominant to their core.

It’s like watching stags lock horns.

Silas manages to wrestle Ambrose back from him with a shove. He’s breathing hard, resting against the ropes.

“Just like that? I can set any stakes?” Silvanus wipes his wrist against his sweating forehead, before his gaze slides across his audience, resting on me.

Ambrose nods.

Silvanus smiles at me like he expects…hopes…that I’ll return it. “If I win, then you send every one of your bonded over to my ranch to be fostered by me.”

“No,” I burst out.

I stare at Silvanus in shock.

Does he think that he’s rescuing us?

Has he been on some kind of mission from the start to save us? Or does he know that this is the best way to hurt Ambrose?

Fucking ruin him?

Ambrose glances at me. “Trust me.”

And this is the moment.